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Tort

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tort

[tawrt]
–noun Law.
a wrongful act, not including a breach of contract or trust, that results in injury to another's person, property, reputation, or the like, and for which the injured party is entitled to compensation.

Origin:
1350–1400; ME: injury, wrong < OF < ML tortum wrong, injustice, n. use of neut. of L tortus twisted, crooked, dubious, ptp. of torquēre to twist, wring
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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tort   (tôrt)   
n.   Law
Damage, injury, or a wrongful act done willfully, negligently, or in circumstances involving strict liability, but not involving breach of contract, for which a civil suit can be brought.

[Middle English, injury, from Old French, from Medieval Latin tortum, from Latin, neuter past participle of torquēre, to twist; see terkw- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

tort 
c.1250, "injury, wrong," from O.Fr. tort (11c.), from M.L. tortum "injustice," noun use of neut. of tortus "wrung, twisted," pp. of L. torquere "turn, turn awry, twist, wring, distort" (see thwart). Legal sense of "breach of a duty, whereby someone acquires a right of action for damages" is first recorded 1586.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: tort
Pronunciation: 'tort
Function: noun
Etymology: Anglo-French, wrongful or illegal act, from Old French, injury, from Medieval Latin tortum, from Latin, neuter of tortus twisted, from past participle of torquEre to twist
: a wrongful act other than a breach of contract that injures another and for which the law imposes civil liability : a violation of a duty (as to exercise due care) imposed by law as distinguished from contract for which damages or declaratory relief (as an injunction) may be obtained; also : a cause of action based on such an act tort —National Law Journal> tort> —compare CRIME, DELICT
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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