Extracted From: A LAW DICTIONARY ..., SIXTH EDITION, 1856 by John Bouvier, CHILDS & PETERSON, PHILADELPHIA DEAD Something which has no life; figuratively, something of no value. DEAD BODY, crim. law. A corpse. 2. To take up a dead body without lawful authority, even for the purposes of dissection, is a misdemeanor, for which the offender may be indicted at common law.... 3. The preventing a dead body from being buried, is also an indictable offence. 4. To inter a dead body found in a river, it seems, would render the offender liable to an indictment for a misdemeanor, unless he first sent for the coroner....