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 Meaning of TERM
| Pronunciation: |  | turm 
 
 |  |  WordNet Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  | 
[n]  any distinct quantity contained in a polynomial; "the general term of an algebraic equation of the n-th degree"  [n]  (usually plural) a statement of what is required as part of an agreement; "the contract set out the conditions of the lease"; "the terms of the treaty were generous"  [n]  a word or expression used for some particular thing; "he learned many medical terms"  [n]  one of the substantive phrases in a logical proposition; "the major term of a syllogism must occur twice"  [n]  a limited period of time; "a prison term"; "he left school before the end of term"  [n]  the end of gestation or point at which birth is imminent; "a healthy baby born at full term"  [v]  name formally or designate with a term   |  |  |  |  | Websites: |  |  |  |  |  |  | Synonyms: |  | condition, full term |  |  |  |  | See Also: |  | academic session, academic term, agreement, call, constituent, gestation, gestation period, grammatical constituent, incumbency, major term, middle term, midterm, minor term, name, period, period of time, point, point in time, predicate, prison term, proposition, quantity, referent, relatum, school term, sentence, session, statement, subject, tenure, term of office, time, time period, understanding, word |  |     |  |  Webster's 1913 Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  | 
\Term\, n. [F. terme, L. termen, -inis, terminus, a
boundary limit, end; akin to Gr. ?, ?. See {Thrum} a tuft,
and cf. {Terminus}, {Determine}, {Exterminate}.]
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.
2. The time for which anything lasts; any limited time; as, a
   term of five years; the term of life.
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.
4. (Geom.) 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.
5. (Law) A fixed period of time; a prescribed duration; as:
   (a) The limitation of an estate; or rather, the whole time
       for which an estate is granted, as for the term of a
       life or lives, or for a term of years.
   (b) A space of time granted to a debtor for discharging
       his obligation.
   (c) The time in which a court is held or is open for the
       trial of causes. --Bouvier.
Note: In England, there were formerly four terms in the year,
      during which the superior courts were open: Hilary
      term, beginning on the 11th and ending on the 31st of
      January; Easter term, beginning on the 15th of April,
      and ending on the 8th of May; Trinity term, beginning
      on the 22d day of May, and ending on the 12th of June;
      Michaelmas term, beginning on the 2d and ending on the
      25th day of November. The rest of the year was called
      vacation. But this division has been practically
      abolished by the Judicature Acts of 1873, 1875, which
      provide for the more convenient arrangement of the
      terms and vacations. In the United States, the terms to
      be observed by the tribunals of justice are prescribed
      by the statutes of Congress and of the several States.
6. (Logic) The subject or the predicate of a proposition; one
   of the three component parts of a syllogism, each one of
   which is used twice.
         The subject and predicate of a proposition are,
         after Aristotle, together called its terms or
         extremes.                             --Sir W.
                                               Hamilton.
Note: The predicate of the conclusion is called the major
      term, because it is the most general, and the subject
      of the conclusion is called the minor term, because it
      is less general. These are called the extermes; and the
      third term, introduced as a common measure between
      them, is called the mean or middle term. Thus in the
      following syllogism, -- Every vegetable is combustible;
      Every tree is a vegetable; Therefore every tree is
      combustible, - combustible, the predicate of the
      conclusion, is the major term; tree is the minor term;
      vegetable is the middle term.
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. ``Terms quaint of law.'' --Chaucer.
         In painting, the greatest beauties can not always be
         expressed for want of terms.          --Dryden.
8. (Arch.) 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 and 3.
Note: The pillar part frequently tapers downward, or is
      narrowest at the base. Terms rudely carved were
      formerly used for landmarks or boundaries. --Gwilt.
9. (Alg.) A member of a compound quantity; as, a or b in a +
   b; ab or cd in ab - cd.
10. pl. (Med.) The menses.
11. pl. (Law) Propositions or promises, as in contracts,
    which, when assented to or accepted by another, settle
    the contract and bind the parties; conditions.
12. (Law) In Scotland, the time fixed for the payment of
    rents.
Note: Terms legal and conventional in Scotland correspond to
      quarter days in England and Ireland. There are two
      legal terms -- Whitsunday, May 15, and Martinmas, Nov.
      11; and two conventional terms -- Candlemas, Feb. 2,
      and Lammas day, Aug. 1. --Mozley & W.
13. (Naut.) A piece of carved work placed under each end of
    the taffrail. --J. Knowels.
{In term}, in set terms; in formal phrase. [Obs.]
         I can not speak in term.              --Chaucer.
{Term fee} (Law)
    (a), a fee by the term, chargeable to a suitor, or by law
        fixed and taxable in the costs of a cause for each or
        any term it is in court.
{Terms of a proportion} (Math.), the four members of which it
   is composed.
{To bring to terms}, to compel (one) to agree, assent, or
   submit; to force (one) to come to terms.
{To make terms}, to come to terms; to make an agreement: to
   agree.
Syn: Limit; bound; boundary; condition; stipulation; word;
     expression.
Usage: {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.
\Term\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Termed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Terming}.] [See {Term}, n., and cf. {Terminate}.]
To apply a term to; to name; to call; to denominate.
      Men term what is beyond the limits of the universe
      ``imaginary space.''                     --Locke.
 |  |  |  |  | Websites: |  |  |  |  |  |  Computing Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  | 1. A program by Michael O'Reilly <[email protected]> for people running Unix who have Internet access via a dial-up connection, and who don't have access to SLIP, or PPP, or simply prefer a more lightweight protocol.  TERM does end-to-end error-correction, compression and mulplexing across serial links.  This means you can upload and download files as the same time you're reading your news, and can run X clients on the other side of your modem link, all without needing SLIP or PPP. Current version: 1.15. 2. Technology Enabled Relationship Management. |  |  |  |  | Websites: |  |  |  |  |  |  Medical Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  | Definition |  |  |  |  | Websites: |  |  |  |  |    |  |