| 1. | to demand by or as by virtue of a right; demand as a right or as due: to claim an estate by inheritance. |
| 2. | to assert and demand the recognition of (a right, title, possession, etc.); assert one's right to: to claim payment for services. |
| 3. | to assert or maintain as a fact: She claimed that he was telling the truth. |
| 4. | to require as due or fitting: to claim respect. |
| 5. | to make or file a claim: to claim for additional compensation. |
| 6. | a demand for something as due; an assertion of a right or an alleged right: He made unreasonable claims on the doctor's time. |
| 7. | an assertion of something as a fact: He made no claims to originality. |
| 8. | a right to claim or demand; a just title to something: His claim to the heavyweight title is disputed. |
| 9. | something that is claimed, esp. a piece of public land for which formal request is made for mining or other purposes. |
| 10. | a request or demand for payment in accordance with an insurance policy, a workers' compensation law, etc.: We filed a claim for compensation from the company. |
| 11. | lay claim to, to declare oneself entitled to: I have never laid claim to being an expert in tax laws. |

claim (klām) tr.v. claimed, claim·ing, claims
[Middle English claimen, from Old French clamer, claim-, from Latin clāmāre, to call; see kelə-2 in Indo-European roots.] claim'a·ble adj., claim'er n. Synonyms: These nouns refer to a legitimate or asserted right to demand something as one's due: had a legal claim to the property; makes no pretense to scholarliness; justified pretensions to the presidency; has no title to our thanks. See Also Synonyms at demand. |
claim
In addition to the idiom beginning with claim, also see lay claim to; stake a claim.