Definitions

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

  • noun A clause in a document imposing a qualification, condition, or restriction.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A clause making what precedes conditional on what follows; a provision or article in a statute, contract, or other writing, by which a condition is introduced; a conditional stipulation that affects an agreement, law, grant, etc.
  • noun Nautical, a stern-fast or hawser carried to the shore, to steady a ship.

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

  • noun An article or clause in any statute, agreement, contract, grant, or other writing, by which a condition is introduced, usually beginning with the word provided; a conditional stipulation that affects an agreement, contract, law, grant, or the like.

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

  • noun A conditional provision to an agreement

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

  • noun a stipulated condition

Etymologies

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

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin prōvīsō (quod), provided (that), from Latin prōvīsō, ablative of prōvīsus, past participle of prōvidēre, to provide; see provide.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin proviso ("it being provided"), ablative singular neuter of provisus, past participle of providere ("to provide"); see provide.

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Examples

  • The upside-down proviso is about protecting the people who got there first.

    IPSC: daily double--theory Rebecca Tushnet 2009

  • The upside-down proviso is paternalistic with respect to earlier owners — it applies even if they chose not to make their permission conditional, as in Gracen.

    IPSC: daily double--theory Rebecca Tushnet 2009

  • The upside-down proviso is about protecting the people who got there first.

    Archive 2009-08-01 Rebecca Tushnet 2009

  • That proviso is a thoughtful message for young moviegoers.

    Disney's 'Princess and the Frog' is royally charming 2009

  • The upside-down proviso is paternalistic with respect to earlier owners — it applies even if they chose not to make their permission conditional, as in Gracen.

    Archive 2009-08-01 Rebecca Tushnet 2009

  • But his proviso is that Justice League, about four superheroes including Wonder Woman, would have to do really, really boffo to justify having a female as the main star of a spin-off pic.

    WB TO MAKE WONDER WOMAN MOVIE, IF… 2007

  • The only important proviso is that such talks must be held in an atmosphere free from threat or duress.

    The World Around Us 1962

  • The upside down proviso: the proviso is that you shouldn’t give property if it would cause harm to use of commons.

    Archive 2009-08-01 Rebecca Tushnet 2009

  • The upside down proviso is that you shouldn’t give property if it would cause harm to another property owner: “must not in any way affect the scope of any copyright protection in that preexisting material.”

    Archive 2009-08-01 Rebecca Tushnet 2009

  • In both cases, however, the proviso is still that no one can be tried until they’re caught first.) Martinned (Quote)

    The Volokh Conspiracy » What’s Going on With Turkey 2010

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