grandfather clause
1
7.5
- noun
- /ˈɡrændˌfɑːðər klɔːz/
- Formal
:
cláusula de abuelo
- Unlike most white Marylanders, however, many immigrants and their descendants did not qualify under the grandfather clause.
Examples
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Julian's explanation of how the grandfather clause would work is particularly important:
Blog text (14) -
Everyone not covered by the expanded grandfather clause would be required to qualify to vote by passing a written test or meeting a property qualification.
Academic text (2000) -
I do not understand the inconsistencies in the changes that are made and why there is no grandfather clause.
Academic text (2010) -
"Well, the county can't do anything because they have a grandfather clause in all their zoning stuff."
Fiction book (1994) -
The grandfather clause, poll tax, and literacy tests effectively limited voting in the states of the former Confederacy.
Academic text (2008) -
First, they’re all covered by a grandfather clause.
Blog text (14) -
Thus, very few residents of Little Italy could find protection under the grandfather clause of the new amendment, and even the exceptional few had dozens of friends, neighbors, and relatives who, if they chose to become citizens and voters, would face the same qualifying tests as African Americans.
Academic text (2000) -
He conceded that such a proposal would be fought tooth and nail in Washington and might require a grandfather clause allowing sitting politicians to serve until they retire.
Blog text (5) -
The grandfather clauses authorize the continued effect of the amendments with respect to investigations that began, or potential offenses that took place, before the provision's sunset date.
Blog text (14) -
Under the new law, existing businesses will be protected by a grandfather clause that allows them to continue operating without adhering to the new regulations.
Synonyms
1
6.5
A rule that lets people or things already there follow old rules when new rules start
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components give partial clues: 'grandfather' evokes something relating to prior/older status and 'clause' denotes a legal provision, so a learner might infer the MWE relates to an exception for earlier situations. However, the specific legal sense—an exemption based on pre-existing circumstances—and the specialized verb use of 'grandfather' are idiomatic and domain-specific, so the exact meaning is not fully predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
The noun grandfather clause comes from old U.S. voting laws. One popular story says these laws let people whose grandfather could vote skip new tests and be 'exempt' from the changes. That's why today a grandfather clause means someone or something is allowed to keep the old rules when new ones start.