hearsay Hear it!

hearsay Definition

hear·say (hir′sā′)

noun

something one has heard but does not know to be true; rumor; gossip

Etymology: < phrase to hear say, parallel to Ger hörensagen

adjective

based on hearsay

hearsay Synonyms

hearsay

n.

noise, scandal, report; see gossip 1, rumor 1, 2.

hearsay Law Definition

n

An out of court statement offered for the truth of the matter asserted. Testimony of a witness as to statements made by another individual who is not present in the courtroom to testify; generally not admissible because of unreliability (the hearsay rule), but there have been many significant exceptions to the rule, where there are certain indicia of reliability. See also excited utterance.

hearsay Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • admit: There is no need to consider whether to seek to admit the hearsay if the injured party is going to give evidence.
  • become: Thus, it becomes political hearsay to suggest that any single culture is superior to any other.
  • ban: Although, banning the hearsay and conjecture of the S*n, Mirror, Skysports News etc may be impossible.
  • report: Erm, reporting hearsay and hopes is journalism, precisely.
  • use: This time using hearsay, scaremongering and " council speak " to back up his views.

Adjective modifier

  • mere: What is most strange about the MIB phenomenon is that it has become part of the UFO mythology on the basis of mere hearsay.
  • multiple: This is because multiple hearsay is more likely to be unreliable.
  • only: Anyway, as it was permanently midsummer at Blandings those accounts would have been only hearsay.
  • anecdotal: However, for students approaching this point these final stages are shrouded in mystery, anecdotal hearsay and, sometimes, myth.
  • common: It is common hearsay the council have an interest, in getting us out of here.
  • local: An important archeological or historical site may be one marked on the map or preserved in local knowledge by local hearsay.

Modifies a noun

  • evidence: However, in Ireland the rules on hearsay evidence even in civil cases are very strict indeed.
  • rule: The problem which the hearsay rule has for Christianity has been discussed at length above.
  • statement: There is no duty to serve notice identifying the hearsay statements or of an intention to rely upon hearsay.
  • provision: On 4 April 2005 the hearsay provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 came into force.
  • report: Origin First recorded in the early 1980s, although there are numerous hearsay reports of its colloquial use in the UK before then.
  • testimony: We have already discussed the lack of cross-examination opportunity, which is the primary reason for rejecting hearsay testimony in a courtroom.

Noun used with modifier

  • hand: At best this information is inadequate 3 rd hand hearsay.
  • family: The problem with this is that there is now next to no supporting evidence - only a little family hearsay.