^ER 
which it' is composed, separated from one 
another by the signs + or — Urns tlie 
quantity a z+tbc-3az^ consists of three 
terms, u z and 2 6 c and 3 a 2^ In an equa- 
tion, tlie terms are the parts which contain 
tlie several powers of the same unknown 
fetter or quantity : for if the same unknown 
quantity be found in several members in the 
same degree or power, they pass for one 
term, which is called compound, iii distinc- 
tion from a simple or sin gle term : thus in 
the equation a;’ -4- a — 3 a c ^ ^ > 
the four tetms are x’ and a — 3 b. aqd 
a c X and 6’: of which the second term 
^ 3 6. x’ is compound, and the other 
three are simple terras. The terms ot a 
product, or of a fraction, or of a ratio, or 
of a proportion, &c. are the several quaiUi- 
lies employed in forming or composing 
them : thus the terms of the product a b are 
a and 6 : — of the fraction | they are 7 and 9 : 
of the ratio 8 : 9 tliey are 8 and 9 : and 
of the proportion a: b : the terms 
are a, b, x, and y. 
Term in the arts, or Term of art, is 
a word which, besides the literal and po- 
pular meaning which it has, or may have, 
in common language, bears a further and 
peculiar meaning in some art or science. 
Term, in logic. A proposition is said to 
consist of two terms, i. e. two principal 
’ ■ ■ and the 
and essential words, the subject; 
attribute. _ , 
Terms, are those spaces of time in which 
tiie courts of justice are open for all that 
Complain of wrongs or injuries, and seek 
their rights by course ot law or action, in 
order to their re dress, and during which 
the courts in Westminster-hall sit and give 
mdgnient, &c. But the high court of Par- 
liament, the Chancery, and inferior courts, 
do not observe the terms ; only the courts 
of King’s Bench, Common Pleas, and Ex- 
chequer, the higliest courts at common 
law. Of these terms there are four in every 
year, viz. Hilary Term, which begins the 
23d of January, and ends the 12th of Fe- 
bruary, unless on Sundays, and then the 
day after ; Easter Term, which begins the 
Wednesday fortnight after Easter-day, and 
ends the Monday next after Ascension-day ; 
Trinity Term, which begins the Friday 
after Trinity Sunday, and ends the Wednes- 
day fortnight after ; and Michaelmas Term, 
which begins the 6th, and ends the 28th ot 
November. 
There are, in each of these terms, stated 
days, called days in bank, that is days of 
TER 
appearance in the Court of Common PleaJ, 
called usually baricum, or commune bancum, 
to distinguish it from bancum regis, or the 
Court of King’s Bench. They are gene- 
rally at the distance of about a week froin 
each other, and regulated by some festival 
of the church. On some of these days m 
bank, all original writs must be made re- 
turnable, and therefore^they are generally 
called the returns of that term ; the first 
return in every term is, properly speaking, 
the first day in that term, and thereon the 
court sits to take essoins, or excuses for 
such as do not appear according to the 
summons of the writ ; wherefore this is usu- 
ally called the essoin day of the term. But 
the person summoned hath three day s grace 
beyond the return of the writ, in which to 
make his appearance ; and if he appear on 
the fourth day inclusive, quarto die post, it 
is sufficient. Therefore, at the beginning 
of each term, the court doth not sit foi 
dispatch of business till the fourth day, and 
in Trinity Term, by statute 32 Henry VIII. 
c. 21. not till the sixth day. 
Terms, Oxfoi'd. Hilary, or Lent Term, 
begins on January 14, and ends the Satur- 
day before Palm Sunday. Easter Term 
begins the tenth day after Easter, and 
ends the Thursday before Whit Sunday. 
Trinity Term begins the Wednesday alter 
Trinity Sunday, and ends after the act, 
sooner or later, as the Vice Chancellor and 
Convocation please. Michaelmas Term be- 
eins on October 10, and ends December 7. 
Terms, Cambridge. Lent Term begins 
on January 13, and ends the Friday before 
Palm Sunday. Easter Term begins the 
Wednesday after Easter week, and ends 
the week before Whit Sunday. Trinity 
Term begins tlie Wednesday after Trinity 
Sunday, and ends the Friday afier the 
commencement. Michaelmas Terra be- 
gins October 10, and ends December 16. 
TerhIs, Scottish. In Scotland, Candle- 
mas Term begins January 23, and ends 
February 12. AVhitsuntide Term begins 
May 25. and ends June 15. Lammas 
Term begins July 20, and ends August 8. 
Martinmas Term begins November 3, and 
ends November 29. 
Terms, Irish, are the same as tlio^e m 
London, except that at Michaelmas, which 
commences October 13, and adjourns to 
the beginning of November. 
TERMES, in natural history, a genus of 
insects of the order Aptera. Mouth with 
two horny jaws; lip horny, four-cleft, the 
divisions linear and acute; fom feelers. 
