In the modern civil law, this contract has no application to movable property, not even to ships, to which
and their cargoes it is most frequently applied in England and America. See Hypothecate. B. R. Curtis.
Domat.
2. (Law of Shipping) A contract whereby, in consideration of money advanced for the necessities of the
ship, the vessel, freight, or cargo is made liable for its repayment, provided the ship arrives in safety. It
is usually effected by a bottomry bond. See Bottomry.
This term is often applied to mortgages of ships.
Hypothecator
(Hy*poth"e*ca`tor) n. (Law) One who hypothecates or pledges anything as security for
the repayment of money borrowed.
Hypothenal
(Hy*poth"e*nal Hy*poth"e*nar) a. [Pref. hypo- + thenar.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the
prominent part of the palm of the hand above the base of the little finger, or a corresponding part in the
forefoot of an animal; as, the hypothenar eminence.
Hypothenar
(Hy*poth"e*nar) n. (Anat.) The hypothenar eminence.
Hypothenusal
(Hy*poth`e*nu"sal) a. Of or pertaining to hypothenuse. [R.]
Hypothenuse
(Hy*poth"e*nuse) n. Same as Hypotenuse.
Hypothesis
(Hy*poth"e*sis) n.; pl. Hypotheses [NL., fr. Gr. foundation, supposition, fr. to place under,
under + to put. See Hypo-, Thesis.]
1. A supposition; a proposition or principle which is supposed or taken for granted, in order to draw a
conclusion or inference for proof of the point in question; something not proved, but assumed for the
purpose of argument, or to account for a fact or an occurrence; as, the hypothesis that head winds detain
an overdue steamer.
An hypothesis being a mere supposition, there are no other limits to hypotheses than those of the
human imagination.
J. S. Mill. 2. (Natural Science) A tentative theory or supposition provisionally adopted to explain certain facts, and
to guide in the investigation of others; hence, frequently called a working hypothesis.
Syn. — Supposition; assumption. See Theory.
Nebular hypothesis. See under Nebular.
Hypothetic
(Hy`po*thet"ic Hy`po*thet"ic*al) a. [L. hypotheticus, Gr. : cf. F. hypothétique.] Characterized
by, or of the nature of, an hypothesis; conditional; assumed without proof, for the purpose of reasoning
and deducing proof, or of accounting for some fact or phenomenon.
Causes hypothetical at least, if not real, for the various phenomena of the existence of which our experience
informs us.
Sir W. Hamilton. Hypothetical baptism (Ch. of Eng.), baptism administered to persons in respect to whom it is doubtful
whether they have or have not been baptized before. Hook.
— Hy`po*thet"ic*al*ly, adv. South.
Hypothetist
(Hy*poth"e*tist) n. One who proposes or supports an hypothesis. [R.]
Hypotrachelium
(||Hy`po*tra*che"li*um) n. [L., fr. Gr. under + neck.] (Arch.) Same as Gorgerin.
