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Glite Dictionary
special contract

special contract

6.8
A formal agreement signed and sealed by the people involved, often with a wax seal
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : contrato especial
  • Until recently, few businesses still used a special contract with a physical wax seal.

Examples

  • The court ruled that the special contract was binding because it bore the official seal.

  • Under English common law, a special contract required more formalities than an ordinary agreement.

  • They signed a special contract for the project.

  • The special contracts were delivered yesterday.

  • The court ruled that the special contract was binding because it bore the official seal.

  • Under English common law, a special contract required more formalities than an ordinary agreement.

  • Until recently, few businesses still used a special contract with a physical wax seal.

Synonyms

contract under seal
vsspecial contract
  • Formal
9.9

A formal written agreement signed with a special stamp that has stronger force in law

is a formal agreement signed and sealed but not promising extra legal privileges
sealed instrument
vsspecial contract
  • Formal
9.8

A formal contract with a wax or raised mark that shows it is real

is an agreement distinguished by the seal as a formal feature rather than proof

How Formal

special contract
  • UK
6.8
written agreement
  • Formal
3 2.7
oral contract
  • Specialized
2 4.2
handshake
117 1.0

Surface Forms

special contract singular
special contracts plural

Morphology

special + contract

The words 'special' and 'contract' transparently signal that this is a particular or distinct kind of contract, so a B1 learner would infer it denotes some marked type of agreement. However, the precise legal sense—being a formally signed and sealed instrument (e.g. wax seal and execution formalities)—is domain-specific and not predictable from the constituents, so full meaning requires prior exposure.

Etymology

Special contract comes from old law when a special contract was written and closed with a wax 'seal'. The visible seal showed the deal was official, so the phrase now means a 'formal' signed agreement.