| a clause that modifies the principal clause or some part of it or that serves a noun function in the principal clause, as when she arrived in the sentence I was there when she arrived or that she has arrived in the sentence I doubt that she has arrived. |
| dependent clause n. A clause that cannot stand alone as a full sentence and functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb within a sentence. Also called subordinate clause. |
| subordinate clause n. See dependent clause. |