infringed

American  

[in-frinjd] / ɪnˈfrɪndʒd /

adjective

1. violated, transgressed, or encroached upon, as a regulation, restriction, or right.

   The costs of enforcing an infringed patent can be exceedingly high.

   He complained that CCTV was an ever more common security measure for which we all pay the price of infringed privacy.

2. illegally copied, distributed, or sold, as in contravention of a copyright or patent.

   A judge dismissed the lawsuit on the grounds that the allegedly infringed material lacked the requisite originality.

3. relating to or being someone whose copyright, patent, etc., has been violated.

   When awarding damages, it must be considered how wealthy the infringed company could have been without the infringement.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of infringe.

Other Word Forms

• uninfringed adjective

Etymology

Origin of infringed

First recorded in 1590–1600; 1955–60 infringed for def. 2; infringe + -ed ² for the adjective senses; infringe + -ed ¹ for the verb sense

Example Sentences

“There can be no lighter topics when human rights are being infringed upon.”

From Literature

“All revival falls under the auspices of the Thunderhead, and we are here to make sure its domain is not infringed upon.”

From Literature

But each such error reflected negatively on his parents’ guidance and infringed on the community’s sense of order and success.

From Literature

Lawrence was predictably incensed by the implication that his patent claims might have infringed Caltech’s claim to primacy.

From Literature

Daly and Keir had argued that their right to a fair trial was infringed because they were unable to lead evidence or question the complainers about their credibility or previous sexual behaviour.

From BBC