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Contract Law

Browse 99 glossary entries in the Contract Law category, with short plain-English descriptions and direct links to the full term pages.

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construct

Imagine a permission slip: the signature line is part of the construct.

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current

Current acts like checking the clock on a library book; it tells you if the due date (the present moment) has passed.

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death

Death is like when you hand in your hall pass for good—you can't come back to class.

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decreased

If your library fine is decreased from $5 to $2, that means you owe less money than you thought you did.

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defer

Deferring means hitting the pause button on a promise; if you promised to clean my room today but say you'll do it next week, that’s deferring.

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dependent

A dependent is like a kid who relies on Mom for rides; if the kid breaks curfew, they are dependent on Mom's permission slip being valid.

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derived

If your main permission slip lets you play on the swing set, a derived right is like getting permission to use the slide because it's attached to t...

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designee

It's like giving your friend permission to sign for a package meant for you.

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disclaimer

Think of a hall pass that says you can run in the hallway without getting in trouble; it only works if the teacher wrote it clearly and gave it to...

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disclosure

Disclosure is like showing your friend the 'fine print' on a permission slip before they sign it.

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disqualified

If you get a hall pass but the teacher takes it back, your privilege to be out of class is disqualified.

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division

It’s like splitting an allowance equally among three kids; each kid gets their own separate piece of money.

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dollar

Think of a dollar like a hall pass that lets you buy a snack; if the pass says $5, you must hand over exactly five bucks, no more, no less.

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due diligence

Due diligence is like checking a friend's report card before promising them you'll let them borrow your expensive video game console.

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duplication

Duplication is like handing in two identical permission slips for field day; you might be marked down for submitting too many, even if both are valid.

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duration

Duration is how long something lasts; think of a library book's due date.

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duty

A duty is like a promise you make on a permission slip; if you don't follow it, you get penalized.

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effect

The effect is like the consequence of signing a permission slip; if you sign it, the legal effect is that your parents give you permission to play...

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effective date

It's like the day written on a permission slip; that’s the first day you are officially allowed to go outside and play.

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effort

It means you promised to try your hardest, like promising to study hard for a test even if you don't get an A.

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elect

Electing is like picking one flavor at the ice cream shop when you can have vanilla or chocolate.

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eliminate

It's like crossing out a promise on your lunch menu so nobody can ask for it later.

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employ

Employ means you promise to use something—like promising to use your allowance to buy a specific toy.

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entire

Think of a hall pass that lets you use the whole playground; you can’t just stay on the swings and skip the slide.

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entitle

It means you have earned permission to do something or get paid for it.

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environmental

It's like putting rules on your permission slip that say you must recycle all your crayons before you leave school.

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equitable

Equitable means making things fair when the rules aren't perfect.

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error

An error is like writing 'ten dollars' when you meant 'one hundred dollars' on your permission slip; that mistake changes everything about what you...

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event

An event is like when you hand in your permission slip; that act triggers the permission to play outside.

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exclusive

It’s like getting the only hall pass in your class—no one else can use it while you have it.

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existing

If you have an existing permission slip from your parents, it means you already have permission right now to go to the park.

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expire

Think of a library book: once the due date passes, you can no longer borrow it without paying a fine.

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extend

It's like getting an extra week on your permission slip when you needed more time to finish your science project.

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extension

An extension is like asking your teacher for an extra day on a math test.

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external

It’s like when your friend promises Mom she will finish her homework—that promise is external to you and Dad, but it affects both of you.

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faith

Imagine you give a friend a hall pass assuming the teacher will let them leave; if the teacher later says no, you’re stuck with the promise you made.

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favorable

If your hall pass is favorable, you get permission to go outside even though rain is falling.

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fee

Think of a library fine; that charge represents the cost you owe just for keeping a book too long.

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fiduciary

It’s like when you hold a permission slip from your parent; you must only use it for school events, not just to skip lunch.

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floor

The floor is like the bottom line on a permission slip; even if you promise to do something better, you can't fall below that written standard.

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for cause

It acts like a rule on a permission slip: you can only get it if there's a good reason, not just because you feel like it.

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force

It’s like when you promised to bring your library book back on Tuesday, but a huge thunderstorm made it impossible to get out of the house that day.

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foreseeable

Foreseeable means you thought it might happen before it did.

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former

If you were given a permission slip for recess yesterday, 'former' means you are no longer currently allowed to go out.

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foundation

Think of it like the first signature on a permission slip; without that initial sign-off, the whole field trip plan collapses.

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franchise

A franchise is like a permission slip letting you run your own lemonade stand, but only if you use the specific pitcher and recipe the main owner r...

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fraud

Fraud is like when a friend gives you a permission slip claiming you'll go to the park, but secretly knows it’s really for the grocery store.

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full force

If your permission slip says 'full force,' it means you can use that hall pass right now, no waiting around for the principal's approval.

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fullest

It means you are promising to do *everything* required in the permission slip—not just coloring inside the lines, but also staying on the designate...

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function

If your permission slip says you have the 'function' of reading only, that means you can't write on it.

