Stipulation:

Stipulation, a formal oral contract by which a promissor unilaterally assents to a promise to give something to or do something for a promisee, is examined in detail in this chapter, especially as to how it was made, interpreted, and executed. The stipulation, despite its apparent clumsiness and its oral nature, was used by the Romans for a wide variety of purposes, many of which are described. The jurists tend to interpret stipulations through their exact words, so that it becomes extremely important for the parties to get the language of the promise correct. Other types of formal or unilateral promises are also examined.