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indenture

noun
/ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/US

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman endenture, from Old French endenteure, from endenter (“to dent”). The name of the contract derives from the irregular dent-shaped cut (indentation) used to prove the authenticity of the two parts, similar to a chirograph.

  1. derived from endenteure
  2. derived from endenture

Definitions

  1. A contract which binds a person to work for another, under specified conditions, for a…

    A contract which binds a person to work for another, under specified conditions, for a specified time (often as an apprentice).

    • And so the schoolmistress reconciled the recommendation to her conscience, and the indentures were cancelled, and the apprentice was free.

  2. A contract relating to lending (typically for issuing a bond), a real estate transaction,…

    A contract relating to lending (typically for issuing a bond), a real estate transaction, or a bankruptcy that imposes additional conditions on one or both parties.

  3. A document, written as duplicates separated by indentations, specifying either of the…

    A document, written as duplicates separated by indentations, specifying either of the above contracts.

    • It was the critical moment of Oliver’s fate. If the inkstand had been where the old gentleman thought it was, he would have dipped his pen into it, and signed the indentures, and Oliver would have been straightway hurried off.
  4. ›+ 3 more definitions

    1. An indentation

      An indentation; a recess.

      • The narrow windows, flanked by deep indentures into the walls, seemed formed rather to exclude than to admit the cheerful light; and the heavy and gloomy appearance of the thunder-sky added still farther to the obscurity.

    2. To bind a person under such a contract.

    3. To indent

      To indent; to make hollows, notches, or wrinkles in; to furrow.

      • Though age may creep on, and indenture the brow.

The neighborhood

Derived

indenturedness, indentured servant, indenturee, indenturer, indentureship, nonindentured, reindenture, unindentured

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at indenture. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01indenture02apprentice03master04slave05indentured

A definitional loop anchored at indenture. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

5 hops · closes at indenture

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA