sue

To sue is defined as to bring a legal action against a person or an organization.

(verb)

An example of sue is filing a claim against a cafe for putting scalding coffee on the table to drink.

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See sue in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb sued, suing

  1. to appeal to; petition; beseech
  2. Archaic to be a suitor of; woo
  3. Law
    1. to petition (a court) for legal redress
    2. to bring civil action against or prosecute in a court of law in seeking justice or redress of wrongs
    3. to carry (an action) through to its final decision

Origin: ME suen < OFr sivre, suir < VL *sequere, for L sequi, to follow: see sequent

intransitive verb

  1. to make an appeal; petition; plead (for or to)
  2. Archaic to pay suit; woo
  3. to institute legal proceedings in court; bring suit

Related Forms:

See sue in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb sued sued, su·ing, sues
verb, transitive
  1. Law
    a. To petition (a court) for redress of grievances or recovery of a right.
    b. To institute proceedings against (a person) for redress of grievances.
    c. To carry (an action) through to a final decision.
  2. To court; woo.
  3. Obsolete To make a petition to; appeal to; beseech.
verb, intransitive
  1. Law To institute legal proceedings; bring suit.
  2. To make an appeal or entreaty: “I sue for grace, and thou deny'st me” (Francis Quarles).
  3. To pay court; woo.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English sewen

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman suer

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *sequere, to follow

Origin: , from Latin sequī; see sekw-1 in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • suˈer noun

French writer known for his sensational novels that depict the sordid side of city life, including The Mysteries of Paris (1842-1843).

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