Important Legal Definitions

"Known by its associates." A canon of statutory interpretation holding that the questionable or ambiguous meaning of a word in a statute is judged, derived, and understood by the company it keeps and the associated words surrounding it.

In State of Assam v. R. Venugopal, the Supreme Court interpreted the word "plant" in a factory inspection statute; surrounded by words like "machinery, tools, and appliances," the court held that "plant" could not mean living botanical flora, but referred to mechanical apparatus.