clause

/klɔːz/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: clauses · clausing · claused

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A group of words that contains a subject and a verb; it may be part of a sentence or may constitute the whole sentence, depending on the syntax in each instance.

Noun

Examples

Near-synonyms: sentential, sentence

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A verb, its necessary grammatical arguments, and any adjuncts affecting them.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To amend (a bill of lading or similar document).

Verb

Examples

The question of clausing the bills of lading, so as to avoid "dirtying", which impairs its negotiability, may also be looked into

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “clause” mean?

A group of words that contains a subject and a verb; it may be part of a sentence or may constitute the whole sentence, depending on the syntax in each instance.

Is “clause” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.