Words / C1

leye-uh-BIL-uh-tee/ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/

Liability is legal responsibility for harm or debt: limited liability, admit liability. Also a person or thing that causes trouble (he became a liability). Liable (already in the dictionary) is the adjective. Responsibility is everyday and wider. Do not dump liability on an intern for a named corporate account.

Meaning

Legal responsibility for something; also a person or thing that causes problems.

Examples

• “Liability for the leak sat with the named account, not the intern.”
• “Responsible is everyday. Liable is the adjective (already in the dictionary). An asset is the accounting opposite of a liability. A drawback is the informal “liability” sense. Blame-shifting is not law.”

Good to know

Legal responsibility; also a drawback. Adjective: liable (already in the dictionary). Everyday: responsibility. Accounting opposite: asset. Not an intern’s personal gift.

Near in meaning

responsibility

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