From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Sue \Sue\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Sued}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Suing}.] [OE. suen, sewen, siwen, OF. sivre (pres.ind. 3d sing. il siut, suit, he follows, nous sevons we follow), LL. sequere, for L. sequi, secutus; akin to Gr. ?, Skr. sac to accompany, and probably to E. see, v.t. See {See}, verb (used with an object), and cf. {Consequence}, {Ensue}, {Execute}, {Obsequious}, {Pursue}, {Second}, {Sect} in religion, {Sequence}, {Suit}.]
1. To follow up; to chase; to seek after; to endeavor to win; to woo.
For yet there was no man that haddle him sued. --Chaucer.
I was beloved of many a gentle knight, And sued and sought with all the service due. --Spenser.
Sue me, and woo me, and flatter me. --Tennyson.
2. (Law) (a) To seek justice or right from, by legal process; to institute process in law against; to bring an action against; to prosecute judicially. (b) To proceed with, as an action, and follow it up to its proper termination; to gain by legal process.
3. (Falconry) To clean, as the beak; -- said of a hawk.
4. (Naut.) To leave high and dry on shore; as, to sue a ship. --R. H. Dana, Jr.
{To sue out} (Law), to petition for and take out, or to apply for and obtain; as, to sue out a writ in chancery; to sue out a pardon for a criminal.
Define.com is a registered nonprofit corporation dedicated solely to the global public interest and the advancement of humanity. It belongs to all of us who have a desire to promote electronic democracy, science, creativity, imagination, reason, critical thinking, peace, race and gender equality, civil rights, equal access to education, personal liberty, free speech, animal rights, compassionate and nonviolent parenting, social and economic justice, global monetary reform, Secular Humanism, cognitive liberty and a permanent cessation of The War on Drugs.
Let's see what we can do if we put our heads together.
0