Where a planning instrument's dictionary defines a specific land use (e.g., 'general store') by reference to a generic term (e.g., 'shop'), and the generic term's definition contains a proviso excluding buildings or places elsewhere specifically defined, the specific land use falls within the proviso and is excluded from the generic term for the purposes of the operative provisions. Courts should construe definitions separately before inserting them into operative provisions, and should not deny the operation of a definition based on perceived anomalies unless a clear contextual basis exists.
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