Onus meaning

ōnəs
A difficult or disagreeable responsibility or necessity; a burden or obligation.
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A difficult or unpleasant task, duty, etc.; burden.
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Responsibility for an error or fault; blame.

Each side wants to avoid the onus of having started the disagreement.

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The burden of proof.

The onus was on the defense attorney.

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The onus is on the landlord to make sure the walls are protected from mildew.

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(uncountable) Burden of proof, onus probandi.

The onus is on those who disagree with my proposal to explain why.

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The definition of an onus is a difficult or unpleasant task.

An example of an onus is having to inform a mother that her son was killed in battle.

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Responsibility for a wrong; blame.
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Origin of onus

  • Latin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Latin onus (“burden").

    From Wiktionary

Onus Sentence Examples

  • He sought to persuade Alexander to open negotiations with Napoleon, if only to throw the onus of breaking the peace entirely on the French side.

  • It is always, however, a matter of fact for the jury, and the onus of proving the death lies on the party who asserts it.

  • The onus of testing falls upon the manufacturer.

  • The onus is on the person to take advantage of all the stuff that's out there.

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Words near onus in the Dictionary