1.—(1) In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires—

“conduct” includes an act and a default or other omission;

“conveyance” includes a mortgage, lease, assent, transfer, disclaimer, release and any other disposition of property otherwise than by a will or a donatio mortis causa and also includes an enforceable agreement (whether conditional or unconditional) to make any such conveyance, and “convey” shall be construed accordingly;

“the court” means the court having jurisdiction under section 10;

“dependent child of the family”, in relation to a spouse or spouses, means any child—

(a) of both spouses, or adopted by both spouses under the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1974, or in relation to whom both spouses are in loco parentis, or

(b) of either spouse, or adopted by either spouse under the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1974, or in relation to whom either spouse is in loco parentis, where the other spouse, being aware that he is not the parent of the child, has treated the child as a member of the family,

who is under the age of sixteen years, or, if he has attained that age—

(i) is receiving full-time education or instruction at any university, college, school or other educational establishment and is under the age of twenty-one years, or

(ii) is suffering from mental or physical disability to such extent that it is not reasonably possible for him to maintain himself fully;

“family home” has the meaning assigned by section 2;

“household chattels” has the meaning assigned by section 9 (7);

“interest” means any estate, right, title or other interest, legal or equitable;

“mortgage” includes an equitable mortgage, a charge on registered land and a chattel mortgage, and cognate words shall be construed accordingly;

“rent” includes a conventional rent, a rentcharge within the meaning of section 2 (1) of the Statute of Limitations, 1957, and a terminable annuity payable in respect of a loan for the purchase of a family home.

(2) References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended or extended by any subsequent enactment, including this Act.

(3) (a) A reference in this Act to a section is a reference to a section of this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended.

(b) A reference in this Act to a subsection is a reference to the subsection of the section in which the reference occurs unless it is indicated that reference to some other section is intended.