Dictionary.net

A beneficial action or equitable action. An action founded on equity instead of strict law, and available for those who had equitable rights or the beneficial ownership of property. Actions are divided into dircetw or utiles actions. The former are founded on certain legal obligations which from their origin were accurately defined and recognized as actionable. The latter were formed analogically in imitation of the former. They were perniitted in legal obligations for which the actioncs dircctiv were not originally intended, but which resembled the legal obligations which formed the basis of the direct action. Mackeld. Rom. Law,