Black’s Law Dictionary 1st Edition, pages 145:
BOND. A contract by specialty to pay a certain sum of money; being adeed or instrument under seal, by which the maker or obligor promises. and thereto binds himself, his heirs, executors, and administrators, to pay a designated sum of money to another; usually with a clause to the effect that upon performance of a certain condition (as to pay another and smaller sum) the obligation shall be void.
The word “bond” shall embrace every written undertaking for the payment of money or acknowledgement of being bound for money, conditioned to be void on the performance of any duty. or the once of anything therein expressed, and subscribed and delivered by the party making it, to take effect sa his obligation, whether it be sealed
or uDsealed ; and, when a bond is required by law aD undertakinginwritingwitboutsealsballbe8’lf ficicnL. Rev. Code Miss. 1880, § 19.
The word “boud” bas with us a definite legal signification. It has a clause, with a sum fixed as a penalty; binding the parties to pay the same, conditioned, however, that the payment or the penalty may be avoided by the performance by some one or more of the parties of certain acts. S Redt. Sur. 459.
Bonds are either single (simple) or double,
(conditional.)
A single bond is one in which the obligor binds himself, his heirs, etc. to pay a certain sum of money to another person at a specified day.
A double (or condtional) bond is one to which a condition is added that if the obligor does or forbears from doing some act the obligation shall be void. Formerly such a condition was sometimes contained in a separate isntrument, and was the called a “defeasance.”
The term is also used to denote debentures or certificates of indebtedness issued by public and private corporations, governments, and municipalities, as security for the repayment of money loaned to them. Thus, “railway aid bonds” are bonds issued by municipal corporations to aid in the construction of railroads likely to benefit them, and exchanged for the company’s stock.
BOND. In old Scotch law. A bond-man; a slave. Skene.
BOND, v. To give bond for, as for duties on goods; to secure payment of duties, by giving bond. Bonded, secured by bond. Bonded goods are those for the duties on which bonds are given.