tort — a wrongful act leading to civil legal liability
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a wrongful act leading to civil legal liability
Pronunciation (IPA): /tɔːrt/
Example Sentences
- Throwing a banana peel on the sidewalk could result in a tort lawsuit if someone slips.
- The company faced multiple tort claims after the defective product caused injuries.
- My neighbor's loud karaoke sessions might be considered a tort under nuisance law.
tort
NOUN[/tɔːrt/]
a wrongful act leading to civil legal liability
a wrongful act leading to civil legal liability
From sport to court, facing a tort!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin tortus, the past participle of torquere meaning 'to twist' or 'to turn'. The word evolved in medieval legal contexts to denote a wrongful act or injury—a deviation from the straight path of justice—which became the foundation of tort law in English common law.
Breakdown
tortus (twisted, bent) from Latin torquere (to twist, turn). The semantic shift from 'physically twisted' to 'morally or legally wrongful' reflects the metaphorical extension of twisting/deviation to mean deviation from lawful conduct.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Throwing a banana peel on the sidewalk could result in a tort lawsuit if someone slips.”
“The company faced multiple tort claims after the defective product caused injuries.”
“My neighbor's loud karaoke sessions might be considered a tort under nuisance law.”
📚Related Words
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