one-sided arrangement

[/wʌn ˈsaɪdɪd əˈreɪndʒmənt/]
nounpl: one-sided arrangements
acordo unilateral
1. an agreement or settlement that favors one party significantly more than the other, lacking balance or fairness
The contract was criticized as a one-sided arrangement that benefited only the corporation.
O contrato foi criticado como um acordo unilateral que beneficiava apenas a corporação.
2. a plan or organization of elements that is not evenly distributed or balanced between parties
The business partnership turned out to be a one-sided arrangement with unequal responsibilities.
A parceria comercial acabou sendo um acordo unilateral com responsabilidades desiguais.
This term is commonly used in Brazilian and American business and legal discourse to criticize unfair contracts or agreements. In Brazil, labor disputes often involve accusations of one-sided arrangements favoring employers. In the USA, the term is frequently used in political contexts regarding trade deals and international agreements. Both cultures value transparency and fair dealing, making this a negatively-charged descriptor in negotiations.
NYC Slang
lopsided deal, raw deal, hustle
Synonyms / Sinônimos
unilateral agreementunfair deallopsided arrangementbiased settlementunequal agreement
Antonyms / Antônimos
bilateral arrangementfair agreementbalanced dealmutual arrangementequitable settlement

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
acordo unilateral
Most common and formal term used in legal and business contexts
Rio de Janeiro
combinado de mão única
More colloquial variation used in informal speech
São Paulo
acordo desigual
Business district preferred term emphasizing inequality
Portugal
acordo unilateral
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; formal and legal usage identical

Related Words

bilateralreciprocalasymmetricalunequalimbalancedcontractnegotiation

Related Idioms & Phrases

skewed in someone's favor
tilted arrangement
weighted agreement
all take and no give
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