noun

• (law) A contract which binds a person to work for another, under specified conditions, for a specified time (often as an apprentice).
  "And so the schoolmistress reconciled the recommendation to her conscience, and the indentures were cancelled, and the apprentice was free."
• (law) A contract relating to lending (typically for issuing a bond), a real estate transaction, or a bankruptcy that imposes additional conditions on one or both parties.
• (law, often in the plural) A document, written as duplicates separated by indentations, specifying either of the above contracts.
  "Walking the street very hungry, and not knowing what to do with himself, a crimp's bill was put into his hand, offering immediate entertainment and encouragement to such as would bind themselves to serve in America. He went directly, sign'd the indentures, was put into the ship, and came over, never writing a line to acquaint his friends what was become of him."

verb

• (law) To bind a person under such a contract.