Indenture
indenture (?; 135), n. (OE.endenture, OF. endenture, LL. indentura a deed
in duplicate, with indented edges. See the Note below. See
Indent.)
1. The act of indenting, or state of being
indented.
2. (Law) A mutual agreement in writing
between two or more parties, whereof each party has usually a
counterpart or duplicate; sometimes in the pl., a short form
for indentures of apprenticeship, the contract by which a
youth is bound apprentice to a master.
The law is the best expositor of the gospel; they are
like a pair of indentures: they answer in every
part. C. Leslie.
f Indentures were originally duplicates, laid together and
indented by a notched cut or line, or else written on the same piece
of parchment and separated by a notched line so that the two papers
or parchments corresponded to each other. But indenting has gradually
become a mere form, and is often neglected, while the writings or
counterparts retain the name of indentures.
indenture , v. t. (imp. p. pr. to make hollows, notches, or
wrinkles in; to furrow.
Though age may creep on, and indenture the
brow. Woty.
2. To bind by indentures or written contract;
as, to indenture an apprentice.
indenture , v. i. To run or windin and out; to be cut or notched; to indent.
Heywood.
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