FindLaw Legal Dictionary
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1 : a disagreement between two documents or positions
: a disagreement between allegations (as in an indictment or complaint) and proof offered at trial that warrants an appropriate remedy (as a directed verdict or an acquittal) when prejudicial to the substantial rights of the defendant
2 : an authorization to do something contrary to the usual restriction [a granted by a state agency]
: permission for a use of real property that is prohibited by a zoning ordinance see also unnecessary hardship compare spot zoning
Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.