laches
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of laches
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English lachesse, from Anglo-French, variant of Middle French laschesse, derivative of Old French lasche “slack” (from Germanic ); see -ice
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.
MacLean invoked the so-called laches defense which applies to situations where there’s an excessive or unreasonable delay in seeking legal recourse.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 15, 2020
Under a doctrine known as laches, litigants cannot wait to bring a claim until the last minute, then ambush their opponents with a surprise lawsuit.
From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2020
Mr. Gabriel said a legal tenet known as laches might apply.
From New York Times ● Nov. 8, 2018
Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in a dissenting opinion that he believed Congress intended to allow the laches defense when it created the modern-day patent system in the 1950s.
From Reuters ● Mar. 21, 2017
The first and "right" edition has, however, on page 51, the word laches printed in red, while page 101 is improperly numbered 69.
From Book Collecting: A Guide for Amateurs by Slater, J. Herbert (John Herbert)
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.
