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nonsuit

American  
[non-soot] / nɒnˈsut /

noun

  1. a judgment given against a plaintiff who neglects to prosecute, or who fails to show a legal cause of action or to bring sufficient evidence.

verb (used with object)

  1. to subject to a nonsuit.

nonsuit British  
/ nɒnˈsuːt, -ˈsjuːt /

noun

  1. an order of a judge dismissing a suit when the plaintiff fails to show he has a good cause of action or fails to produce any evidence

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to order the dismissal of the suit of (a person)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nonsuit

1350–1400; non- + suit; replacing Middle English nounsuyt < Anglo-French nounsute

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.

Fowler filed the initial divorce complaint before noon on February 18, but around 2:15 p.m. that same day she filed a "Notice of Voluntary Nonsuit," Us Weekly reports.

From Fox News • Feb. 23, 2022

Nonsuit for the plaintiffs—for the young student a hum of commendation.

From A Book About Lawyers by Jeaffreson, John Cordy

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.