clause

noun

1. A group of words that contains a subject and a verb; it may be part of a sentence or may constitute the whole sentence, depending on the syntax in each instance.

   “Near-synonyms: sentential, sentence”

2. A verb, its necessary grammatical arguments, and any adjuncts affecting them.
3. A verb along with its subject and their modifiers. If a clause provides a complete thought on its own, then it is an independent (superordinate) clause; otherwise, it is dependent (subordinate). (Independent clauses can be sentences; they can also be part of a sentence. Dependent clauses can only be part of a sentence.)
4. A distinct part of a contract, a will or another legal document.

   “Mr. Waller adds that when the railway was authorised in 1897, one of the clauses of the Act authorising the transfer of the line to the North British Railway provided that that company should work it in perpetuity, and it was this clause that caused the interim interdict to be granted.”

5. A constituent (component) of a statement or query.

verb

1. (transitive)To amend (a bill of lading or similar document).

   “The question of clausing the bills of lading, so as to avoid "dirtying", which impairs its negotiability, may also be looked into”

   “Any attempt to clause a Bill of Lading will be strenuously resisted by shippers, and they will obtain clean bills in the usual ways”

   “It was held that the bills of lading presented were in this case 'clean' as they contained no reservations by way of endorsement, clausing or otherwise to suggest that the goods were defective”

   “There is little authority in English law dealing with the liability of a carrier who unnecessarily clauses a bill of lading.”

name

1. A surname.