Lē'gal-ize, v. t.

[imp. & p. p. LEGALIZED; p. pr. & vb. n. LEGALIZING.] [Fr. légaliser, Sp. legalisar, It. legalizzare.]

1. To make lawful; to render conformable to law; to authorize.
2. To sanction after being done; to give the authority of law to after a thing is done without law or authority; as, irregular proceedings may be legalized by a subsequent act of the legislature.
3. (Theol.) To interpret or apply in a legal spirit.