infringe
verb /ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/
/ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/
(formal)Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they infringe | /ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/ /ɪnˈfrɪndʒ/ |
he / she / it infringes | /ɪnˈfrɪndʒɪz/ /ɪnˈfrɪndʒɪz/ |
past simple infringed | /ɪnˈfrɪndʒd/ /ɪnˈfrɪndʒd/ |
past participle infringed | /ɪnˈfrɪndʒd/ /ɪnˈfrɪndʒd/ |
-ing form infringing | /ɪnˈfrɪndʒɪŋ/ /ɪnˈfrɪndʒɪŋ/ |
- [transitive] infringe something (of an action, a plan, etc.) to break a law or rule
- The material can be copied without infringing copyright.
- Two of the projects are deemed to infringe EU legislation.
- [transitive, intransitive] to limit somebody’s legal rights
- infringe something They said that compulsory identity cards would infringe civil liberties.
- infringe on/upon something She refused to answer questions that infringed on her private affairs.
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from Latin infringere, from in- ‘into’ + frangere ‘to break’.