/ tɜːmz; NAmE tɜːrmz/ noun [ pl. ]
1.
the conditions that people offer, demand or accept when they make an agreement, an arrangement or a contract :
peace terms
Under the terms of the agreement , their funding of the project will continue until 2010.
They failed to agree on the terms of a settlement.
These are the terms and conditions of your employment.
2.
conditions that you agree to when you buy, sell, or pay for sth; a price or cost :
to buy sth on easy terms (= paying for it over a long period)
My terms are £20 a lesson.
3.
a way of expressing yourself or of saying sth :
We wish to protest in the strongest possible terms (= to say we are very angry) .
I'll try to explain in simple terms.
The letter was brief, and couched in very polite terms .
➡ note at language
•
IDIOMS
- be on good, friendly, bad, etc. terms (with sb)
- come to terms (with sb)
- come to terms with sth
- in terms of sth | in ... terms
- on your own terms | on sb's terms
—more at contradiction , equal , speak , uncertain