fine print

The details of a contract or other document that are important but easily overlooked (often due to very small size of the text.) If you had read the fine print, we wouldn't be going to court over this, now would we? Be sure to read the fine print before you sign any contracts! They make the fine print so tiny that I practically need a magnifying glass to read it!

the fine print

The specific terms, conditions, restrictions, limitations, etc., of an agreement, contract, or other document, often printed in very small type and thus easy to go unnoticed. The terms of the loan look pretty good at face value, but be sure to read the fine print or you could find yourself in a heap of trouble down the line. If I had my way, I would make fine print illegal—it's so deceitful!