sue

¹

[soo]

verb (used with object)

sued, suing 

1. to institute a process in law against; bring a civil action against.

   to sue someone for damages.

2. to woo or court.

3. Obsolete.,  to make petition or appeal to.

verb (used without object)

sued, suing 

1. to institute legal proceedings, or bring suit.

   She threatened to sue.

2. to make petition or appeal.

   to sue for peace.

   Synonyms: pray, plead, petition, beg

3. to court a woman.

verb phrase

1. sue out,  to make application for or apply for and obtain (a writ or the like) from a court of law.

Sue

²

[soo, sy]

noun

1. Eugène Marie Joseph Sue, 1804–57, French novelist.

2. a female given name, form of Susan, Susanna, Susannah.

sue

¹

/ suː, sjuː /

verb

1. to institute legal proceedings (against)

2. to make suppliant requests of (someone for something)

3. archaic,  to pay court (to)

Sue

²

/ sy /

noun

1. Eugène (øʒɛn). original name Marie-Joseph Sue. 1804–57, French novelist, whose works, notably Les mystères de Paris (1842–43) and Le juif errant (1844–45), were among the first to reflect the impact of the industrial revolution on France

Other Word Forms

• suer noun
• unsued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sue¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English suen, siwen, from Old French sivre, from unattested Vulgar Latin sequere “to follow,” for Latin sequī

Word History and Origins

Origin of sue¹

C13: via Anglo-Norman from Old French sivre, from Latin sequī to follow

Example Sentences

County is being sued over redistricting that excludes Latinos from its Board of Supervisors, Orange County’s first Latino supervisor, Republican Gaddi H. Vasquez, is in his second term.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2022, the Patriot Front was sued for a racist attack on a black musician in Boston and ordered to pay $2.75 million in damages.

From Los Angeles Times

The organization, which is affiliated with faculty groups on UC campuses, is among the parties that sued.

From Los Angeles Times

Discovery on Tuesday sued a Chinese artificial intelligence firm called MiniMax for copyright infringement, alleging its AI service generates iconic characters including Darth Vader, the Minions and Wonder Woman without the studios’ permission.

From Los Angeles Times

It's not the first time the US president seeks to sue the New York Times.

From BBC

Related Words

• accuse 
• appeal 
• charge 
• claim 
• file 
• indict 
• petition 
• plead 
• prosecute