liable Hear it!

liable definition

liable (lī′ə bəl; often, esp. for 3, lī′bəl)

adjective

  1. legally bound or obligated, as to make good any loss or damage that occurs in a transaction; responsible
  2. likely to have, suffer from, etc.; exposed to or subject to liable to heart attacks
  3. subject to the possibility of; likely (to do, have, get, etc. something unpleasant or unwanted) liable to cause hard feelings

Etymology: prob. via Anglo-Fr < OFr lier, to bind < L ligare, to bind (see ligature) + -able

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.