Tort

Definitions

1. A wrongful act, whether intentional or negligent, regarded as non-criminal and unrelated to a contract, which causes an injury and can be remedied in civil court, usually through the awarding of damages.
2. Clipping of tortoise.
   British, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, dialectal, obsolete, slang
3. Clipping of tortoiseshell (“a domestic cat, guinea pig, rabbit, or other animal whose fur has black, brown, and yellow markings; a tortie”).
   British, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, dialectal, obsolete, slang
4. An injury or wrong.
   obsolete

Equivalents

Examples

“[…] Wrong or Iniury, is in French aptly called Tort, becauſe Iniury & wrong is wreſted or crooked, being contrary to that which is right and ſtreight. […] And Britton ſaith that Tort a la ley eſt contrarye [a wrong to the law is contrary], and as aptly for the cauſe aforeſaid is iniury in English called wrong.”

“Personal actions are ſuch vvhereby a man claims a debt, or perſonal duty, or damages in lieu thereof; and likevviſe vvhereby a man claims a ſatisfaction in damages for ſome injury done to his perſon or property. The former are ſaid to be founded on contracts, the latter upon torts or vvrongs: […] of the latter all actions for treſpaſſes, nuſances, aſſaults, defamatory vvords, and the like⟳.”

“A tort is a legal wrong committed upon the person or property independent of contract. It may be either (1) a direct⟳ invasion of some legal right of the individual; (2) the infraction of some public duty by which special damage⟳ accrues to the individual; (3) the violation of some private obligation by which like⟳ damage⟳ accrues to the individual.”

“Then gan triumphant Trompets ſovvnd on hye, / That ſent to heuen the ecchoed report⟳ / Of their nevv ioy, and happie victory / Gainſt him, that had them long oppreſt with tort, / And faſt impriſoned in ſieged fort.”

“For no vvild beaſts ſhould do them any torte / There or abroad, ne vvould his maieſtye / Vſe them but vvell, vvith gracious clemencye, / As vvhome he knevv to him both faſt and true; […]”

CEFR level