The process, or the art, of determining the sense, real meaning, or proper explanation of obscure or ambiguous terms or provisions in a statute, written instrument, or oral agreement, or the appli-cation of such subject to the case in question, by reasoning in the light derived from ex-traneous connected circumstances or laws or writings bearing upon the same or a con-nected matter, or by seeking and applying the probable aim and purpose of the pro-vision
