sue
/sjuː/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.22 in modern English
3
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To file a legal action against someone, generally a non-criminal (civil) action.
Transitive verb
name
A diminutive of the female given name Susan and of related female given names; popular as a middle name.
Example Sentences
- "sue someone for selling a faulty product"
- "I plan to sue you for everything you have."
- "He was sued by the late Geo. Walpole Leake for slander, and after two trials, occupying eight days, he was mulcted in heavy damages and costs."
- "The king of Bimsa sued for peace after Nynal's armies overran his territory; he knew any further resistance would only harm the common people."
- "to sue a ship"
- "And the olde knyght seyde unto the yonge knyght, ‘Sir, swith me.’"
Etymology
From Middle English seuen, sewen, siwen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman suer, siwer et al. and Old French sivre (“to follow after”) (modern French suivre), from Vulgar Latin *sequere (“to follow”), from Latin sequi. Cognate with Italian seguire and Spanish seguir. Doublet of segue. Related to suit.