public nuisance
Britishnoun
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law an illegal act causing harm to members of a particular community rather than to any individual
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informal a person who is generally considered objectionable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The public nuisance offence carries a jail term of up to three months and a fine.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
They accused the oil companies of creating a public nuisance by altering the environment and leaving the county to pay to abate growing hazards such as the flooding that tests roads and bridges.
From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026
It was the day of the emergency public nuisance hearing.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
The defendants are accused of running a fraudulent business and public nuisance.
From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026
Not only that, but that I had also been charged with resisting arrest and public nuisance.
From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.