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future

A future promise is like a permission slip you sign today for something happening next week.

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gacc

It functions like a parent promising to pay your library fine before you even get it.

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general

A general clause is like a 'catch-all' section on your permission slip.

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governor

Think of a governor like a school principal who can sign off on a field‑trip permission slip, but also can cancel the trip if safety rules aren’t met.

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grant

A grant is like when Mom gives you permission slip to play outside; she grants you the right to go out.

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gross

A gross allowance is like getting the whole amount on your permission slip—every single point counts!

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hazard

A hazard is like finding a huge crack in your promise slip before you sign it; that flaw makes the whole deal risky.

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heading

A heading is like the title on a permission slip—it tells you exactly what the paper is about before you even read the rules underneath.

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health

It's like having a permission slip for recess: if you're too sick (unhealthy), your parent might revoke that permission, meaning you can't play.

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identity

Identity is like your unique hall pass number at school; it proves you are who you claim to be when signing a permission slip.

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illegal

Imagine signing a hall pass that lets you break school rules; the teacher will nullify it and you could get in trouble.

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immediately

When your mom says you need to clean your room immediately, it means you stop whatever you are doing right then and there.

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impact

Impact is like when you spill juice on your homework; the impact is that the paper gets ruined and needs fixing.

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implied

It's like when you borrow a friend's video game; even if they don't say 'return it next week,' the implied term is that you will return it promptly.

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inaction

Inaction is like when your friend promises to bring the ball but just sits there instead.

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incentive

It's like a sticker on a chore chart; the sticker is the incentive you get for finishing your homework early.

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incident

An incident is like when your friend breaks your favorite toy; that broken toy is the incident that starts the argument.

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inconvenient

Like when a parent asks you to clean your room before playing video games - it's a temporary interruption that prevents you from doing what you wan...

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incurrence

It’s like getting a library fine; you don't get it just by looking at the book, but when you fail to return it, the fine incurs.

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indemnify

Indemnify is like when your parent promises to pay the library fine if you forget to return a book on time.

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indemnity

It functions like a promise on a permission slip: if you break the rules and get a fine, your friend promises to pay that fine for you instead.

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independent

If you sign a hall pass that says it’s for your own use, you are independent of the teacher who gave it.

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indication

An indication is like telling your friend you'll share your dessert if they finish their vegetables first.

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indirectly

If your friend asks you to pass the salt (the indirect action), you move it for them instead of handing it directly over.

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induce

Inducement is like getting your mom to let you stay up late because she promised extra dessert; that promise is the inducement.

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informed

It’s like giving a kid the exact homework instructions before they start; they can’t blame the teacher if they follow them correctly.

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integration

Imagine you and your friend write down rules for playing tag on separate slips of paper; integrating means gluing them together so they form one of...

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interfere

Interference happens when someone messes with your stuff—like if your friend borrows your favorite toy and won't give it back.

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interfere with

If your friend promises you a swing set (the right), and their sibling keeps pulling on the chains so you can't use it, the sibling is interfering...

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internal

Think of an internal permission slip—only you and your teacher can enforce that rule; a friend walking by doesn't have standing to complain about it.

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introduction

It acts like the first page of a permission slip that says, 'This is for recess on Monday.' It tells you exactly what the paper is about before you...

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involved

If you are involved in your friend's game of tag, you have a role—you aren't just watching.

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irrevocable

It's like signing a permission slip that says 'This cannot be taken back.' Even if you change your mind tomorrow, the school still has to honor wha...

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key

A key acts like the main promise written on a permission slip.

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kind

A kind is like labeling a permission slip: one slip says 'Field Trip,' and another says 'Library Fine.' The label tells you exactly what the rule a...

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lapse

A lapse is like a library book overdue; once the due date passes, you lose the chance to borrow it without paying a fine.

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legal counsel

Legal counsel is like having your parent read the instructions on a complicated permission slip before you sign it.

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liability

Liability is like owing money on a permission slip; if you break the rules listed, you are responsible for paying the fine.

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liability insurance

Liability insurance functions like a promise made by an insurer: if you break something (your liability), they pay for the repair bill instead of y...

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life

Life is like the permission slip for your field trip; it means you are allowed to be there until the bell rings, which ends your allowance.

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likely

If you say your friend will be late, that’s likely—it means it probably happened, like if they missed their usual bus stop.

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line

Imagine a promise written on a permission slip; that line tells you exactly where your signature ends and the teacher's begins.

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list

A list acts like the required items on a permission slip; if you forget one item, you might not get to play.

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local

It means something only works in your neighborhood, not across the whole town.

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location

Think of a location like the playground where a kid’s permission slip says he can play; the slip only works if the kid shows up at that specific pl...

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long-term

A long-term promise is like a permission slip that lasts for the whole school year, not just until lunch tomorrow.

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lost

If you lose your hall pass, you can't go to the playground until you get a new one.

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material adverse

It's like if your permission slip said you could go to recess, but then the principal suddenly announced it was canceled because of a massive snows...

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material change

Imagine you agree to get a blue bike; if the seller swaps it for a rusty red one, that’s a material change.

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