ENGLISH
REFERENCE

liability

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌɫaɪəˈbɪɫɪti// UK //lˌaɪəbˈɪlɪti// li·a·bil·i·ty Informal Vulgar

n. something or someone that causes problems or costs a lot of money. It can also mean the legal responsibility you have for an accident or a debt.

n. the state of being legally responsible for something, especially a debt or damage; alternatively, a person or thing whose presence or behaviour creates a disadvantage.


SIMPLE

The company has a large financial liability this year.

CONTEXTUAL

After the accident, the court had to determine which driver held the legal liability for the damages.

COMPLEX

While his technical skills were impressive, his tendency to lose his temper in front of clients made him a liability to the firm's reputation.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From liable + -ity.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to legal responsibility; countable when referring to specific debts or problematic people.

Pitfall

he is a big liability for the teamhe is a big liability to the teamWhen describing a person who causes problems for a group, the noun typically takes the preposition 'to' rather than 'for'.

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