Definitions for clause
klɔzclause

Princeton's WordNet(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. clausenoun

   (grammar) an expression including a subject and predicate but not constituting a complete sentence

2. article, clausenoun

   a separate section of a legal document (as a statute or contract or will)

Wiktionary(2.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. clausenoun

   A group of two or more words which include a subject and any necessary predicate (the predicate also includes a verb, conjunction, or a preposition) to begin the clause; however, this clause is not considered a sentence for colloquial purposes.

2. clausenoun

   A verb along with its subject and their modifiers. If a clause provides a complete thought on its own, then it is an independent (superordinate) clause; otherwise, it is (subordinate)dependent.

3. clausenoun

   A separate part of a contract, a will or another legal document.

4. clauseverb

   To amend (a bill of lading or similar document).

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Clausenoun

   a separate portion of a written paper, paragraph, or sentence; an article, stipulation, or proviso, in a legal document

   Etymology: [F. clause, LL. clausa, equiv. to L. clausula clause, prop., close of rhetorical period, close, fr. claudere to shut, to end. See Close.]

2. Clausenoun

   a subordinate portion or a subdivision of a sentence containing a subject and its predicate

   Etymology: [F. clause, LL. clausa, equiv. to L. clausula clause, prop., close of rhetorical period, close, fr. claudere to shut, to end. See Close.]

3. Clausenoun

   see Letters clause / close, under Letter

   Etymology: [F. clause, LL. clausa, equiv. to L. clausula clause, prop., close of rhetorical period, close, fr. claudere to shut, to end. See Close.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Clause

   In grammar, a clause is the smallest grammatical unit that can express a complete proposition. A typical clause consists of a subject and a predicate, where the predicate is typically a verb phrase – a verb together with any objects and other modifiers. However the subject is sometimes not expressed; this is often the case in null-subject languages, if the subject is retrievable from context, but it also occurs in certain cases in other languages such as English. A simple sentence usually consists of a single finite clause with a finite verb that is independent. More complex sentences may contain multiple clauses. Main clauses are those that could stand as a sentence by themselves. Subordinate clauses are those that would be awkward or nonsensical if used alone.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Clause

   klawz, n. a sentence or part of a sentence: an article or part of a contract, will, &c.—adj. Claus′ular, pertaining to, or consisting of, a clause or clauses. [Fr. clause—L. clausus—claudĕre, to shut.]

Matched Categories

1. • Contract
   • Section

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'clause' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2750

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'clause' in Nouns Frequency: #930

How to pronounce clause?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say clause in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of clause in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of clause in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of clause in a Sentence

1. Malik Edwards:

   I don't think you can legislate and have those families pay, if you're going to go after individuals you'd have to come up with a theory to do it through litigation. At least on the federal level Congress doesn't have the power to go after these folks. It just doesn't fall within its Commerce Clause powers.

2. Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis:

   We are proposing to substitute the other tranches, to the IMF and other countries, with new bonds at market interest, which is very low at the moment, with a clause: we will start the entire repayment once solid growth starts in Greece, i don't see why they should not accept an extension like they always do in these situations, at least until the end of the year.

3. Jack Rakove:

   The 3/5 clause was always seen as a concession to the slave states, not some kind of punishment or restriction. Slaves were not citizens or legal persons in any sense of the term ; they would never enjoy political representation in any form.

4. Michael Lubetsky:

   I do recall specifically Ted once commenting that when he was a kid and he first learned about the natural-born citizen clause in the Constitution, like I suspect every other American child born abroad, he inquired whether or not he was eligible to be President. And he was quite pleased to discover that yes, indeed, that as a citizen born aboard he was eligible to run for the president.

5. Circuit Judge Thomas B. Ambro:

   It looks like he’s doing constituent services, and that doesn’t get you the shield of the speech and debate clause.

Images & Illustrations of clause

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