fine print

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fine print

A customer carefully reads the fine print on a contract before signing.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The text in a document, especially a contract, printed in very small type size: This text often contains important details, limitations, or conditions that are not immediately obvious.
    • The often obscure or complex details and conditions, especially in a legal agreement: It refers to the specific stipulations, exclusions, or obligations that are crucial to understand fully.
Usage
  • The term "fine print" is used to refer to the detailed, and sometimes disadvantageous, terms that are easy to miss. It carries a connotation of caution, implying that important information is deliberately made difficult to read or notice.
  • It is commonly used in contexts involving contracts, agreements, warranties, advertisements, and official forms.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • Always read the fine print before you sign any loan agreement.
    • The advertisement promised a free phone, but the fine print revealed a mandatory two-year service contract.
    • He missed the cancellation fee mentioned in the fine print.
Advanced Usage
  • "to be hidden in the fine print": To be concealed within the complex details of a document.
    • The most critical liability clause was hidden in the fine print.
  • "the devil is in the fine print": A common saying meaning the most problematic or tricky details are found in the small, easily overlooked text.
    • The deal sounds good, but remember, the devil is in the fine print.
Variants and Related Words
  • Small print (n): A direct synonym for "fine print."
    • Check the small print for any additional charges.
  • Boilerplate (n): Standardized language or clauses, often found in contracts, which can be part of the fine print.
  • Terms and conditions (n): The full set of rules; the fine print is typically a part of this.
Synonyms
  • Small type
  • Legalese (specifically when it involves complex legal language)
  • Details
  • Stipulations
  • Caveats
Related Phrases
  • Read the fine print: An imperative phrase advising careful examination of all details.
    • My advice is to always read the fine print.
  • Buried in the fine print: Describes important information that is very difficult to find within the document.
    • The arbitration clause was buried in the fine print.
Notes
  • "Fine print" is typically treated as an uncountable noun (e.g., ).
  • The concept warns against superficial agreement and emphasizes due diligence in understanding all aspects of a formal commitment.
fine print

A customer carefully reads the fine print on a contract before signing.

Noun
  1. material printed in small type
    • he needed his glasses in order to read the fine print
  2. the part of a contract that contains reservations and qualifications that are often printed in small type
    • don't sign a contract without reading the fine print

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