# liable

Pronunciation: say "LY-uh-buhl" /ˈlaɪ̯əbəl/

## Adjective

1. Likely; expected to happen or to act in a particular way under the circumstances.
   - Simple: Likely to happen, or likely to do a certain thing.
   - _Without a reminder, he's liable to miss the appointment entirely._
   - _Prices are liable to climb sharply during the holiday season._
2. Legally bound or obligated; responsible and answerable for something under the law or in equity.
   - Simple: Responsible in law for something, so that you must pay for it or fix it.
   - _The company was held liable for the injuries its product caused._
   - _Tenants remain liable for unpaid rent even after they move out._
3. Susceptible or prone to something, especially an unwelcome condition that one is exposed to by nature or circumstance.
   - Simple: Likely to be affected by something bad, such as an illness or a problem.
   - _Low-lying coastal areas are liable to flooding during heavy storms._
   - _Newcomers are especially liable to homesickness in their first months abroad._
4. Exposed to a particular contingency or risk; open to a possible event or outcome that is more or less probable.
   - Simple: Open to the chance of something happening to you, usually something you do not want.
   - _Goods left on the dock are liable to seizure if duties go unpaid._
   - _Climbers who ignore the forecast are liable to sudden, dangerous changes in weather._

## Origin

From Old French lier ("to bind"), which comes from Latin ligare ("to bind, to tie").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/liable (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).