gentleman's agreement
Unwritten mutual promise
A gentleman's agreement is an informal arrangement based on trust and honor rather than legal contract.
The parties rely on mutual good faith rather than enforceable obligations: They had a gentleman's agreement to split the profits.
Such agreements can be legitimate business practice or, historically, a means of excluding minorities while maintaining plausible deniability.
- good faithSincere, honest intent
- handshake dealUnwritten mutual commitment
- honor systemTrust-based compliance without supervision
- mutual trustShared belief in reliability
- unwrittenNot set down formally
unspoken rule · trust · promise · honesty · tacit understanding · off the record · back room deal · behind closed doors · old boys' network · pact · nod · social contract · ethical standards · wink · moral obligation · code of honor · honor among thieves · quid pro quo
- negotiationbargaining, bargain, negotiate, mediation, compromise
- agreementaccord, yes, yeah, yep, yup
- commitmentsvow, pledge, oath, vows, promise
- social codessocial norms, social norm, unwritten rule, unspoken rule, unspoken rules
- informal agreementshandshake deal, verbal contract, oral contract, verbal promise, verbal commitment
- unwritten agreementshandshake deal, verbal contract, unwritten rule, mutual understanding, tacit consent
gentleman's agreementbinding contract
Enforceable legal agreement
formal contract · legal agreement · written contract · iron-clad contract · formal agreement
gentleman's agreementwritten agreement
Documented terms between parties
formal agreement · notarized document · legal instrument · memorandum of understanding · indenture
gentleman, agreement, gentle, gently, gentleness, genteel, gentry, gentlemanly, gentlemen