2. The time for which anything lasts; any limited time; as, a term of five years; the term of life.
3. In universities, schools, etc., a definite continuous period during which instruction is regularly given to students; as, the school year is divided into three terms.
4. (Geom.)
Defn: A point, line, or superficies, that limits; as, a line is the term of a superficies, and a superficies is the term of a solid.
5. (Law)
Defn: A fixed period of time; a prescribed duration; as: (a) The limitation of an estate; or rather, the whole time for which an estate is granted, as for the term of a life or lives, or for a term of years. (b) A space of time granted to a debtor for discharging his obligation. (c) The time in which a court is held or is open for the trial of causes. Bouvier.
Note: In England, there were formerly four terms in the year, during which the superior courts were open: Hilary term, beginning on the 11th and ending on the 31st of January; Easter term, beginning on the 15th of April, and ending on the 8th of May; Trinity term, beginning on the 22d day of May, and ending on the 12th of June; Michaelmas term, beginning on the 2d and ending on the 25th day of November. The rest of the year was called vacation. But this division has been practically abolished by the Judicature Acts of 1873, 1875, which provide for the more convenient arrangement of the terms and vacations. In the United States, the terms to be observed by the tribunals of justice are prescribed by the statutes of Congress and of the several States.
6. (Logic)
Defn: The subject or the predicate of a proposition; one of the three component parts of a syllogism, each one of which is used twice. The subject and predicate of a proposition are, after Aristotle, together called its terms or extremes. Sir W. Hamilton.
Note: The predicate of the conclusion is called the major term, because it is the most general, and the subject of the conclusion is called the minor term, because it is less general. These are called the extermes; and the third term, introduced as a common measure between them, is called the mean or middle term. Thus in the following syllogism, —Every vegetable is combustible; Every tree is a vegetable; Therefore every tree is combustible, -combustible, the predicate of the conclusion, is the major term; tree is the minor term; vegetable is the middle term.