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Grandfather Clause for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'græn,fɑðər_klɔz

What does Grandfather Clause really mean?

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Grandfather Clause: Oh, hey there! I see you're curious about the term "Grandfather Clause." Well, let me break it down for you in a way that's super easy to understand.

You know how sometimes rules or laws change over time? It can be a bit confusing to keep up with all the changes, right? The Grandfather Clause is actually a way to make sure that people who were already doing something or had something before a new rule or law was made can continue to do it or keep it, even if it goes against the new rule.

So, imagine you're playing a game with your friends, and they decide to change one of the rules. Let's say they say, "From now on, we can only use green balls to play." But you have a favorite red ball that you've been using for ages. Now, instead of just taking away your red ball and making you use a green one, your friends might say, "Okay, since you already had your red ball before we made this new rule, you can keep using it. We'll let it slide." That's kind of like a Grandfather Clause in action.

In a more serious example, let's say a new law is introduced that says all dogs need to be on a leash in a park. But you have a dog named Max who has always been so well-behaved and never causes any trouble. You've been taking Max to the park without a leash for years before this new law came into place. Now, thanks to the Grandfather Clause, you can continue to take Max without a leash because you were doing it before the new law was made.

So, basically, the Grandfather Clause is a way of acknowledging that some people were doing or had something already before a new rule or law was made, and lets them continue doing or keeping it. It's like a special exception to the new rule, but only for those who were already involved before the change happened.

Revised and Fact checked by James Brown on 2023-10-28 13:34:36

Grandfather Clause In a sentece

Learn how to use Grandfather Clause inside a sentece

  • If a new rule is made that says children under 12 cannot ride roller coasters, but there is a grandfather clause in place, it means that children who were already 12 or above before the new rule was made can still ride the roller coasters.
  • In a school, if there is a new dress code policy that says all students must wear uniforms, but there is a grandfather clause, it means that students who were already attending the school before the policy was introduced can continue wearing their regular clothes.
  • Imagine a town makes a law that all buildings must be painted white, but there is a grandfather clause. This means that buildings which were already colored differently before the law was passed are allowed to keep their existing colors.
  • If a new law is passed that requires drivers to have a special license, but there is a grandfather clause, it means that people who already have a normal license before the new law is enacted do not need to get the special license.
  • Suppose there is a new rule in a library that prohibits borrowing more than three books at a time, but there is a grandfather clause. This means that people who were already borrowing more than three books before the rule was implemented can continue doing so.

Grandfather Clause Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.