Contents
English
Wikipedia has an article on: ClauseEtymology
< Middle English < Mediaeval Latin clausa (“‘a clause’”) (Latin diminutive clausula (“‘a clause, close of a period’”)) < Latin clausus, pp. of claudere (“‘to shut, close’”); see close.
Pronunciation
Homophones
Noun
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Singular clause |
Plural clauses |
clause (plural clauses)
- (informal, grammar) 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.
- (grammar) A word or group of words ordinarily consisting of a subject and a predicate; in some languages and types of clauses, the subject may not appear explicitly; one clause may be coordinated with or embedded in another within a single sentence.
- (law) A separate part of a contract, a will or another legal document.
Usage notes
An examples of a grammatical dependent clause is When it got dark, they went back into the house. “When it got dark” is the clause within the complete sentence. The conjunction when begins the main clause (when it got dark, …); however, the pronoun it lacks a declared subject causing the reader to expect a subordinate clause to complete the idea.
Derived terms
types of grammatical clauses
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Related terms
Verb
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Infinitive to clause |
Third person singular clauses |
Simple past claused |
Past participle claused |
Present participle clausing |
to clause (third-person singular simple present clauses, present participle clausing, simple past and past participle claused)
- (transitive) To amend (a bill of lading or similar document).
External links
- clause in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- clause in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
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Republica
The draft of the agreement has a clause which says that the law of Britain will be applicable if any dispute surfaces regarding the project. ...
Howard Friedman
Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:00:00 GM
Religion . Clause. . Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof... --US Const., Amend. 1. Saturday, June 13, 2009. 3 Cases From South Asia Involve Killing of Christians ...
