sue

Meaning

1. (transitive) To file a legal action against someone, generally a non-criminal (civil) action.
2. (ambitransitive) To seek by request; to make application; to petition; to entreat; to plead.
3. (transitive) To clean (the beak, etc.).
4. (transitive) To leave high and dry on shore.
5. (obsolete, transitive) To court.
6. (obsolete, transitive) To follow.

Synonyms

prosecute

charge

accuse

indict

litigate

process

plead

arraign

beg

action

go to court

appeal

beseech

cite

crave

demand

implore

importune

pray

🛐

pray for

report

beg for

bring an action

crave for

sue for

beseech for

implore for

importune for

informant

invoice

lawsuit

blab

pick

⛏️

bill

take to court

take legal action

bespeak

appeal to

to entreat

resort

seek

🔍

subpoena

suitor

summon

summons

tattle

tell on

try

woo

to plead

Translations

verklagen

demandar

querelare

ενάγω

poursuivre en justice

poursuivre

procesar

acionar

procederen

κινώ αγωγή

μηνύω

een proces aanspannen tegen

prozessieren

يقاضي

demandar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/suː/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: seuen

Cognate with French: suivre

Cognate with Italian: seguire

Cognate with Spanish: seguir

In summary

From Middle English seuen, sewen, siwen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman suer, siwer et al. and Old French sivre (“to follow after”) (modern French suivre), from Vulgar Latin *sequere (“to follow”), from Latin sequi. Cognate with Italian seguire and Spanish seguir. Doublet of segue. Related to suit.