sue

views updated Jun 27 2018

sue / soō/ • v. (sues, sued, su·ing) 1. [tr.] institute legal proceedings against (a person or institution), typically for redress: she is to sue the baby's father| [intr.] I sued for breach of contract. 2. [intr.] formal appeal formally to a person for something: the rebels were forced to sue for peace.DERIVATIVES: su·er / ˈsoōər/ n.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French suer, based on Latin sequi ‘follow.’ Early senses were very similar to those of the verb follow.

sue

views updated May 14 2018

sue †follow XIII; prosecute (an action), follow up, make a legal claim to (now sue for); apply for the grant of (a writ); institute legal proceedings (against) XIV. — AN. suer, siwer, sure, suir(e), f. pres. stem si(e)u-, seu- of OF. sivre (mod. suivre) :- Rom. *sequere, for L. sequī follow.

SUE

views updated May 23 2018

SUE

To initiate a lawsuit or continue a legal proceeding for the recovery of a right; to prosecute, assert a legal claim, or bring action against a particular party.

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