liability en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /laɪəˈbɪlɪti/
Etymology
Etymology tree English liable Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English liability From liable + -ity.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) An obligation, debt or responsibility owed to someone.
Those products – known as liability-driven investing, or LDIs – help offset liabilities and risks on pension funds’ books.
2022 September 29, Kalyeena Makortoff, Sarah Butler, “‘I’d never seen anything like it’: how market turmoil sparked a pension fund selloff”, in The Guardian:"I was to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility," continued the other. "They admit no liability at all, but in consideration of your son's services they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation."
1901, W. W. Jacobs, The Monkey's Paw:
- (countable, uncountable) An obligation, debt or responsibility owed to someone. ▸ Any kind of debt recorded on the right-hand side of a balance sheet.
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(countable, uncountable) A handicap that holds something back, a drawback, someone or something that is a burden to whoever is required to take care of them; a person or action that exposes others to greater risk.
Asked if at some point Huma becomes a liability to Hillary, the long-term Clinton insider replies, “It’s like anything else. I don’t think so, but you know I don’t have any idea. Hillary is very loyal, but she’s obviously pragmatic.”
2016 January 31, “Is Huma Abedin Hillary Clinton’s Secret Weapon or Her Next Big Problem?”, in Vanity Fair:
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(countable, derogatory, informal, mildly, uncountable) A handicap that holds something back, a drawback, someone or something that is a burden to whoever is required to take care of them; a person or action that exposes others to greater risk. ▸ A person on a team that is more of a hindrance than a help.
You're a bloody liability sometimes!
- (countable, uncountable) The likelihood of something happening.
- (countable, uncountable) The condition of being susceptible to something.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| liabilities | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Coordinates
Deriveds
private limited liability company · public limited liability company · secondary liability · limited liability · chancel repair liability · enterprise liability · limited liability company · alternative liability · limited-liability · no liability · liability insurance · imputed liability · current liability · nonliability · vicarious liability · strict liability
Translations (93)
de Anfälligkeit (the condition of being susceptible to something — see also susceptibility, propension, predisposition) · hu kintlevőség (debt) · hu tartozás (debt) · ru долг (debt) · hu baj (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · uk заборго́ваність (debt) · ru обяза́тельство (debt) · ru задо́лженность (debt) · bg задължение (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · hu kötelezettségvállalás (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · ka დავალიანება (debt) · ka მოსალოდნელობა (likelihood of an event) · hu hajlam (the condition of being susceptible to something — see also susceptibility, propension, predisposition) · ru пасси́в (debt) · nl aansprakelijkheid (debt) · es lastre (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · ka ვალი (debt) · hi उत्तरदायित्व (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · mi pūnama (debt) · de Wahrscheinlichkeit (likelihood of an event) · fi taakka (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · mi kawenga (a te ture) (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · ca responsabilitat (debt) · hu nehézség (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · hu passzíva (debt) · hu adósság (debt) · fi velka (debt) · de Verpflichtung (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · hu gond (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · pt dívida (debt) · ja 負債 (debt) · ja 借金 (debt) · es rémora (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · tr borç (debt) · hu felelősség (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · bg отговорност (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · fi rasite (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · de Nachteil (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · te అప్పు (debt) · ml ബാധ്യത (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · fi todennäköisyys (likelihood of an event) · fi vieras pääoma ((accounting) any debt recorded on the right-hand side of a balance sheet) · ml ബാധ്യത (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · fi vastuunalaisuus (debt) · ka ალბათობა (likelihood of an event) · fr responsabilité (debt) · hu tehertétel (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · fi velvollisuus (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · uk борг (debt) · pt possibilidade (likelihood of an event) · de Verbindlichkeit (debt) · pt obrigação (debt) · pl odpowiedzialność (debt) · de Schulden (debt) · hu kötelezettség (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · fr dette (debt) · ka ვალდებულება (debt) · de Verbindlichkeit (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · it responsabilità (debt) · sv skuld (debt) · de Schuld (debt) · cs pasivum (debt) · hu elkötelezettség (debt) · fi mahdollisuus (likelihood of an event) · es estorbo (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · fi vastuu (debt) · hu passzívum (debt) · hu valószínűség (likelihood of an event) · ru возмо́жность (likelihood of an event) · ml ബാധ്യത (debt) · tl sagutin (debt) · fi alttius (the condition of being susceptible to something — see also susceptibility, propension, predisposition) · de Handicap (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · ro responsabilitate (debt) · pt responsabilidade (debt) · bg дълг (debt) · mn өглөг (debt) · cmn 債務 /债务 (debt) · hu teher (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · de Hindernis (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · de Möglichkeit (likelihood of an event) · ka პასუხისმგებლობა (debt) · sv belastning (likelihood of an event) · de Verantwortung (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · fa مسئولیت (debt) · cmn 負債 /负债 (debt) · ka შესაძლებლობა (likelihood of an event) · mi kawenga (debt) · hu hátrány (handicap, drawback, or burden — see also burden, drawback, danger) · hi दायित्व (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · hu felelősségvállalás (responsibility, obligation — see also responsibility, obligation, imputability) · hu esély (likelihood of an event) · de Empfänglichkeit (the condition of being susceptible to something — see also susceptibility, propension, predisposition)