intendment

The court considered the intendment of the statute.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Legal meaning: "intendment" refers to the true or proper sense of a legal document, statute, or contract as understood by the law. It denotes the intention or purpose that is legally ascribed to a text, especially when interpreting its meaning.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The intendment of the statute was to protect consumers from fraud. (The legal intention behind the law was to prevent deceptive practices.)
  • The court looked at the intendment of the will to determine the testator's wishes. (The court examined the legal meaning of the document to understand what the person intended.)

Advanced Usage

• "by intendment of law": according to the legal interpretation or purpose of the law.

  • By intendment of law, the contract is void if signed under duress. (The law considers the contract invalid if it was forced.)

• "intendment of the parties": the assumed or implied intention of the people involved in a legal agreement.

  • The intendment of the parties was to share profits equally, even though the wording was unclear. (The legal interpretation of their agreement suggests equal profit-sharing.)

Variants and Related Words

• Intend (verb): to have a plan or purpose in mind.

  • She intended to leave early. (She planned to depart before the usual time.)

• Intention (noun): a mental state representing a commitment to carry out an action.

  • His intention was to help, not to harm. (His purpose was beneficial, not destructive.)

• Intent (noun/adjective): purpose; determined to do something.

  • The letter showed clear intent to deceive. (The document revealed a clear purpose to mislead.)

Synonyms

• Meaning: the sense or significance of a word, phrase, or text.
• Purpose: the reason for which something is done or created.
• Interpretation: the action of explaining the meaning of something.

Related Idioms

• Letter of the law vs. spirit of the law: "intendment" aligns with the "spirit of the law" — the underlying purpose rather than the literal wording.
  • The judge ruled based on the intendment of the law, not its strict letter. (The decision focused on the law's true purpose, not the exact words.)

Notes for Learners

• "Intendment" is a formal, mostly legal term. It is rarely used in everyday conversation. You will encounter it in legal documents, court rulings, or discussions about statutory interpretation.
• It is often used in phrases like "intendment of the law" or "intendment of a clause." Do not confuse it with the more common word "intention," which is broader in meaning.