as

1.

In the Roman and civil law, a pound weight; and a coin originally weighing a pound, (called also "libra") divided into twelve parts, called "uncise". The parts were reckoned as follows: uncia, 1 ounce; sextans, 2 ounces; triens, 3 ounces; quadrans, 4 ounces; quincunx, 5 ounces; semis, 6 ounces; septunx, 1 ounces; bes, 8 ounces; dodrans, 9 ounces; dextans, 10 ounces; deunx, 11 ounces.

Frequently applied in the civil law to inheritances; the whole inheritance being termed "as", and its several proportionate parts "sextans", "quadrans", etc. The term "as", and the multiples of its uncice, were also used to denote the rates of interest. 2 Bl.Comm. 462, note m. Any integral sum, subject to division in certain proportions

2.

Used as an adverb, etc., means like, similar to, of the same kind, in the same manner, in the manner in which. It may also have the meaning of because, since, or it being the case that; in the character or under the name of with significance of in degree; to that extent; so far