sealed instrument
- noun
- Formal
- A sealed instrument is required for this agreement.
Examples
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They presented the sealed instrument as evidence of their agreement in court.
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The lawyer presented a sealed instrument in court.
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Only a sealed instrument could transfer property in that jurisdiction in the 19th century.
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The contract was classified as a sealed instrument and required the official seal to be valid.
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The lawyer presented the sealed instrument to prove the agreement between the two parties.
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To ensure authenticity, they signed the sealed instrument in front of witnesses after affixing their wax seals.
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After much negotiation, they finally executed the sealed instrument that formalized their partnership.
Synonyms
A written agreement between people or companies that the law can enforce
A legal document that records an agreement or gives a right
A document that writes down what two or more people agree to
A formal written document that creates a legal right or agreement
A formal written agreement signed with a special stamp that has stronger force in law
A formal agreement signed and sealed by the people involved, often with a wax seal
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'sealed' (bearing a seal) with 'instrument' (a legal document): it simply denotes a document that has been sealed. The specific legal nuance about wax or embossed seals is specialized but the compositional logic is straightforward and likely accessible to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
Sealed instrument comes from old papers that were closed and marked with a wax or pressed stamp. The fact that the paper was sealed and the instrument carried a visible stamp acted like a strong signature to prove the deal, so today sealed instrument means a formal contract shown to be 'authentic'.