DATIVE (

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• LAT

Lat. dativus, giving or given, from dare, to give)  , the name, in grammar, of the case of the " indirect object," the person or thing to or for whom or which anything is given or done . In law, the word signifies something, such as an office; which may be disposed of at will or pleasure, and is opposed to perpetual . In Scots law the term is applied to persons, duties or powers, appointed or granted by a court of law; thus an " executor-'dative " is an executor appointed by the court and not by a testator . It answers, therefore, to the English administrator (q.v.) . In Roman law, a tutor was either dativus, if expressly nominated in a testament, or optivus, if a power of selection was given .