1 U.S.C. § 1
Section 1 · Words denoting number, gender, and so forth
Viewing 1 U.S.C. § 1 as in effect on September 19, 1988. The text changed in 1 later edition (most recent December 28, 2012).
View current version →In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, unless the context indicates otherwise—
words importing the singular include and apply to several persons, parties, or things;
words importing the plural include the singular;
words importing the masculine gender include the feminine as well;
words used in the present tense include the future as well as the present;
the words “insane” and “insane person” and “lunatic” shall include every idiot, lunatic, insane person, and person non compos mentis;
the words “person” and “whoever” include corporations, companies, associations, firms, partnerships, societies, and joint stock companies, as well as individuals;
“officer” includes any person authorized by law to perform the duties of the office;
“signature” or “subscription” includes a mark when the person making the same intended it as such;
“oath” includes affirmation, and “sworn” includes affirmed;
“writing” includes printing and typewriting and reproductions of visual symbols by photographing, multigraphing, mimeographing, manifolding, or otherwise.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Amendments
1951—Act Oct. 31, 1951, substituted, in fourth clause after opening clause, “used” for “use”.
1948—Act June 25, 1948, included “tense”, “whoever”, “signature”, “subscription”, “writing” and a broader definition of “person”.
Continental United States
Section 48 of Pub. L. 86–70, June 25, 1959, 73 Stat. 154, provided that: “Whenever the phrase ‘continental United States’ is used in any law of the United States enacted after the date of enactment of this Act [June 25, 1959], it shall mean the 49 States on the North American Continent and the District of Columbia, unless otherwise expressly provided.”
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Affirmation in lieu of oath, see rule 43, Title 28, Appendix, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.
Cross References
Internal Revenue Code definitions, see section 7701 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
Person as including associations, see section 1401 of Title 19, Customs Duties; section 801 of Title 46, Appendix, Shipping; section 30 of Title 47, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs.