nuisance

noun

nui·sance ˈnü-sᵊn(t)s How to pronounce nuisance (audio)

ˈnyü-

: harm, injury

relieving the nuisance of poisonous fumes from rural factories

Collier's Yr. Bk.

: one that is annoying, unpleasant, or obnoxious : pest

My allergies are a nuisance in the springtime.

Weeds are a nuisance to the gardener.

Did you know?

What is an attractive nuisance?

Nuisance is a fine example of a word that has taken on a weakened meaning. It has been in use in English since the 15th century, and for much of that time signified "harm" or "injury" rather than mere "annoyance" (the word came into our language from French, but it can be traced back to the Latin nocēre, meaning “to harm”). In the early 19th century nuisance began to see considerable use in reference to people or things that were obnoxious rather than injurious, and that meaning has become the prevalent one. We retain evidence of the word’s earlier "harm" sense, however, in the legal term attractive nuisance, which refers to an enticing thing or condition (such as an unattended ladder leaning against a house) that might attract a child and cause them injury.

Example Sentences

the new neighbor is threatening to become a nuisance, dropping in on us several times a day folding up this map correctly is such a nuisance

Recent Examples on the Web Insecticides, especially sprays, near food and food prep surfaces pose a greater danger to you than pantry pests, which are a nuisance but not a general health concern.

Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 The Biden administration has called on Congress to expand authority for federal and local governments to take action to counter these and other nefarious uses of drones, which are a growing security concern and nuisance.

Chron, 13 July 2022 The result was a nightlife scene that expanded both its hours and its geographic locations, reducing the crime and nuisance associated with inebriated revelers flooding a small main drag all at once.

Fixing Our City Podcast, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 July 2022 Such information isn’t just confusing or a nuisance.

Jenna Sherman, Scientific American, 24 June 2022 With its effective radius of up to 6,000 square feet, this zapper is ideal for large, open-plan areas and especially kitchens or anywhere where flying insects are a real nuisance and perhaps even a danger.

Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2022 That October the neighbors filed dueling lawsuits: Towfiq and Nakahara accused the Grosses of harassment and nuisance in retaliation for the complaint to the city.

Mary Childs, Town & Country, 26 Apr. 2022 The Biden administration is calling on Congress to expand authority for federal and local governments to take action to counter the nefarious use in the U.S. of drones, which are becoming a growing security concern and nuisance.

Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2022 Airbnb stated that the party ban of 2020 initially aimed to decrease neighborhood nuisance, while also slowing the spread of COVID-19.

Andrew Laub, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English nusaunce, noisaunce "harm, damage, (in law) cause of annoyance or inconvenience," borrowed from Anglo-French nusance, noisance, from nuis-, nois-, nus-, stem of nuire, nure, noisir, nuser "to injure, damage, vex" (going back to Latin nocēre "to injure, harm") + -ance -ance — more at noxious

Note: The meanings of Anglo-French nuire and nusance have been influenced by partially overlapping forms of noier "to annoy, vex," an aphetic form of anoier, ennoier (see annoy).

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Legal Definition

nuisance

noun

nui·sance ˈnüs-ᵊns, ˈnyüs- How to pronounce nuisance (audio)

: something (as an act, object, or practice) that invades or interferes with another's rights or interests (as the use or enjoyment of property) by being offensive, annoying, dangerous, obstructive, or unhealthful

— attractive nuisance

: a thing or condition on one's property that poses a risk to children who may be attracted to it without realizing the risk by virtue of their youth

: a doctrine or theory employed in most jurisdictions: a possessor of property may be liable for injury caused to a trespassing or invited child by a condition on the property if he or she failed to use ordinary care in preventing such injury (as by fencing in a pool) and had reason to foresee entry by the child and if the utility of the condition was minor compared to the likelihood of injury declined to extend the doctrine of attractive nuisance…to moving trains — Honeycutt v. City of Wichita, 796 P.2d 549 (1990)

Note: The doctrine of attractive nuisance originated in an 1873 U.S. Supreme Court case, Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Co. v. Stout, 84 U.S. 657 (1873), involving a trespassing child injured by a railroad turntable; an early premise was that the attractive nuisance caused the trespass, and so by extension the owner was responsible for the trespass as well. Subsequent modification of the doctrine has focused on the possessor's duty to use care in preventing injury, whether a child is a trespasser or invitee.

— common nuisance

: public nuisance in this entry

— nuisance at law

: nuisance per se in this entry

— nuisance in fact

: an act, occupation, or structure that is considered a nuisance in relation to its circumstances or surroundings a lawful business may be a nuisance in fact in a particular location

called also nuisance per accidens

compare nuisance per se in this entry

— nuisance per se

: an act, occupation, or structure that is considered a nuisance regardless of its circumstances or surroundings a house of prostitution is a nuisance per se

called also nuisance at law

compare nuisance in fact in this entry

— private nuisance

: something (as an activity) that constitutes an unreasonable interference in the right to the use and enjoyment of one's property and that may be a cause of action in civil litigation

— public nuisance

: something that unreasonably interferes with the health, safety, comfort, morals, or convenience of the community and that is treated as a criminal violation declared that the landfill was a present and prospective public nuisance and ordered…operations to cease — SCA Servs. v. Transportation Ins. Co., 646 N.E.2d 394 (1995)

called also common nuisance

单词	nuisance
释义	nuisance noun nui·sance ˈnü-sᵊn(t)s ˈnyü- 1 : harm, injury relieving the nuisance of poisonous fumes from rural factories Collier's Yr. Bk. 2 : one that is annoying, unpleasant, or obnoxious : pest My allergies are a nuisance in the springtime. Weeds are a nuisance to the gardener. Did you know? What is an attractive nuisance? Nuisance is a fine example of a word that has taken on a weakened meaning. It has been in use in English since the 15th century, and for much of that time signified "harm" or "injury" rather than mere "annoyance" (the word came into our language from French, but it can be traced back to the Latin nocēre, meaning “to harm”). In the early 19th century nuisance began to see considerable use in reference to people or things that were obnoxious rather than injurious, and that meaning has become the prevalent one. We retain evidence of the word’s earlier "harm" sense, however, in the legal term attractive nuisance, which refers to an enticing thing or condition (such as an unattended ladder leaning against a house) that might attract a child and cause them injury. Synonyms annoyance annoyer bother gadfly gnawer nudnik nudnick pain persecutor pest tease teaser See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences the new neighbor is threatening to become a nuisance, dropping in on us several times a day folding up this map correctly is such a nuisance Recent Examples on the Web Insecticides, especially sprays, near food and food prep surfaces pose a greater danger to you than pantry pests, which are a nuisance but not a general health concern. Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 29 Aug. 2022 The Biden administration has called on Congress to expand authority for federal and local governments to take action to counter these and other nefarious uses of drones, which are a growing security concern and nuisance. Chron, 13 July 2022 The result was a nightlife scene that expanded both its hours and its geographic locations, reducing the crime and nuisance associated with inebriated revelers flooding a small main drag all at once. Fixing Our City Podcast, San Francisco Chronicle, 12 July 2022 Such information isn’t just confusing or a nuisance. Jenna Sherman, Scientific American, 24 June 2022 With its effective radius of up to 6,000 square feet, this zapper is ideal for large, open-plan areas and especially kitchens or anywhere where flying insects are a real nuisance and perhaps even a danger. Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2022 That October the neighbors filed dueling lawsuits: Towfiq and Nakahara accused the Grosses of harassment and nuisance in retaliation for the complaint to the city. Mary Childs, Town & Country, 26 Apr. 2022 The Biden administration is calling on Congress to expand authority for federal and local governments to take action to counter the nefarious use in the U.S. of drones, which are becoming a growing security concern and nuisance. Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2022 Airbnb stated that the party ban of 2020 initially aimed to decrease neighborhood nuisance, while also slowing the spread of COVID-19. Andrew Laub, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English nusaunce, noisaunce "harm, damage, (in law) cause of annoyance or inconvenience," borrowed from Anglo-French nusance, noisance, from nuis-, nois-, nus-, stem of nuire, nure, noisir, nuser "to injure, damage, vex" (going back to Latin nocēre "to injure, harm") + -ance -ance — more at noxious Note: The meanings of Anglo-French nuire and nusance have been influenced by partially overlapping forms of noier "to annoy, vex," an aphetic form of anoier, ennoier (see annoy). First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing nuisance make a nuisance of oneself nuisance tax make a nuisance of oneself nuisance tax Kids Definition nuisance noun nui·sance ˈnü-sᵊns ˈnyü- : an annoying or troublesome person, thing, or situation Legal Definition nuisance noun nui·sance ˈnüs-ᵊns, ˈnyüs- : something (as an act, object, or practice) that invades or interferes with another's rights or interests (as the use or enjoyment of property) by being offensive, annoying, dangerous, obstructive, or unhealthful — attractive nuisance : a thing or condition on one's property that poses a risk to children who may be attracted to it without realizing the risk by virtue of their youth : a doctrine or theory employed in most jurisdictions: a possessor of property may be liable for injury caused to a trespassing or invited child by a condition on the property if he or she failed to use ordinary care in preventing such injury (as by fencing in a pool) and had reason to foresee entry by the child and if the utility of the condition was minor compared to the likelihood of injury declined to extend the doctrine of attractive nuisance…to moving trains — Honeycutt v. City of Wichita, 796 P.2d 549 (1990) Note: The doctrine of attractive nuisance originated in an 1873 U.S. Supreme Court case, Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Co. v. Stout, 84 U.S. 657 (1873), involving a trespassing child injured by a railroad turntable; an early premise was that the attractive nuisance caused the trespass, and so by extension the owner was responsible for the trespass as well. Subsequent modification of the doctrine has focused on the possessor's duty to use care in preventing injury, whether a child is a trespasser or invitee. — common nuisance : public nuisance in this entry — nuisance at law : nuisance per se in this entry — nuisance in fact : an act, occupation, or structure that is considered a nuisance in relation to its circumstances or surroundings a lawful business may be a nuisance in fact in a particular location called also nuisance per accidens compare nuisance per se in this entry — nuisance per se : an act, occupation, or structure that is considered a nuisance regardless of its circumstances or surroundings a house of prostitution is a nuisance per se called also nuisance at law compare nuisance in fact in this entry — private nuisance : something (as an activity) that constitutes an unreasonable interference in the right to the use and enjoyment of one's property and that may be a cause of action in civil litigation — public nuisance : something that unreasonably interferes with the health, safety, comfort, morals, or convenience of the community and that is treated as a criminal violation declared that the landfill was a present and prospective public nuisance and ordered…operations to cease — SCA Servs. v. Transportation Ins. Co., 646 N.E.2d 394 (1995) called also common nuisance History and Etymology for nuisance Anglo-French nusaunce, from Old French nuire to harm, from Latin nocēre nuisance noun 1 as in annoyance one who is obnoxiously annoying the new neighbor is threatening to become a nuisance, dropping in on us several times a day Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance annoyance pest annoyer tease bother headache pain gadfly persecutor nudnik gnawer plague nudnick pain in the neck teaser harrier interrupter heckler harasser hassle tormenter tormentor torturer interruptor molester Antonyms & Near Antonyms charmer smoothie comforter soother solacer smoothy 2 as in headache something that is a source of irritation folding up this map correctly is such a nuisance Synonyms & Similar Words headache thorn annoyance irritant inconvenience problem worry frustration pest irk menace aggravation bugbear peeve hassle vexation bother rub exasperation discomfort trial trouble insult burden aggro botheration ruffle curse plague affront hair shirt upset anxiety predicament disturber offence offender pinprick annoyer sore albatross fleabite plight cross harasser offense mischief millstone tribulation pet peeve hang-up affliction pandora's box Antonyms & Near Antonyms pleasure joy delight
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nuisance

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing nuisance

Kids Definition

noun

Legal Definition

noun

noun