To stipulate is to say clearly, as part of an agreement, a contract, a law or a set of rules, that something must be done or must be a certain way. It is not just mentioning or suggesting — it is writing a condition in, so that the other side is bound by it.

To stipulate is to say clearlystipulate的意思是清楚地說明， as part of an agreement, a contract, a law or a set of rules當作協議、合約、法律、或一套規定的一部分， that something must be done or must be a certain way說明某件事必須做到、或必須是某種特定的方式。 It is not just mentioning or suggesting它不只是提一下、或建議而已── it is writing a condition in它是把一個條件白紙黑字寫進去， so that the other side is bound by it好讓對方受這個條件約束。

A contract can stipulate a deadline; a landlord can stipulate no pets; a law can stipulate that all workers get a break. Notice that both people and documents can be the subject: 'she stipulated that the money go to her sister', 'the rules stipulate a minimum age of eighteen'.

A contract can stipulate a deadline合約可以stipulate一個期限； a landlord can stipulate no pets房東可以stipulate不准養寵物； a law can stipulate that all workers get a break法律可以stipulate所有勞工都要有休息時間。 Notice that both people and documents can be the subject要注意，人跟文件都可以當這個動詞的主詞： 'she stipulated that the money go to her sister'「她stipulated這筆錢要給她妹妹」， 'the rules stipulate a minimum age of eighteen'「規定stipulate了最低年齡是十八歲」。

It is formal, and it belongs mostly to written English — legal documents, official notices, job adverts, academic conditions. In speech you would normally say 'insist on', 'say clearly', 'make it a condition' instead.

It is formal它是正式用語， and it belongs mostly to written English而且大多屬於書面英文 — legal documents, official notices, job adverts, academic conditions──像是法律文件、官方公告、徵才廣告、學術上的條件。 In speech you would normally say 'insist on', 'say clearly', 'make it a condition' instead口語中你通常會改說'insist on'、'say clearly'、或'make it a condition'。

Grammatically it usually takes 'that' plus a clause, and in careful or American English that clause often uses the plain base form of the verb: 'the contract stipulates that he be present.' There is also a courtroom use in American law, where the two sides stipulate to a fact — they agree to accept it as true so nobody has to prove it — which is a slightly different flavour, more 'agree' than 'demand'.

Grammatically it usually takes 'that' plus a clause文法上，它後面通常接'that'加一個子句， and in careful or American English that clause often uses the plain base form of the verb而在講究的用法或美式英文裡，那個子句常常用動詞的原形： 'the contract stipulates that he be present.'「the contract stipulates that he be present（合約stipulate他必須到場）」。 There is also a courtroom use in American law在美國法律的法庭用語裡還有另一種用法， where the two sides stipulate to a fact雙方對某個事實stipulate（達成共識）── they agree to accept it as true so nobody has to prove it他們同意把它當成事實接受，這樣就不用有人去證明它── which is a slightly different flavour, more 'agree' than 'demand'這種味道有點不一樣，比較接近「agree（同意）」而不是「demand（要求）」。