Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A formal agreement, such as one between nations; a treaty.
  • noun An arrangement between people; a compact. synonym: agreement.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An agreement; a compact.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An agreement; a league; a compact; a covenant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An agreement; a compact; a covenant.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a written agreement between two states or sovereigns

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pactum, from neuter sing. past participle of pacīscī, to agree; see pag- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin pactum ("something agreed upon"), from paciscere ("to agree").

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Examples

  • Haiti was the first island in the Western hemisphere to overthrow slavery and white oppression -- this is what you call a pact with the Devil?

    Paul Raushenbush: Go to Hell, Pat Robertson: Haiti Needs Help, Not Stupidity 2010

  • This pact is arousing particularly strong interest in Japan, as it is being forged between two of our most important trading partners.

    A Perspective of Japanese/Canadian Economic Ties and Japan's Overseas Economic Policy 1988

  • Albert Gubay is one of them: this year, he fulfilled what he calls a "pact with God", giving his entire $1.1 billion fortune to a charitable trust - bar a reported $15 million set aside for his family.

    Forbes.com: News Clare O'Connor 2011

  • Forging this kind of pact is increasingly a priority for Japan, which sees itself falling behind regional rival South Korea in the area of free trade agreements.

    India, Japan Sign Trade Deal AP 2010

  • Forging this kind of pact is increasingly a priority for Japan, which sees itself falling behind regional rival South Korea in the area of free trade agreements.

    India, Japan Sign Trade Deal AP 2010

  • "Boards of both the companies have in principle approved the concept of setting up the plant, and an initial pact is expected in a month's time," B.L. Bagra told Dow Jones Newswires.

    Nalco Plans Titanium Joint Venture Rajesh Roy 2010

  • Mr. Medvedev, who was in New York to meet with Gazprom investors, said China is likely waiting on the results of its domestic shale drilling before committing to a long-term pact.

    Gazprom Sits Out Shale Race Tatyana Shumsky 2012

  • The pact is a guide for negotiators as all nuclear nations work for a replacement pact for the START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) arms control agreement that expires in December, 2009.

    Five Points in the US-Russian Nuke Talks | myFiveBest 2009

  • The power generated will be purchased by the state governments' distribution utilities under a long-term pact, it said.

    Suzlon, Hindustan Zinc in Pact for Wind Energy Projects Ashutosh Joshi 2011

  • "Liberal trade critic Scott Brison stressed that the bill to legislate the Colombian trade pact is still to be scrutinized by the Commons trade committee." where the LibroCons hold a majority

    Archive 2009-09-01 2009

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