fine print

fine print

The details of a contract or other document that are important but easily overlooked (often due to very small size of the text.) If you had read the fine print, we wouldn't be going to court over this, now would we? Be sure to read the fine print before you sign any contracts!
See also: fine, print

the fine print

The specific terms, conditions, restrictions, limitations, etc., of an agreement, contract, or other document, often printed in very small type and thus easy to go unnoticed. The terms of the loan look pretty good at face value, but be sure to read the fine print or you could find yourself in a heap of trouble down the line. If I had my way, I would make fine print illegal—it's so deceitful!
See also: fine, print
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • the fine print
  • put (something) in print
  • put in print
  • DBEYR
  • get into print
  • print (something) in (something else)
  • print in
  • printing
  • print up
  • print out
References in periodicals archive
Whenever I see fine print in sales materials, in my eyes the seller loses all credibility.
This enables Canon printers to achieve market-leading print speeds and photo quality for photo and document printing.The FINE print heads of the PIXMA MX850 achieve virtually grain free photo lab quality by delivering millions of microscopic, 1 picolitre droplets each second with extremely high consistency and accuracy from minimum 9 m diameter Micro-Nozzles.ChromaLife100For improved fade resistance, the printer supports Canon's ChromaLife100: a system of genuine Canon dye-based inks, which deliver an exceptionally broad colour gamut, and Canon photo paper designed to work together with FINE print heads.
--In fine print on the last page of the Guinness Rook Of World Records it notes that all world records are held by Chuck Norris, and those listed in the book are simply the closest anyone else has ever gotten.
In case there is any doubt, the government report lists abortion services under "other programs" offered by the clinics--in the fine print, of course.
Here are two other dirty little secrets that may be lost in the fine print of your credit card agreement:
Happily, Bagley writes without the prolixity often associated with the legal profession--the kind of eye-glazing, spare-no-heretofores stuff that too often fills up the fine print of lending or securities documents.
I have a very hard time reading labels--especially vitamins and over the counter medications and also the fine print on coupons even with my glasses on."
Tax specialists at business advisers KPMG predict that the Chancellor will focus on the "fine print" of decisions on taxation made last year in his forthcoming Budget on March 22.
standardized contract terms in fine print are suspect, (1) but it is not
The fine print, where the names of actors and producers would normally appear, resounds instead with pithy phrases like YOUR SEXUAL HISTORY and OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
The fine print Few randomized trials have been conducted in early childhood education.
Zero interest for 90 days!--and then, under terms buffed in fine print, collect huge sums when the cardholder misses a payment, goes over her limit, or carries a balance.
Search for hidden agendas and the fine print. Private cash could fool the public sector into thinking that they are no longer responsible for schools.
As Mauro writes, "Certain solicitations mention CASE in fine print as an entity 'doing business as' the ACLJ.
Ladner's logic is probably sending other presidents and board members scrambling to review the fine print in contracts, says Cotton, who notes that Ladner's renewed contract with American in 1997 was sweetened considerably.