Vis ma·jor.  Law A superior force which under certain circumstances is held to exempt from contract obligations; inevitable accident; -- a civil-law term used as nearly equivalent to, but broader than, the common-law term act of God (which see).

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 vis major
      n : a natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the
          expected course of events; "he discovered that his house
          was not insured against acts of God" [syn: act of God,
          force majeure, inevitable accident, {unavoidable
          casualty]