Terms of Use

We are very happy to provide this site for your personal or educational use. The more people use it for this purpose, the more successful the site! Please feel free to look up words in the dictionary on an occasional basis (i.e. at most a few words per day), so that frivolous bandwidth use is minimized.

The Bad News: We must forbid, however, any activity that increases bandwidth use or abuse. Because of the bandwidth abuse issue, we have decided to copyright each page of the site. So, if you intend to harvest, copy or mine this site for its content, definitions or translations, know that you are performing an illegal act that puts the site at risk. All pages are protected by international copyright laws. By using this site you agree to:

                NOT ELECTRONICALLY COPY ANY PAGES  

                                                                &

                NOT ANALYZE OR COPY THE SOURCE CODE

                                                                &

                NOT DOWNLOAD PAGES -- NOT EVEN ONE

                                                                &

    NOT LOOK AT THE SOURCE CODE.

Note: "The penalties for infringement are very harsh: the court can award up to $150,000 for each separate act of willful infringement. Willful infringement means that you knew you were infringing and you did it anyway. Ignorance of the law, though, is no excuse. If you don't know that you are infringing, you still will be liable for damages - only the amount of the award will be affected. Then there are attorneys' fees..... "

Source: University of Texas. http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm.

Now some good news: if you want to legally create your own dictionary and learn how we obtained most of the information used in this site, simply consult the Credits page. If more people created sites like this one, this can only be a good sign. In fact, we encourage you to do so, but not by downloading pages from this site, thus using Internet bandwidth. You do not need to harvest or download every page of this site in order to get access to the data! There are far more band-width efficient ways of doing this. Please read the Credits page.

Legal stuff:

… and now some legal boilerplate adapted from what one finds on other dictionary sites who must know what they are doing (i.e. we do not have a legal department) …

Here is a summary: you agree to use this site at your own risk, we are liable for absolutely nothing, and you are not allowed to copy anything or abuse this site. If you do not like this, do not use the site.

Webster's Online Dictionary End User Agreement

1. Agreement on General Terms of Use for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

1. This Agreement constitutes an agreement between Webster's Online Dictionary and you  ("user," "you," or "your" or translations of these terms in any known language) as a user who accesses or establishes a connection via the world wide web to the URL address www.websters-online-dictionary.org (or sites pointing to this URL address).
2. By accessing this site you hereby agree to abide by all of the provisions in this agreement in order to remain an authorized user of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) and your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) constitutes your agreement to abide by these provisions. You and you alone are solely responsible for your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) web site and for ensuring that you or your use complies fully with the provisions of this Agreement.
3. Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify or change any or all of the provisions of this Agreement at any time in the future. Webster's Online Dictionary will notify our users of any changes by posting or linking to them on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) or through any other reasonable means of providing such notice to you. Any changes to this Agreement, with respect to the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) will become effective immediately upon notice to you or the public. Your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) after such notice of changes to this Agreement will be deemed your acceptance of these changes, without communication to us.
4. Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to change, modify, augment, delete, limit, or discontinue any phrases, words, quotations, statistics, aspects, content, or feature of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address), as well as any aspect pertaining to the use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address).
5. If you do not agree to the provisions of this agreement or are not satisfied with the site www.websters-online-dictionary.org, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue your use of the site.

2. Acceptable Use on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) for http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/

A.   You are only allowed to use this site on an occasional basis, i.e. looking up a few words per day, for personal or education purposes.

B.    Looking at the source code for even one page, harvesting, data mining, copying, saving a copy to disk, crawling, using spiders, snaking, reverse engineering, using bots, robots, winbatches, websnake, or similar programs is strictly forbidden and violates international copyright laws. We have copyright on all pages to prevent this type of activity which drives up bandwidth costs and put the project at risk. We cannot tolerate this bandwidth abuse. Only occasional use is permitted by persons using this site as a dictionary is allowed. No other use is authorized.  You are only allowed to look at the pages of this site using a computer screen or monitor! Analyzing source code is forbidden, unless granted by the editor in writing.

3. User Activities and Information on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) for http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/

1. You will use the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) and any content, material, or information found on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) solely for lawful, non-commercial purposes. You shall not upload to, distribute to, or otherwise disseminate through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) any material or information of any kind that is libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise violates any law or infringes or violates any rights of any other person or entity, or contains a solicitation of funds, advertising, or a solicitation for goods or services.
2. You warrant that any material or information that you make available through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address), including, for example, postings to comment pages or definition pages, is solely your original work, or that you have all necessary rights to make the material or information of any other person or entity available on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address). You will be solely responsible for the information, data or content of any material or information that you make available through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address). You will also be liable for any damage resulting from making any material or information available through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address).
3. By making any material or information available through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address), you automatically grant to Webster's Online Dictionary a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute and sublicense any such material or information (in whole or in part) and/or to incorporate it in other works regardless of form, media, or technology. By making any material or information available through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address), you also grant to users other than yourself the right and license to access, view, store, or reproduce your material and information for that user's personal use.
4. Webster's Online Dictionary has no obligation to, and does not and cannot, review every item of material on www.websters-online-dictionary.org or information that you and users other than yourself make available through the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address), and Webster's Online Dictionary is not responsible for any information, data or content of this material or information. However, Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right to delete, move, or edit any material or information that it deems, in its sole discretion, unacceptable, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise in violation of any law or that infringes or violates any rights of any other person or entity. Further, Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right at all times to disclose any data, statistics, material or information as necessary to satisfy any law, regulation, or governmental request, from any country or planet.
5. Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right to collect, use, and distribute geographic data (e.g. Maris from Paris) about you and your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) in the posting of comments or forms that do not identify you individually or reveal your identity.

