sue

[soo] verb, sued, su·ing.
verb (used with object)
1.
to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against: to sue someone for damages.
2.
to woo or court.
3.
Obsolete. to make petition or appeal to.
verb (used without object)
4.
to institute legal proceedings, or bring suit: She threatened to sue.
5.
to make petition or appeal: to sue for peace.
6.
to court a woman.
00:10
Sued is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
7.
sue out, to make application for or apply for and obtain (a writ or the like) from a court of law.

Origin:
1150–1200; Middle English suen, siwen < Old French sivre < Vulgar Latin *sequere to follow, for Latin sequī

su·er, noun
un·sued, adjective


5. beg, petition, plead, pray.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
sue (sjuː, suː) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb , sues, suing, sued
1.  to institute legal proceedings (against)
2.  to make suppliant requests of (someone for something)
3.  archaic to pay court (to)
 
[C13: via Anglo-Norman from Old French sivre, from Latin sequī to follow]
 
'suer
 
n

Sue (French sy) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
Eugène (øʒɛn). original name Marie-Joseph Sue. 1804--57, French novelist, whose works, notably Les mystères de Paris (1842--43) and Le juif errant (1844--45), were among the first to reflect the impact of the industrial revolution on France

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

sue
c.1200, "continue, persevere," from Anglo-Fr. suer "follow after, continue," from O.Fr. sivre, later suivre "pursue, follow after," from V.L. *sequere "follow," from L. sequi "follow" (see sequel). Sense of "start a lawsuit against" first recorded c.1300, on notion of "following
up" a matter in court. Sometimes aphetic for ensue or pursue.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Doctoral candidates have sued their major professors over whether their
  dissertations were ready for defense.
They're also being sued by dozens of investors over mortgages.
He will get sued for his pains, it goes without saying.
When you are sued, you first need to decide whether you are going to respond to
  the lawsuit.
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