- preamble
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pre·am·ble /'prē-ˌam-bəl, prē-'am-/ n [Middle French preambule, from Medieval Latin preambulum, from Late Latin, neuter of preambulus walking in front of, from Latin prae- + ambulare to walk]: an introductory statement (as to a contract); esp: the introductory part of a constitution or statute that usu. states the reasons for and intent of the law◇ While preambles do not state law and therefore are not judicially enforceable, they are used to determine legislative intent when interpreting statutes.
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.
- preamble
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I
noun
beginning, exordium, foreword, foundation, introduction, introductory part, introductory statement, lead, opening, preface, prefatory note, prelude, prelusion, proem, prolegomenon, prologue
associated concepts: preamble to a constitution
II
index
overture, preface (noun), preface (verb), prelude, threshold (commencement)
Burton's Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006
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n.An introductory statement; an introductory section of a statute, constitution, etc., that explains the reason for its creation and the objects it is meant to achieve.
The Essential Law Dictionary. — Sphinx Publishing, An imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. Amy Hackney Blackwell. 2008.
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the preliminary part of a document, legislation, a contract or a treaty, usually setting out what it is all about or why it has been prepared, specially used of an Act of Parliament where Parliament expresses the general purposes of the piece of legislation: Att. Gen. v. Prince Earnest Augustus of Hanover [1957] 1 All ER 842. It can be referred to for the purposes of statutory interpretation.
Collins dictionary of law. W. J. Stewart. 2001.
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n. An opening statement in a document that declares the document's purpose. It is commonly found at the beginning of a constitution, statute, or other legal document.
Webster's New World Law Dictionary. Susan Ellis Wild. 2000.
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A clause at the beginning of a constitution or statute explaining the reasons for its enactment and the objectives it seeks to attain.
Dictionary from West's Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005.
- preamble
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A clause at the beginning of a constitution or statute explaining the reasons for its enactment and the objectives it seeks to attain.
Short Dictionary of (mostly American) Legal Terms and Abbreviations.