01 n. That which limits the extent of anything; limit; extremity; bound; boundary.
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1.
That which limits the extent of anything; limit; extremity; bound; boundary.“Corruption is a reciprocal to generation, and they two are as nature's two terms, or boundaries.” — Bacon.
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2.
The time for which anything lasts; any limited time; as, a term of five years; the term of life.
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3.
In universities, schools, etc., a definite continuous period during which instruction is regularly given to students; as, the school year is divided into three terms.
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4.
A point, line, or superficies, that limits; as, a line is the term of a superficies, and a superficies is the term of a solid.(Geom.)
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5.
A fixed period of time; a prescribed duration(Law)
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6.
The subject or the predicate of a proposition; one of the three component parts of a syllogism, each one of which is used twice.(Logic)“The subject and predicate of a proposition are, after Aristotle, together called its terms or extremes.” — Sir W. Hamilton.
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7.
A word or expression; specifically, one that has a precisely limited meaning in certain relations and uses, or is peculiar to a science, art, profession, or the like; as, a technical term.“In painting, the greatest beauties can not always be expressed for want of terms.” — Dryden.
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8.
A quadrangular pillar, adorned on the top with the figure of a head, as of a man, woman, or satyr; -- called also terminal figure. See Terminus, n., 2 & 3.(Arch.) Also: terminal figure See: Terminus
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9.
A member of a compound quantity; as, a or b in a + b; ab or cd in ab - cd.(Alg.)
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10.
The menses.(Med.)
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11.
Propositions or promises, as in contracts, which, when assented to or accepted by another, settle the contract and bind the parties; conditions.(Law)
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12.
In Scotland, the time fixed for the payment of rents.(Law)
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13.
A piece of carved work placed under each end of the taffrail.(Naut.)“I can not speak in term.” — Chaucer.
Syn.
Limit; bound; boundary; condition; stipulation; word; expression.
-- Term, Word. These are more frequently interchanged than almost any other vocables that occur of the language. There is, however, a difference between them which is worthy of being kept in mind. Word is generic; it denotes an utterance which represents or expresses our thoughts and feelings. Term originally denoted one of the two essential members of a proposition in logic, and hence signifies a word of specific meaning, and applicable to a definite class of objects. Thus, we may speak of a scientific or a technical term, and of stating things in distinct terms. Thus we say, “the term minister literally denotes servant;” “an exact definition of terms is essential to clearness of thought;” “no term of reproach can sufficiently express my indignation;” “every art has its peculiar and distinctive terms,” etc. So also we say, “purity of style depends on the choice of words, and precision of style on a clear understanding of the terms used.” Term is chiefly applied to verbs, nouns, and adjectives, these being capable of standing as terms in a logical proposition; while prepositions and conjunctions, which can never be so employed, are rarely spoken of as terms, but simply as words.