§ 1-2. Definitions and interpretation.

In the construction of this Code, and of all ordinances, the following rules shall be observed, unless such construction would be inconsistent with the manifest intent of the city council:

City council, council. The term "city council" or "council" shall mean the city council of the City of Gulfport, Mississippi.

City, municipality. The words "the city," "this city," "the municipality," or "this municipality" shall be construed as if the words "of Gulfport, Mississippi" followed it.

Computation of time. The time within which an act is to be done shall be computed by excluding the first and including the last day, and if the last day be Sunday or a legal holiday that day shall be excluded.

State Law reference— How time computed where a number of days is prescribed in statutes, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-67.

County. The words "the county" or "this county" shall mean the County of Harrison, in the State of Mississippi.

Delegation of authority. Whenever a provision requires or authorizes an officer or employee of the city to do some act or perform some duty, it shall be construed to authorize the officer or employee to designate, delegate and authorize subordinates to perform the act or duty unless the terms of the provision designate otherwise.

Gender. Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine and neuter.

State Law reference— Gender construed in statutes, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-17.

Miss. Code Ann. 1972. The term "Miss. Code Ann. 1972" shall mean the official code of the State of Mississippi, as amended.

Month. The word "month" shall mean a calendar month.

State Law reference— "Month" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-29.

Number. Words used in the singular shall include the plural, and the plural shall include the singular number.

State Law reference— Number construed in statutes, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-33.

Oath. The word "oath" shall be construed to include an affirmation in all cases in which, by law, an affirmation may be substituted for an oath, and in such cases the words "swear" and "sworn" shall be equivalent to the words "affirm" and "affirmed."

State Law reference— "Oath" and "sworn" construed, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, §§ 1-3-35, 1-3-53.

Owner. The word "owner," applied to a building or land, shall include any part owner, joint owner, tenant in common, tenant in partnership, joint tenant, or tenant by the entirety, of the whole or of a part of such building or land.

Person. The word "person" shall include a corporation, firm, partnership, association, organization and any other group acting as a unit, as well as an individual.

State Law reference— "Person" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-39.

Personal property. The term "personal property" shall include goods, chattels, effects, evidences of rights of action, and all written instruments by which any pecuniary obligation, or any right, title, or interest in any real or personal estate, shall be created, acknowledged, transferred, incurred, defeated, discharged, or diminished.

State Law reference— "Personal property" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-41.

Preceding, following. The words "preceding" and "following" shall mean next before and the next after, respectively.

Property. The word "property" shall include real and personal property.

State Law reference— "Property" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-45.

Real property. The term "real property" shall include every estate, interest or right in lands, tenements and hereditaments.

Sidewalk. The word "sidewalk" shall mean that portion of a street between curblines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.

State Law reference— "Sidewalk" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 63-3-125(d).

Signature, subscription. The word "signature" or "subscription" shall include a mark when the person cannot write.

State. The words "the state" or "this state" shall mean the State of Mississippi.

Street. The word "street" shall mean the entire width between property lines of every way or place of whatever nature when any part thereof is open to the use of the public, as a matter of right, for purposes of vehicular traffic.

State Law reference— "Street" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 63-3-125(a).

Tenant. The word "tenant" or "occupant," applied to a building or land, shall include any person who occupies the whole or a part of such building or land, whether alone or with others.

Tense. Words used in the past or present tense shall include the future as well as the past and present.

Writing, written. The words "writing" and "written" shall include printing, engraving, lithographing and any other mode of representing words and letters.

State Law reference— "Written" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-61.

Year. The word "year" shall mean a calendar year.

State Law reference— "Year" defined, Miss. Code Ann. 1972, § 1-3-63.

(Code 1963, § 1-2)