Heretofore

Definition

An archaic legal word meaning 'until now' or 'before this point,' still used in contracts to sound authoritative. It belongs to a tradition of drafting that prefers ceremony to clarity. Modern plain-language drafters have been trying to banish it for decades, with mixed results.

Example Usage

The tenant shall not, heretofore or hereafter, paint the front door purple, which is a sentence that somehow manages to be both confusing and deeply serious.

Source: Legal drafting tradition, archaic English

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