civil wrong
1
8.1
- noun
- /ˈsɪvəl rɔŋ/
- Specialized
:
agravio civil
- What it isn't is illegal, or a violation of the First Amendment or any other rights, or a civil wrong.
Examples
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"The taking and publishing of the photographs constituted a criminal offense and a civil wrong," given that they occurred on private property.
Blog text (29) -
In view of years of civil wrongs (trespass) committed by these stables.
Blog text (17) -
First, it's important to distinguish between civil wrongs and criminal activity.
Blog text (6) -
A tort is a civil wrong for which a remedy (usually money damages) can be obtained by law.
Blog text (18) -
A tort is defined as a civil wrong, free of contracts which advocate a special relation, and in the context of educational malpractice, the relation is between the student and teacher/coach.
Academic text (1991) -
A tort is a civil wrong that can result in compensation for the injured party.
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When someone causes harm to another, it may be classified as a civil wrong in the eyes of the law.
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In legal terms, a civil wrong is an action that causes loss or injury, allowing the victim to sue for damages.
Synonyms
43
9.1
A wrong action that harms someone and can lead to a court case for money
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'civil' (relating to law/public affairs) combined with 'wrong' (an unjust act) yields a wrongful act in the civil/legal sphere that can lead to a lawsuit. This mapping is predictable and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Civil wrong comes from law: civil means a matter 'between private people', not the state, and wrong means a harm or loss someone caused. So it means a harmful act you can 'take to court' to get money, not a crime punished by the police.