(A) General rule. Words and phrases shall be taken in their plain or ordinary and usual sense; however, technical words and phrases having a peculiar and appropriate meaning in law shall be understood according to their technical import.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this code, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CITY, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION or MUNICIPALITY. The City of Tool, Texas.
CODE, THIS CODE or THIS CODE OF ORDINANCES. This municipal code as modified by amendment, revision and adoption of new titles, chapters or sections.
COUNTY. Henderson County, Texas.
MARSHAL. The Chief of Police of the City of Tool, Texas.
MAY. The act referred to is permissive.
MONTH. A calendar month.
OATH. 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.
OFFICER, OFFICE, EMPLOYEE, COMMISSION or DEPARTMENT. An officer, office, employee, commission or department of this municipality unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
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. Extends to and includes person, persons, firm, corporation, copartnership, trustee, lessee or receiver. Whenever used in any clause prescribing and imposing a penalty, the terms PERSON or WHOEVER as applied to any unincorporated entity shall mean the partners or members thereof, and as applied to corporations, the officers or agents thereof.
PRECEDING or FOLLOWING. Next before or next after, respectively.
PUBLIC PLACE. Unless otherwise specifically defined, any public road, street, alley, park, square, building or other property of the city or any other places to which people commonly resort for the purpose of business, recreation or amusements.
SHALL. The act referred to is mandatory.
SIGNATURE or SUBSCRIPTION. Includes a mark when the person cannot write.
STATE. The State of Texas.
STREET. Includes any highway, road, street, avenue, bridge, viaduct, underpass, overpass, tunnel or causeway in the city, dedicated or devoted to public use.
SUBCHAPTER. A division of a chapter, designated in this code by a heading in the chapter analysis and a capitalized heading in the body of the chapter, setting apart a group of sections related by the subject matter of the heading. Not all chapters have SUBCHAPTERS.
TENANT or OCCUPANT. As applied to premises, includes any person, holding a written or oral lease, or who actually occupies the whole or any part of such premises, alone or with others.
WRITTEN. Any representation of words, letters or figures, whether by printing or otherwise.
YEAR. A calendar year, unless otherwise expressed.
(1995 Code, § 1.103)