nuisance Hear it!

nuisance Definition

nui·sance (no̵̅o̅səns, nyo̵̅o̅-)

noun

  1. an act, condition, thing, or person causing trouble, annoyance, or inconvenience
  2. Law a use of one's property that causes danger or annoyance to others or that interferes with others using or enjoying their own property and that is subject to civil action

Etymology: ME nusance < OFr < nuisir, noisir < L nocere, to annoy: see necro-

nuisance Synonyms

nuisance

n.

  1. A bother

    annoyance, vexation, bore; see trouble 2.

  2. An offense against the public

    breach, infraction, affront; see crime 1.

  3. *An unpleasant or unwelcome person

    pest, bore, annoyance, problem, problem child, frump, bother, holy terror*, prune*, bad egg*, foul ball*, insect*, human mistake*, louse*, pain in the neck*, nudnik*, poor excuse*, bum*; see also trouble 2.

nuisance Law Definition

n

An ongoing act or a condition that interferes with another’s use or inhabitation of real property.
abatable nuisance
A nuisance that may easily be repaired or avoided.
attractive nuisance
A potentially dangerous element or entity on real property that may attract people, especially children, to use it to their own harm; for example, a swimming pool.
attractive nuisance doctrine
mixed nuisance
A nuisance that affects both public and private interests.
nuisance per se
A nuisance that is very dangerous, or in some other way beyond conventional bounds of acceptability and risk, one that has certainty.  
private nuisance
A nuisance that affects private ownership interests.
public nuisance
A nuisance that interferes with public interests, including those in health, safety, and transportation.
nuisance Usage Examples

Preposition: from

  • neighbor: If modern houses and flats are built using the correct materials, they should be insulated against normal noise nuisance from neighbors.

Converse of object

  • abate: Where this approach fails we can serve a notice on the offending party requiring them to abate the nuisance.
  • constitute: Unfortunately, there is no fixed level of noise which constitutes a noise nuisance.
  • cause: Cause a nuisance whilst in or around court building.
  • mitigate: There must also be an engineering solution readily available to mitigate the nuisance caused.
  • minimize: It utilizes sealed silos, transfer conveyor and mixing units to minimize environmental nuisance to the local residents.

Adjective modifier

  • statutory: There is no set level at which noise becomes a statutory nuisance.
  • juvenile: Domestic burglary fell by 29 per cent, juvenile nuisance by 42 per cent and sexual offenses by 46 per cent.
  • intolerable: The crying of Sunday newspapers had become an absolutely intolerable nuisance in the smaller streets of the boro.
  • alleged: If the alleged nuisance occurs late at night, visits by officers out of office hours can be made by prior arrangement.
  • undue: Over provision, undue public nuisance, a possible increase in noise levels and vandalism in the areas were argued by the objectors.
  • bloody: It was a bloody nuisance - there was his flat, just a few yards away, and he couldn't get to it.

Modifies a noun

  • neighbor: You've got new powers to deal with nuisance neighbors - use them.
  • biker: The first Operation Handbrake was launched following complaints about nuisance bikers, particularly on mini-motorcycles.
  • caller: KADMON Psychic nuisance callers, astral junkies, people who want easy answers.
  • behavior: We shall continue to mount operations against nuisance behavior in all its forms.

Noun used with modifier

  • noise: Dogs left alone to bark for long periods may be a noise nuisance to people living nearby.
  • neighbor: However, the section is broadly enough drafted to be used by councils anywhere to combat ordinary neighbor nuisance.
  • youth: Often, these areas are blighted by youth nuisance or environmental problems or there may be a lack of social cohesion.
  • neighborhood: However, there are new fears about yobbish behavior, from graffiti to neighborhood nuisance.
nuisance Quotes

Thehumanrace, towhichsomanyof my readersbelong, has beenplaying atchildren'sgamesfromthebeginning, and will probablydoittill the end, which isa nuisancefor the few people who grow up.

—Chesterton, G(ilbert) K(eith)

   The naturalist in England, in his walks, enjoys a great advantage over others in frequently meeting with something worthy of attention; here he suffers a pleasant nuisance in not being able to walk a hundred yards without being fairly tied to the spot by some new and wondrous creature.

—Darwin, Charles Robert

   Never compose anything unless the not composing of it becomes a positive nuisance to you.

—Holst, GustavTheodore

Browse dictionary entries near nuisance

  1. nugget
  2. nugatory
  3. Nuevo León
  4. Nuevo Laredo
  5. Nuer
  6. Nueces
  7. nudum pactum
  8. nudnik
  9. nudity
  10. nudism
  1. nuisance tax
  2. nuke
  3. Nuking
  4. Nukualofa
  5. null
  6. null modem
  7. nullah
  8. nullification
  9. nullifidian
  10. nullify