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. — 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.