escrow
    n 1: a written agreement (or property or money) delivered to a
         third party or put in trust by one party to a contract to
         be returned after fulfillment of some condition

Escrow \Es"crow\, n. [OF. escroe, escroue, a roll of writings,
   bond. See Scroll.] (Law)
   A deed, bond, or other written engagement, delivered to a
   third person, to be held by him till some act is done or some
   condition is performed, and then to be by him delivered to
   the grantee. --Blackstone.
   [1913 Webster]

escrow

    An arrangement where something (generally money or
   documents) is held in trust ("in escrow") by a trusted third
   party until certain agreed conditions are met.  In computing
   the term is used for key escrow and also for source code
   escrow.

   (1999-12-14)

ESCROW, conveyancing, contracts. A conditional delivery of a deed to a 
stranger, and not to the grantee himself, until certain conditions shall be 
performed, and then it is to be delivered to the grantee. Until the 
condition be performed and the deed delivered over, the estate does not 
pass, but remains in the grantor. 2 Johns. R. 248; Perk. 137, 138. 
     2. Generally, an escrow takes effect from the second delivery, and is 
to be considered as the deed of the party from that time; but this general 
rule does not apply when justice requires a resort to fiction. The relation 
back to the first delivery, so as to give the deed effect from that time, is 
allowed in cases of necessity, to avoid injury to the operation of the deed, 
from events happening between the first and second delivery. For example, 
when a feme sole makes a deed and delivers it as an escrow, and then marries 
before the second delivery, the relation back to the time when she was sole, 
is necessary to render the deed valid. Vide 2 Bl. Com. 307; 2 Bouv. Inst. n. 
2024; 4 Kent, Com. 446; Cruise, Dig. t. 32, c. 2, s. 87 to 91; Com. Dig. 
Fait, A 3; 13 Vin. Ab. 29; 5 Mass. R. 60; 2 Root, R. 81; 5 Conn. R. 113; 1 
Conn. R. 375; 6 Paige's R. 314; 2 Mass. R. 452; 10 Wend. R. 310; 4 Green]. 
R. 20; 2 N. H. Rep. 71; 2 Watts', R. 359; 13 John. R. 285; 4 Day's R. 66; 9 
Mass. R. 310 1 John. Cas. 81; 6 Wend. R. 666; 2 Wash. R. 58; 8 Mass. R. 238; 
4 Watts, R. 180; 9 Mass. Rep. 310; 2 Johns. Rep. 258-9; 13 Johns. Rep. 285; 
Cox, Dig. tit, Escrow; Prest. Shep. Touch. 56, 57, 58; Shep. Prec. 54, 56; 1 
Prest. Abst. 275; 3 Prest. Ab. 65; 3 Rep. 35; 5 Rep. 84.