| liability, legal | Accountability and responsibility to another, enforceable by civil or criminal sanctions. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| liable | 1. Bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable; as, the surety is liable for the debt of his principal. 2. Exposed to a certain contingency or casualty, more or less probable; with to and an infinitive or noun; as, liable to slip; liable to accident. Synonym: Accountable, responsible, answerable, bound, subject, obnoxious, exposed. Liable, Subject. Liable refers to a future possible or probable happening which may not actually occur; as, horses are liable to slip; even the sagacious are liable to make mistakes. Subject refers to any actual state or condition belonging to the nature or circumstances of the person or thing spoken of, or to that which often befalls one. One whose father was subject to attacks of the gout is himself liable to have that disease. Men are constantly subject to the law, but liable to suffer by its infraction. "Proudly secure, yet liable to fall." (Milton) "All human things are subject to decay." (Dryden) Origin: From F. Lier to bind, L. Ligare. Cf. Ally, Ligature. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| lialson | A union, or bond of union; an intimacy; especially, an illicit intimacy between a man and a woman. Origin: F, fr. L. Ligatio, fr. Ligare to bind. See Ligature, and cf. Ligation. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| liana | <botany> A luxuriant woody plant, climbing high trees and having ropelike stems. The grapevine often has the habit of a liane. Lianes are abundant in the forests of the Amazon region. Origin: F. Liane; prob. Akin to lien a band, fr. L. Ligamen, fr. Ligare to bind. Cf. Lien. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| liane | <botany> A climbing or twining plant (usually refers to woody climbers). (14 Oct 1997) |
| lias | <geology> The lowest of the three divisions of the Jurassic period; a name given in England and Europe to a series of marine limestones underlying the Oolite. Origin: Cf. F. Lias, fr. Liais sort of limestone, OF. Also liois; perh. Of Celtic origin, cf. Armor. Liach, leach, a stone, Gael. Leac, W. Llech. Cf. Cromlech. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| liassic | <geology> Of the age of the Lias; pertaining to the Lias Formation. Same as Lias. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |