| 释义 |
litigation|lɪtɪˈgeɪʃən|
[ad. late L. lītigātiōn-em, n. of action f. lītigāre to litigate.]
1. The action or process of carrying on a suit in law or equity; legal proceedings; † in pl., kinds of litigation. in litigation: in process of investigation before a court of law.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. iv. §38, I have never yet spoken with one clergyman who hath had the experience of both litigations that hath not ingenuously confessed he had rather..have three suits depending in Westminister Hall than one in the Arches or any ecclesiastical court. 1661J. Stephens Procurations 139, I never heard of any that stood out a suit against this payment..but was alwayes overthrown in the litigation. 1834Lytton Pompeii 24 My relations threatened me with litigation concerning my inheritance. 1856Ferrier Inst. Metaph. (ed. 2) Introd. 6 A tribunal to which any point in litigation can be referred. 1880McCarthy Own Times IV. liv. 176 Litigation means the waste of time and money.
b. The practice of going to law.
1785Paley Mor. Philos. vi. viii. (1786) 509 Nothing quells a spirit of litigation like despair of success. 1821Syd. Smith Wks. (1859) I. 349/1 This method would destroy litigation as effectually as the method proposed by Mr. Scarlett. 1862Trollope Orley F. ix. (ed. 4) 62 The spirit of litigation within him told him that the point was to be carried.
2. Disputation. Now rare.
1567Satir. Poems Reform. iii. 149 Quha dow abstene fra litigatioun, Or from his paper hald aback the pen, Except he hait our Scottis Natioun? 1677Gale Crt. Gentiles iii. 29 Wiclef was much offended at this kind of sophistic litigation in maters of faith. 1749Fielding Tom Jones xviii. x, The squire..was, after some litigation, obliged to consent. 1786Burke Articles agst. W. Hastings Wks. 1842 II. 87 To receive an explanation..of the matter in litigation. 1887W. James in Mind Jan. 1 Whether the ‘muscular sense’ directly yields us knowledge of space is still a matter of litigation among psychologists. |