nuisance

Noun
US[noo-suhns]/ˈnusəns/2 syllables

Open English WordNet

Noun (2)

  1. (law) a broad legal concept including anything that disturbs the reasonable use of your property or endangers life and health or is offensiveType of annoyance, botherKinds private nuisance, attractive nuisance, mixed nuisance, abatable nuisance, public nuisance
  2. something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness“a bit of a bother”“he's not a friend, he's an infliction”“washing dishes was a pain in the neck before we got a dish washer”Synonyms: annoyancebotherbotherationpaininflictionpain in the neckpain in the assType of negative stimulusKinds irritant, plague
Word of the day · Nov 8About this word
verboseadjective

What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Nui′sance noun

Origin: OE. noisance, OF. noisance, nuisance, fr. L. nocentia guilt, fr. nocere to hurt, harm; akin to necare to kill. Cf Necromancy, Nocent, Noxious, Pernicious.

That which annoys or gives trouble and vexation; that which is offensive or noxious.

☞ Nuisances are public when they annoy citizens in general; private, when they affect individuals only.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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