INHERENTVICE

Inherent Vice

Inherent Vice is a novel by Thomas Pynchon, originally published in August 2009. The term "inherent vice" as a phrase refers to a hidden defect of a physical object that causes it to deteriorate because of the fundamental instability of its components. In the legal sense, inherent vice may make an item an unacceptable risk to a carrier or insurer. If the characteristic or defect is not visible, and if the carrier or the insurer has not been warned of it, neither of them may be liable for any claim arising solely out of the inherent vice."

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Inherent Vice
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

Need help with a clue?
Try your search in the crossword dictionary!