TERM

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.

The time for which anything lasts; any limited time; as, a term of five years; the term of life.

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.

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.

A fixed period of time; a prescribed duration; as:

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.

A space of time granted to a debtor for discharging his obligation.

The time in which a court is held or is open for the trial of causes. Bouvier.

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.

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.

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.

A member of a compound quantity; as, a or b in a + b; ab or cd in ab - cd.

The menses.

Propositions or promises, as in contracts, which, when assented to or accepted by another, settle the contract and bind the parties; conditions.

In Scotland, the time fixed for the payment of rents.

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.

To apply a term to; to name; to call; to denominate. Men term what is beyond the limits of the universe "imaginary space." Locke.