# covenant

Pronunciation: say "KUV-uh-nuhnt" /ˈkʌv.ən.ənt/

## Noun

1. A binding agreement or pact made between two or more parties.
   - Simple: A serious promise or agreement made between two or more people or groups.
   - _The tribes renewed their ancient covenant of peace at a ceremony by the river._
   - _In the novel, the rival kings seal a covenant with a handshake and a shared meal._
2. A legal agreement to do, or not to do, some particular thing.
   - Simple: In law, an agreement to do a certain thing or not to do it.
   - _The former partners signed a covenant not to sue each other over the failed venture._
   - _In exchange for the grant, the town entered into a covenant to maintain the park for public use._
4. A secondary promise attached to a deed or contract, either stated outright or implied.
   - Simple: A promise that comes with a deed or contract, either written in it or just understood.
   - _The court found that the buyer had breached an implied covenant of good faith in the sale contract._
   - _The deed includes covenants that the seller has the right to transfer the property and that no one else claims it._
5. A secondary clause within an agreement, setting out a further condition or obligation.
   - Simple: A clause in an agreement that adds an extra condition.
   - _The bank agreed to waive one covenant in the loan agreement after the company's sales fell._
   - _The lawyers spent the afternoon rewording the covenants buried in the back of the contract._

## Verb

3. To make a binding agreement with someone, or to promise something by making one.
   - Simple: To make a serious, binding agreement with someone, or to promise something in one.
   - _In the old tale, the farmer covenanted with the river spirit for a good harvest._
   - _Members of the congregation covenant to support one another in times of need._
6. To enter into a formal agreement, binding oneself by contract.
   - Simple: To make a formal agreement that you are legally bound to keep.
   - _The parties covenant to keep the terms of the settlement confidential._
   - _Under the lease, the landlord covenanted to keep the roof and outside walls in good repair._
7. To lay down a condition or requirement as a term of an agreement.
   - Simple: To set a condition as one of the terms of an agreement.
   - _The original owners covenanted that the house must never be torn down._
   - _In the treaty, both governments covenant that the river will stay open to fishing boats._

## Origin

From Middle English covenaunt, borrowed from Old French covenant ("agreement"), from Latin conveniēns ("agreeing, agreeable, suitable, convenient"), the present participle of conveniō ("to agree"). It is related to convenient and convene.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/covenant (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).