Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: nonresidential parent
A compound is when you put things together to make something new. It can also mean to figure out how much money you owe when you add the original amount and the interest. Sometimes, people use the word to talk about settling a problem by paying money instead of getting in trouble. However, if you use it to avoid getting in trouble for a crime, that's also a crime. Lastly, it can mean to make a bad situation worse.
Definition: To put things together, calculate interest on both the original amount and the interest earned, settle a debt by paying money instead of facing other consequences, or make a crime worse by doing something else bad.
Examples:
These examples show how "compound" can be used in different ways. In the first example, "compound" means to put things together. In the second example, it means to calculate interest on both the original amount and the interest earned. In the third example, it means to settle a debt by paying money instead of facing other consequences. In the fourth example, it means to make a crime worse by trying to bribe a witness.