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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. A difficult or disagreeable responsibility or necessity; a burden or obligation.
  2. n. A stigma.
  3. n. Blame.
  4. n. The burden of proof: The onus was on the defense attorney.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. n. A burden: often used for onus probandi, ‘onus of proof.’

Wiktionary

  1. n. A legal obligation.
  2. n. Burden of proof, onus probandi
  3. n. Stigma.
  4. n. Blame.
  5. n. Responsibility; burden.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. A burden; an obligation.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. an onerous or difficult concern

Etymologies

  1. Latin.

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‘onus’ has been looked up 3633 times, loved by 5 people, added to 58 lists, and has a Scrabble score of 4.