nonintercourse act
C2 / Extremely LowFormal, Historical, Academic, Legal
Definition
Meaning
A historical law passed by the United States Congress that prohibited or regulated trade with specific foreign nations.
Most commonly refers to either the series of acts (1809-1810) during the Napoleonic Wars aimed at Britain and France, or the series of acts concerning trade and land dealings with Native American tribes (first passed 1790).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Always capitalized as a proper noun referring to specific historical legislation. The meaning is entirely dependent on the historical context provided.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is exclusively American in a historical context. A British speaker would likely need explanatory context.
Connotations
In the US, it connotes early US foreign policy dilemmas or the history of Native American relations. In the UK, it has no inherent connotation beyond its literal meaning of 'an act stopping interaction'.
Frequency
Virtually never used in contemporary British English. In American English, it is confined to historical and legal academic texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [body] passed the Nonintercourse Act.The Act prohibited [trade/activity] with [nation/group].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used in contemporary business.
Academic
Used in history, political science, and legal studies papers discussing early US policy.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Used in precise legal-historical analysis of US statutory law and Native American treaty rights.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This is a law from history.
- The Nonintercourse Act was an old American law about trade.
- President Jefferson supported the Nonintercourse Act as an alternative to the Embargo Act.
- The Nonintercourse Act of 1809 was designed to coerce Britain and France by restricting trade, but it proved largely ineffective and was replaced by Macon's Bill Number Two.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'NON-INTERCOURSE' = NO INTERACTION. The Act stopped commercial 'intercourse' (trade) with other nations.
Conceptual Metaphor
A WALL or BARRIER IN LAW (legislation conceptualized as a physical barrier to trade).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- The word 'intercourse' does not have a primarily sexual meaning here. It translates as 'сношения' or 'торговые отношения', not 'половой акт'.
- Avoid translating 'act' only as 'действие'. Here it is 'закон' or 'акт' in the legislative sense.
Common Mistakes
- Writing in lower case ('nonintercourse act').
- Confusing it with the Embargo Act of 1807 (a related but different law).
- Assuming it refers to a modern policy.
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary purpose of the Nonintercourse Acts of 1809-1810?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the specific 1809-1810 acts are long repealed. However, modern versions of the Indian Nonintercourse Act (25 U.S.C. § 177) remain in force, governing land sales involving Native American tribes.
'Intercourse' in this historical context means 'trade' or 'commercial interaction'. Therefore, 'Nonintercourse' literally means 'no trade'.
The Embargo Act of 1807 banned all US trade with *all* foreign nations. The Nonintercourse Act of 1809 was more targeted, banning trade only with Britain and France.
No. In this legal and historical term, 'intercourse' exclusively refers to trade and diplomatic relations between nations or groups, not personal or sexual relations.