litigate

To go to law; to carry on a lawsuit.

Verb

  1. To go to law; to carry on a lawsuit.
    • Ain't got no place to lay your head / Somebody came and took your bed / Don't worry, be happy / The landlord say your rent is late / He may have to litigate - 1988, “Don't Worry, Be Happy”, in Bobby McFerrin (lyrics),...
  2. To contest in law.
  3. To dispute; to fight over.
    • you can't keep litigating this same point!

Origin

First attested in 1606; borrowed from Latin lītigātus, perfect passive participle of lītigō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from līs (“a lawsuit”, oblique stem in līt-) + -igō (denominative verb-forming suffix).

Forms

litigates litigating litigated

Derived

litigable litigation litigative litigatory nonlitigating outlitigate overlitigate relitigate unlitigated