in Law, a judgment passed in court by the judge in some process, either civil or criminal. See **JUDGMENT**.

**Sentence**, in Grammar, denotes a period, or a set of words comprehending perfect sense, or a sentiment of the mind. The business of pointing is to distinguish the several parts and members of sentences, so as to render the sense as clear, distinct, and full, as possible.

In every sentence there are two parts necessarily required; a noun for the subject, and a definite verb. Whatever is found more than these two, affects one of them, either immediately or by the intervention of some other, by which the first is affected.

Again, every sentence is either simple or compound. A simple sentence is that which consists of one single subject, and one finite verb. A compound sentence contains several subjects and finite verbs, either expressly or implicitly.

A simple sentence needs no point or distinction, but only a period to close it, as "A good man loves virtue for itself." In such a sentence, the several adjuncts affect either the subject or the verb in a different manner. Thus the word *good* expresses the quality of the subject, *virtue* the object of the action, and *for itself* the end thereof. Now none of these adjuncts can be separated from the rest of the sentence; for if one be, why should not all the rest? and if all be, the sentence will be minced into almost as many parts as there are words. But if several adjuncts be attributed in the same manner either to the subject or the verb, the sentence becomes compound, and is to be divided into parts.

In every compound sentence, as many subjects or as many finite verbs as there are, either expressed or implied, so many distinctions may there be. Thus, "My hopes, fears, joys, pains, all centre in you;" and thus, "Catilina abit, excessit, evasit, erupit." The reason of thus pointing is obvious; for as many subjects or finite verbs as there are in a sentence, so many members does it really contain. Whenever, therefore, there occurs more nouns than verbs, or contrariwise, they are to be conceived as equal; since, as every subject requires its verb, so every verb requires its subject, with which it may agree, excepting, perhaps, in some figurative expressions.