The term escrow is derived from the French word, escroe, meaning scroll or strip of parchment.(2) By traditional legal definition, an escrow is a written instrument representing a legal obligation which is deposited by a grantor, obligor, or promisor with a third party with instructions that it be delivered to the grantee, obligee, or promisee upon the fulfillment of a condition.(3) Virtually any written instrument may be placed in escrow, and modern escrow arrangements often involve the deposit of money."
"A typical use in a corporate transaction is to escrow a portion of the purchase price of a business to secure indemnities given by the seller that cover warranties and representations that cannot be performed or verified at the time of closing."