staggered terms. Membership terms for a firm's directors that expire in different years. A firm with 12 directors might have 4-year terms with 3 seats up for election each year. Staggered terms make it more difficult for a raider to gain control of a board.
Definition of mood disorder. : any of several psychological disorders (as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder) characterized by abnormalities of emotional state âcalled also affective disorder.
Among the general mood disorders classified in the fourth edition (1994) of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) are major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and dysthymia.