LIABLE


Meaning of LIABLE in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈlī-ə-bəl, especially in sense 2 often ]

ˈlī-bəl adjective

Etymology: Middle English lyable, from Anglo-French * liable, from lier to bind, from Latin ligare — more at ligature

Date: 15th century

1.

a. : obligated according to law or equity : responsible

b. : subject to appropriation or attachment

2.

a. : being in a position to incur — used with to

liable to a fine

b. : exposed or subject to some usually adverse contingency or action

watch out or you're liable to fall

Synonyms:

liable , open , exposed , subject , prone , susceptible , sensitive mean being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse. liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation

liable to get lost

open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence

a claim open to question

exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening

exposed to infection

subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone

all reports are subject to review

prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something

prone to delay

susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable

very susceptible to flattery

sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli

unduly sensitive to criticism

Synonym: see in addition responsible .

Usage:

Both liable and apt when followed by an infinitive are used nearly interchangeably with likely. Although conflicting advice has been given over the years, most current commentators accept apt when so used. They generally recommend limiting liable to situations having an undesirable outcome, and our evidence shows that in edited writing it is more often so used than not.

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.