Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Legally obligated or responsible: synonym: responsible.
  • adjective Subject to undergoing or suffering something, especially something unpleasant. Used with to.
  • adjective Likely. Often used with reference to an unfavorable outcome.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Bound in law or equity; responsible; answerable: as, the surety is liable for the debt of his principal.
  • Having an aptitude or tendency; subject; exposed, as to the doing or occurring of something evil, injurious, or erroneous: as, we are constantly liable to accidents; your plans are liable to defeat.
  • Subordinate; subject.
  • Fit; suitable.
  • Synonyms Incident, Subject, Likely, etc. (see incident); Apt, likely, etc. (see apt).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable.
  • adjective Exposed to a certain contingency or casualty, more or less probable; -- with to and an infinitive or noun

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable.
  • adjective Exposed to a certain contingency or casualty, more or less probable.
  • adjective Likely.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective held legally responsible
  • adjective subject to legal action
  • adjective (often followed by `to') likely to be affected with
  • adjective at risk of or subject to experiencing something usually unpleasant

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, probably from Old French lier, to bind, from Latin ligāre; see leig- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Old French lier ("to bind"), from Latin ligare ("to bind, to tie")

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word liable.

Examples

  • \ "Arianna argued that although Beck may not be legally liable, he is \" morally liable\ "for the violence and anger his show may provoke.

    Huff TV: Arianna On Olbermann: Glenn Beck Is "Morally Liable" For His Words "If Violence Ensues From What He Says" (VIDEO) 2009

  • \ "Arianna argued that although Beck may not be legally liable, he is \" morally liable\ "for the violence and anger his show may provoke.

    Huff TV: Arianna On Olbermann: Glenn Beck Is "Morally Liable" For His Words "If Violence Ensues From What He Says" (VIDEO) 2009

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

  • Ryan also recommended the increase in Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. guarantees that's now an agreed item, and introduced the proposal to suspend mark-to-market accounting rules, which he describes as liable to throw banks into "a death spiral" because no market now exists for their assets.

    Roll Call Print Edition Current Issue 2008

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