Legal doublet
Encyclopedia
A legal doublet is a standardized phrase
Phrase
In everyday speech, a phrase may refer to any group of words. In linguistics, a phrase is a group of words which form a constituent and so function as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. A phrase is lower on the grammatical hierarchy than a clause....

 used frequently in English legal language which consists of two or more words which are near synonyms. The origin of the doubling — and sometimes even tripling — often lies in the transition of legal language from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 to French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

. Certain words were simply given in their Latin, French and/or English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 forms to ensure understanding. Such phrases can often be pleonasm
Pleonasm
Pleonasm is the use of more words or word-parts than is necessary for clear expression: examples are black darkness, or burning fire...

s.

List of common legal doublets

  • aid and abet
  • appropriate and proper
  • art and part
  • by and between
  • cancel, annul and set aside
  • care and attention
  • cease and desist
  • covenant and agree
  • deem and consider
  • demise and lease
  • due and payable
  • final and conclusive
  • full faith and credit
  • give, devise and bequeath
  • goods and chattels
  • grant, bargain, sell
  • indemnify and hold harmless
  • legal and valid
  • let or hindrance
  • lewd and lascivious conduct
  • liens and encumbrances
  • make and enter into
  • name, constitute and appoint
  • null and void
  • over and above
  • part and parcel
  • perform and discharge
  • power and authority
  • rest, residue and remainder
  • right, title and interest
  • sale or transfer
  • sole and exclusive
  • to have and to hold
  • successors and assigns
  • terms and conditions
  • will and testament
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