Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: vadium
Definition: Vadium is a word from Law Latin that means "pledge, bail, security." In history, it was used to describe two types of security. The first was when someone gave property as a pledge to ensure they would pay back a debt. The second was a type of mortgage called vadium mortuum, which means "dead pledge." This was when someone gave an estate as security for a loan, and if they didn't pay it back, the estate would belong to the lender. Vadium vivum, or "live pledge," was when an estate was granted until a debt was paid out of its profits. It was called a "live pledge" because the profits of the land were constantly paying off the debt. Vadium can also mean wages or salary.