negligence
C1Formal (Legal, Business, Academic), Semi-Formal (General use).
Definition
Meaning
Failure to take proper care over something; lack of attention or care.
In law, a tort (civil wrong) arising from failure to exercise the degree of care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in similar circumstances, resulting in harm to another.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Denotes a state or quality (carelessness) more often than a single act. Implies a breach of a duty, often with serious consequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Used identically in meaning. Spelling is the same. The related adjective 'negligent' is also standard in both varieties.
Connotations
Strongly associated with legal liability and professional misconduct in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in US English due to the litigious nature of society, but the word is common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
negligence in (+ -ing noun)negligence on the part of (+ person/entity)negligence by (+ person/entity)negligence resulting in (+ consequence)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sheer/gross negligence”
- “Negligence per se (legal term)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to failure in duty by management or employees, potentially leading to lawsuits (e.g., negligence in financial reporting).
Academic
Used in discussions of law, ethics, healthcare, and engineering (e.g., analysing the standard of care in negligence cases).
Everyday
Used to describe serious carelessness, often where harm resulted (e.g., 'His negligence led to the fire.').
Technical
A specific legal tort with defined elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The driver was found to have negligently caused the collision.
- The company negligently failed to maintain the equipment.
American English
- The landlord was sued for negligently maintaining the property.
- The hospital negligently discharged the patient too early.
adverb
British English
- The report was prepared negligently, full of errors.
- He negligently left the confidential files on his desk.
American English
- The system was designed negligently, leading to the breach.
- She negligently ignored the warning signs.
adjective
British English
- The negligent driver received a hefty fine.
- Their negligent approach to safety was criticised.
American English
- The store owner was held liable for negligent security.
- He was fired for negligent behaviour on the job.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The accident was caused by negligence.
- Fire safety rules are important; negligence is dangerous.
- The hospital was accused of negligence after the wrong medicine was given.
- His negligence at work led to a serious mistake.
- The court found the architect guilty of professional negligence in the building's design.
- The company's negligence in data protection resulted in a massive fine.
- The judge ruled that gross negligence on the part of the manufacturer was the proximate cause of the injury.
- In tort law, establishing negligence requires proving both a breach of duty and actual damages.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'neglect' + 'evidence'. Negligence is the *evidence* of *neglect* or carelessness.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEGLIGENCE IS A BREACH / A HOLE IN THE WALL OF DUTY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'небрежность' (sloppiness) or 'халатность' (official neglect). 'Negligence' implies a stronger, more formal breach of duty. The Russian legal term 'неосторожность' is a closer, but not exact, match.
- Avoid using 'игнорирование' (ignoring) as a direct translation.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'neglegence' or 'negligance'.
- Using it to describe minor forgetfulness (e.g., 'negligence to buy milk'). It requires a context of serious duty.
- Confusing with 'neglect' (which can be a verb and often implies a more ongoing, deliberate disregard).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios BEST illustrates 'negligence' in a legal sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Negligence' is a state or quality of being careless, often in a specific, formal context (like law). 'Neglect' is more general, often refers to the *act* of not giving proper care or attention to something or someone over time (e.g., child neglect, neglecting your garden).
No, 'negligence' is exclusively negative. It always implies a failure or fault.
It is a legal term meaning a severe, reckless, or deliberate failure to exercise even minimal care, showing a conscious disregard for the safety or rights of others. It is more serious than ordinary negligence.
Primarily a civil matter (a tort). However, 'criminal negligence' exists where the negligence is so extreme it warrants criminal prosecution (e.g., manslaughter due to criminal negligence).
Collections
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Law and Regulation
C1 · 46 words · Legal language and regulatory frameworks.