diligence

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal · Technical

n. the care that you should take when doing a job or looking into something.

n. the attention and care legally or ethically required of a person, especially in a professional or contractual context.

“The lawyer performed due diligence to make sure the contract was safe to sign.”

“The firm failed to exercise proper diligence in vetting the supplier, leading to a significant breach of safety protocols and subsequent legal action.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic

n. a large horse-drawn carriage used for public transport in the past.

n. a public stagecoach, particularly a four-wheeled vehicle used in France and other parts of Europe before the advent of railways.

“The travellers spent three uncomfortable days on the diligence as it crossed the mountains.”

“Before the expansion of the rail network, the diligence remained the primary mode of long-distance transport for the middle classes across the continent.”