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personal holding company. N. A company with few shareholders
and a large percentage of income through passive sources such as
rents or royalties.
personal injury. N. Physical injury to a person’s body; also refers to
a branch of law specializing in torts arising out of physical injuries.
personal injury lawyer. N. A lawyer who specializes in bringing
lawsuits on behalf of plaintiffs who have suffered physical injuries.
personal liability. N. Liability for a matter extending to an indi-
vidual’s personal funds and property.
personal representative. N. A person who handles the affairs of
someone who cannot do so him- or herself, such as a child, an inca-
pacitated person, or a deceased person; see also executor.
persona non grata. N. (Latin) A person who is not pleasing; an
unwelcome, undesirable, or unwanted person.
per stirpes. ADJ. (Latin) By roots or by shoots, as of a tree; a form
of distribution of an estate in which each recipient takes a share
according to the proportion that would have fallen to his or her
deceased ancestor; the opposite of per capita. E.g., Grandmother
has three daughters, A, B, and C. A is still alive but B and C are
dead. A has one child, B has one child, and C has four children. If
Grandmother dies and leaves $300,000, under a per stirpes
arrangement, A will inherit $100,000 and her child will inherit
nothing; B’s child will take his dead mother’s share of $100,000;
and C’s four children will divide their mother’s share of $100,000,
each receiving $25,000.
persuade. V. To use arguments and reasoning to induce someone to
adopt a particular opinion on a matter.
N. persuasion.
petit. ADJ. (French) Small; see also petty.
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