A Clause Is Both Grammar and Contract
A clause is a group of words with a subject and verb, or a section of a legal document. Both are units that close.
A clause is a group of words containing a subject and a verb, and also a numbered section of a contract. The shared idea is closure: Latin *clausa* means something closed off, from *claudere*, to shut. A grammatical clause is a self-contained unit of sense, and a contract clause is a self-contained unit of obligation.
- A grammatical unit. *A subordinate clause.*
- A section of a legal document. *Clause fourteen.*
- A condition. *An escape clause.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | clause | A relative clause. |
| Plural | clauses | Standard clauses. |
| Related | close | Close the door. |
| Related | include | Include the term. |
| Related | conclusion | A firm conclusion. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The contract has an escape clause.Law.
- A main clause can stand alone.Grammar.
- Santa Claus is a different word entirely.From Sinterklaas.
Kinds of grammatical clause
- Main clause — can stand alone as a sentence
- Subordinate clause — depends on a main clause
- Relative clause — begins with who, which or that
- Conditional clause — begins with if or unless
- Non-finite clause — has no tensed verb
From Old French *clause*, from Medieval Latin *clausa*, a close of a sentence, from Latin *claudere*, to shut — the root of *close*, *include* and *conclude*.
Clause or phrase?
A clause has a subject and a verb. A phrase does not, though it may still be several words long.
Is Santa Claus related?
No. That name comes from Dutch *Sinterklaas*, a form of Saint Nicholas.