法律英语中的一词多义现象
一词多义的常用单词
Accept
submitting
释义：accept在普通英语中的含义是接受，这一点无须赘述。在法律英语accept 也有两个最常用的意思：
①承诺，是合同法中的概念，与邀约offer相对应，如
A contract may be formed if an offer is accepted within the specified time and in the required manner。
如果在规定的时间并以特定的方式对一项邀约作出承诺，合同即可成立。
其他如revoke an acceptance（撤回承诺）等。
②Accept承兑，经常出现在票据法中，如
The draft is accepted by the negotiating bank。
议付行对汇票进行了承兑。
Action
释义：action是法律英语中最常用的单词之一，它有两个意思：
①“诉讼”，相当于lawsuit，如
Party A shall defend Party B in any action resulting from the infringement of the licensed intellectual property。
就与授权使用的知识产权相关的诉讼，甲方应当为乙方进行抗辩
其他的如file an action（提起诉讼），cause of action（诉因）等。
②“作为”，与不作为（forbearance）对应，如
Any negligent conduct of Party A, whether it is action or forbearance, that resulted in loss
of party B shall be deemed to be breach of this Contract。
甲方的任何疏忽行为，无论是作为还是不作为，只要引起乙方损失，即可是为甲方对本合同的违约。
Advise
释义：advise在法律英语中有两个常用意思：
①律师等法律工作者提供法律建议，如
The partner of the law firm advised the Manager on various specialist legal issues。
该律师事务所的合伙人就各种专业法律问题向经理提出了法律建议。
②通知，相当于notify或inform，如
The use of advise in the sense of “inform, notify,” was restricted to business correspondence and legal contexts. Thus one may say the suspects were advised of their
rights, but it would be considered pretentious to say you’d better advise your friends that the date of the picnic has been changed。
advise 表示“通知，告知”的这种用法局限地用于商业往来及法律情况。因此可以说嫌疑犯被告知他们所具有的权利，但是你最好通知你的朋友，野餐的日期有所改变，这种说法被认为是做作的。
acknowledge
释义：acknowledge在法律英语中有两个常用意思：
① 承认，相当于admit，但其用法更加正式，一般不能用admit来替换，经常与confess连用，即acknowledge and confess，如：
The suspect acknowledged and confessed all his criminal activities to the court.
犯罪嫌疑人向法院承认了全部犯罪行为。
②告知收到（书信）等
例句：Notices given by personal delivery shall be deemed effectively given on the date of personal delivery，provided that receipt shall be acknowledged in writing by the receiving party.
参考译文：在专人送达之日视为有效送达，但收件方应书面确认已收到通知。
Application
释义：application在法律英语中有两个常见意思：
① 申请，申请书，如：
This two-stage process can be combined by submitting to the MOC a signed technology import contract with an application for import permit.
上述两步程序也可合并进行，即向商务部提交已签署的技术引进协议和引进许可申请书。
② 适用，实施，如：
The application of the arbitration rules of the Arbitration Institute in effect on the date of the signing of this Agreement is not subject to judicial review．
参考译文：仲裁庭适用本协议签署日有效的仲裁机构的仲裁规则时不受司法审查。
注：application的动词是apply，同样有两个意思，即①适用，实施经常用在apply sth to sth结构中，如apply the relevant laws and regulations to the disputes between the parties 适用相关法律法规解决当事人之间的争议②申请，通常用在apply to sb for sth结构，如apply to the Ministry of Commerce for approval of the establishment of a joint venture. 向商务部申请批准成立合资企业。
Bond
释义：bond在法律英语中通常有两个含义：
①保证书、保函，即一方为保证履约行为而向对方出具的书面保证，如
The Seller requests the Buyer to provide a letter of bond 。
卖方要求买方出具一份保函。
②债券，通常指公司或政府发行的有担保的债券（Secured bond），也可以指泛指所有的债券，这个在前面的bond和debenture的区别中已经论述过，就无须多讲了。
Commission
释义：commission在法律英语中通常有四个常用意思：
①佣金，即佣金是在商业活动中，具有独立地位和经营资格的中间人的在商业活动中为他人提供服务所得到的报酬。如
He came to China to hold a talk about the commission for his new business。
他来中国是洽谈有关生意中的佣金问题。
②二是作为，用法与前面所说的action相通，但与omission（不作为相对），此处不再赘述。③三是表示委员会，如中国证监会，就是China Securities Regulatory Commission，中国国际经济贸易仲裁委员会为China International Economic and Trade Arbitrary Commi
ssion。
④是表示委托，She has received many commissions to design public buildings。
她接受多项委托, 设计公共建筑。
Contribution
释义: contribution在法律英语中通常有两个意思：
① 出资，即中国公司法中所说的为了公司的设立而支付一定的金钱或实物。如
The Threshold for the contribution of a single-member company is RMB 100,000yuan，which shall paid in a lump sum.
一人有限责任公司的最低出资额是人民币10万元，并应当一次性缴纳。
②分摊（额），通常用于共同侵权或共同保险中，每一责任人都根据自己的侵权行为或赔偿责任承担其应承担的份额。如
The right of contribution exists only in favor of a tortfeasor who has paid more than his pro rata share of the common liability, and his total recovery is limited to the amount paid by him in excess of his pro rata share. No tortfeasor is compelled to make contribution beyond his own pro rata share of the entire liability.
分摊请求权仅因某一共同侵权行人支付了超过其在共同责任中的按份份额时而产生，其可获赔偿的数额以其支付超过其按份份额为限。任何共同侵权人都不能够被强迫分摊超过其所占全部责任的按份份额
Deposit
释义：deposit在法律英语中通常最常用的意思有两个：
①存款，这是他在普通英语和法律英语都很常见的意思，既可作名词也可作动词，如
He has a deposit of 10,000yuan in ICBC。他在工商银行有1万元的存款。
People tend to deposit their idle money in the bank。人们喜欢把不用的钱存到银行。
②定金，保证金，相当于earnest money。根据中国的合同法，缴纳定金方违约的，定金不予返还，接收定金方违约的，应当双方返还定金。如
The shop undertook to keep the goods for me provided that I paid a deposit.