liable
Use Liable in a sentence
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ə adjective
1.
legally responsible: You are liable for the damage caused by your action.
2.
subject or susceptible: to be liable to heart disease.
3.
likely or apt: He's liable to get angry.
Related forms
non·li·a·ble, adjective
pre·li·a·ble, adjective
un·li·a·ble, adjective
Can be confused: 1. defamation, liable, libel, slander (see usage note at the current entry) ; 2. liable, libel.
Synonyms
1. obliged, accountable.
1. obliged, accountable.
Usage note
Liable is often interchangeable with likely in constructions with a following infinitive where the sense is that of probability: The Sox are liable (or likely) to sweep the Series. Some usage guides, however, say that liable can be used only in contexts in which the outcome is undesirable: The picnic is liable to be spoiled by rain. This use occurs often in formal writing but not to the exclusion of use in contexts in which the outcome is desirable: The drop in unemployment is liable to stimulate the economy. Apt may also be used in place of liable or likely in all the foregoing examples. See also apt, likely.
Liable is often interchangeable with likely in constructions with a following infinitive where the sense is that of probability: The Sox are liable (or likely) to sweep the Series. Some usage guides, however, say that liable can be used only in contexts in which the outcome is undesirable: The picnic is liable to be spoiled by rain. This use occurs often in formal writing but not to the exclusion of use in contexts in which the outcome is desirable: The drop in unemployment is liable to stimulate the economy. Apt may also be used in place of liable or likely in all the foregoing examples. See also apt, likely.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To liable
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Liable
is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
liable (ˈlaɪəbəl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | legally obliged or responsible; answerable |
| 2. | susceptible or exposed; subject |
| 3. | probable, likely, or capable: it's liable to happen soon |
| [C15: perhaps via Anglo-French, from Old French lier to bind, from Latin ligāre] | |
| usage The use of liable to to mean likely to was formerly considered incorrect, but is now acceptable | |
| 'liableness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
liable
1540s, "bound or obliged by law," from Anglo-Fr. *liable, from O.Fr. lier "to bind," from L. ligare "to bind, to tie" (see ligament). General sense of "exposed to" (something undesirable) is from 1590s. Incorrect use for "likely" is attested from 1886.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
The city is potentially liable because of the police department's involvement in bringing proceedings against the students.
Emotionally powerful material is particularly liable to emerge in telepathy, as well as repressed thoughts and memories.
Even the cleverest males are liable to take this line.
The question is why financial systems are so liable to turn foreign credit into ruinous busts.
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