Clause (?), n. [F. clause, LL. clausa, equiv. to L. clausula clause, prop., close of &?; rhetorical period, close, fr. claudere to shut, to end. See Close.] 1. A separate portion of a written paper, paragraph, or sentence; an article, stipulation, or proviso, in a legal document.

The usual attestation clause to a will.
Bouvier.

2. (Gram.) A subordinate portion or a subdivision of a sentence containing a subject and its predicate.

Clause, n. [Obs.] See Letters clause or close, under Letter.

• (colloquial): A group of two or more words which include a subject and any necessary predicate (the predicate also includes a verb, conjunction, or a preposition to begin the clause, however this clause is not considered a sentence for colloquial purposes.
  
• In formal usage, if a sentence contains a subject and a predicate, it is considered a clause.
  
• A separate part of a contract, a will or another legal document.