covenant

Alternative forms

• covenaunt (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French covenant (“agreement”), from Latin conveniēns, conveniēntem (“agreeing, agreeable, suitable, convenient”), present participle of conveniō (“to agree”). Cognate with convenient.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkʌv.ən.ənt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

covenant (plural covenants)

1. (law) An agreement to do or not do a particular thing.
2. (law) A promise, incidental to a deed or contract, either express or implied.
3. A pact or binding agreement between two or more parties.
4. An incidental clause in an agreement.

Verb

covenant (third-person singular simple present covenants, present participle covenanting, simple past and past participle covenanted)

1. to enter into, or promise something by, a covenant
   • L'Estrange

     Jupiter covenanted with him, that it should be hot or cold, wet or dry, […] as the tenant should direct.

   • Bible, Matthew xxvi. 15

     and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver

2. (law) To enter a formal agreement.
3. (law) To bind oneself in contract.
4. (law) To make a stipulation.

Further reading

• covenant in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• covenant in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• covenant at OneLook Dictionary Search

Etymology

From Latin conveniēns, conveniēntem (“agreeing, agreeable, suitable, convenient”), present participle of conveniō (“to agree”).

Verb

covenant

1. present participle of covenir

Noun

covenant m (oblique plural covenanz or covenantz, nominative singular covenanz or covenantz, nominative plural covenant)

1. covenant
   • circa 1150, Thomas d'Angleterre, Le Roman de Tristan, page 220 (of the Champion Classiques edition, →ISBN, line 2895:

     Del convenant vus deit membrer

     You must remember the convenant