4. Rights in www.websters-online-dictionary.org Content and the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address)

1. All information, data or content provided by Webster's Online Dictionary on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) is protected by copyright, trademark, and other applicable intellectual property and proprietary rights laws and is owned, controlled, and/or licensed by www.webster-online-dictionary.org. The www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site is protected by copyright, patent, trademark, and other applicable intellectual property and proprietary rights laws and is owned, controlled, and/or licensed by Webster's Online Dictionary. All trademarks appearing on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) are the property of their respective owners.
2. You will not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale, create derivative works, or in any way exploit, any of the content, in whole or in part, found on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address). You will not download copyrighted information, data or content for your personal use, and will make no public other use of the information, data or content without the express written permission of Webster's Online Dictionary or the editor. You will not make any changes to any information, data or content that you are not permitted to download under this Agreement, and in particular you will not delete or alter any proprietary rights or attribution notices in any content. You agree that you do not acquire any ownership rights in any downloaded information, statistics, data or content.
3. Certain information, data or content found on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) may be subject to any additional terms, or conditions, and notices as specified below.

5. Disclaimer of Warranties & Limitation of Liability for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

1. You expressly agree that use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org is at your sole risk. The editor, volunteers, or third party information, data or content providers, or licensors do not warrant that the www.websters-online-dictionary.org will be uninterrupted or error free. Nor do we claim that any of the information, definitions, translations, statistics or data are in any way accurate, reliable, or even interesting. Nor do the editor, volunteers, or third parties make any warranty as to the results that may be obtained or derived from the use of information collected from the site, or as to the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or contents of any content, information, material, postings, definitions, translations, rhymes, synonyms, etymologies, or posting responses found on the site, any merchandise or services provided through the site, or any links to other sites made available on the site.
2. The www.websters-online-dictionary.org and all content, material, information, postings, or posting responses found on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org are provided on an "as is" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of title or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Basically, do not factually rely on this site for anything, including homework assignments, business deals, board games or even light entertainment.
3. Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall Webster's Online Dictionary (or its affiliates, editor, or volunteers), be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, any content, information, material, postings, or posting responses on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org or the www.websters-online-dictionary.org itself. These limitations apply regardless of whether the party liable or allegedly liable was advised, had other reason to know, or in fact knew of the possibility of such damages. You specifically acknowledge and agree that Webster's Online Dictionary (and its editor or volunteers), is not liable for any defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of any user, including you.

6. Indemnification for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Webster's Online Dictionary (or its editor or volunteers) from and against all claims, liability, and expenses, including attorneys' fees and legal fees and costs, arising out of your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) or your breach of any provision of this Agreement. Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right, in its sole discretion and at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you. You agree to cooperate as fully and as reasonably required in the defense of any such claim.

7. Fees and Payments for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

There are no fees for this site. Webster's Online Dictionary reserves the right, in its sole discretion, at any time, to raise donations or to charge fees for high volume access to and use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address), or any portions of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address). If Webster's Online Dictionary elects to charge fees, it will post a notice on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) all provisions pertaining to any fees and or payments.

8. Termination Policy for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

Webster's Online Dictionary may terminate this Agreement and your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) at any time. Webster's Online Dictionary shall have the right immediately to terminate your use of the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) in the event of any conduct by you which Webster's Online Dictionary, or its volunteers,  in its sole discretion, considers to be unacceptable, or in the event of any breach by you of this Agreement.

Looking at the source code for even one page, harvesting, data mining, copying, saving a copy to disk, crawling, using spiders, snaking, reverse engineering, using bots, robots, winbatches, websnake, or similar programs is strictly forbidden and violates international copyright laws. We have copyright on all pages to prevent this type of activity which drives up bandwidth costs and put the project at risk. We cannot tolerate this bandwidth abuse. Only occasional use is permitted by persons using this site as a dictionary is allowed. No other use is authorized.  You are only allowed to look at the pages of this site using a monitor! Analyzing source code is forbidden, unless granted by the editor in writing.

Any activities associated with the above will result in use termination and possible legal action.

9. Law Governing Performance and Disputes for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

This Agreement, your performance under it, and any disputes arising under it shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the country, state or city of the choosing of Webster's Online Dictionary, or its editor or volunteers (as assigned by the editor).

10. General Terms for www.websters-online-dictionary.org

This Agreement and any posted rules on the www.websters-online-dictionary.org web site (or sites pointing to this URL address) established by Webster's Online Dictionary constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. No waiver by either Webster's Online Dictionary or you of any breach or default under this Agreement shall be deemed to be a waiver of any preceding or subsequent breach or default. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Webster's Online Dictionary and its successors, trustees, and permitted assigns. Webster's Online Dictionary may assign this Agreement, or any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement, with or without notice to you.

Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.