indenture

n. [ OE. endenture, OF. endenture, LL. indentura a deed in duplicate, with indented edges. See the Note below. See Indent. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of indenting, or state of being indented. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A mutual agreement in writing between two or more parties, whereof each party has usually a counterpart or duplicate, sometimes with the edges indented for purpose of identification; sometimes in the pl., a short form for indentures of apprenticeship, the contract by which a youth is bound apprentice to a master. [ 1913 Webster ]

The law is the best expositor of the gospel; they are like a pair of indentures: they answer in every part. C. Leslie. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Indentures were originally duplicates, laid together and indented by a notched cut or line, or else written on the same piece of parchment and separated by a notched line so that the two papers or parchments corresponded to each other. But indenting has gradually become a mere form, and is often neglected, while the writings or counterparts retain the name of indentures. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence: A contract by which anyone is bound to service. [ PJC ]