to demand by or as by virtue of a right; demand as a right or as due: to claim an estate by inheritance.
to assert and demand the recognition of (a right, title, possession, etc.); assert one's right to: to claim payment for services.
to assert or maintain as a fact: She claimed that he was telling the truth.
to require as due or fitting: to claim respect.
verb (used without object)
to make or file a claim: to claim for additional compensation.
noun
a demand for something as due; an assertion of a right or an alleged right: He made unreasonable claims on the doctor's time.
an assertion of something as a fact: He made no claims to originality.
a right to claim or demand; a just title to something: His claim to the heavyweight title is disputed.
something that is claimed, especially a piece of public land for which formal request is made for mining or other purposes.
a request or demand for payment in accordance with an insurance policy, a workers' compensation law, etc.: We filed a claim for compensation from the company.
Idioms for claim
lay claim to, to declare oneself entitled to: I have never laid claim to being an expert in tax laws.
Origin of claim
First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English claimen, from Anglo-French, Old French claimer, from Latin clāmāre “to cry out”; (noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French cla(i)me; the noun is derivative of the verb
SYNONYMS FOR claim
6 request, requisition, call.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR claim ON THESAURUS.COM
synonym study for claim
1. See demand.
historical usage of claim
The English noun claim comes from the verb, which in turn comes from the Old French verb clamer (stem claim- ) “to summon to law, affirm vigorously,” from the Latin verb clāmāre “to shout, accompany with shouts, shout the name of.” The verb claim originally meant “to assert a legal right, to make a demand for something that is one’s due.” In the 19th century, claim developed a looser, less strict sense, especially in American usage, “to make an unsubstantiated statement; assert or maintain as a fact,” a meaning considered inelegant at that time but also one that occurs in the writings of Chaucer. The legal term quitclaim meaning “to quit or give up a right or claim” dates from the 14th century in England. The noun claim meaning “a request or demand for payment in accordance with an insurance policy” dates from the 19th century. Just as we intuitively understand the relationship between claim and quitclaim, it's pretty clear how the words acclaim, reclaim, proclaim, etc., are related in meaning and etymology to claim.
OTHER WORDS FROM claim
claim·a·ble,adjectiveclaimless,adjectivemis·claim,verb (used with object)non·claim·a·ble,adjective
o·ver·claim,verb (used with object)pre·claim,verb (used with object),nounsu·per·claim,nounun·claimed,adjectiveun·claim·ing,adjective
How the hell does somebody show up at a David Duke organized event in 2002 and claim ignorance?
No. 3 Republican Admits Talking to White Supremacist Conference|Tim Mak|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The claim is one of a series of allegations made in a controversial documentary that the BBC has now pulled.
Pulled Documentary Says William Felt ‘Used’ by Charles’ Push for Camilla|Tom Sykes|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The FBI and the President may claim that the Hermit Kingdom is to blame for the most high-profile network breach in forever.
No, North Korea Didn’t Hack Sony|Marc Rogers|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His claim that taxpayers are spending millions of dollars for each detainee rates True.
Fact-Checking the Sunday Shows: Dec 21|PunditFact.com|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Having tonally redefined rap, he was ready to claim the mantle of one of the greatest musical pioneers of all time.
Future Makes Us Rethink Everything We Thought We Knew About Rap Artists|Luke Hopping|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The empress had not waited for this serious reverse to claim from France the promised aid.
A Popular History of France From The Earliest Times|Francois Pierre Guillaume Guizot
But as he was disposed to be too friendly, and to claim too large a share of the lunch, we rather gave him the cold shoulder.
Riverby|John Burroughs
The audit office should have information at hand sufficient to decline the claim or settle it immediately.
The Modern Railroad|Edward Hungerford
She had a claim on him for support, and there was usually some way to enforce the claim.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 12 (of 12)|Robert G. Ingersoll
He fully intended, of course, to follow the matter up, but other and more important issues came to claim his time and attention.
From School to Battle-field|Charles King
British Dictionary definitions for claim
claim
/ (kleɪm) /
verb(mainly tr)
to demand as being due or as one's property; assert one's title or right tohe claimed the record
(takes a clause as object or an infinitive)to assert as a fact; maintain against denialhe claimed to be telling the truth
to call for or need; deservethis problem claims our attention
to takethe accident claimed four lives
noun
an assertion of a right; a demand for something as due
an assertion of something as true, real, or factualhe made claims for his innocence
a right or just title to something; basis for demanda claim to fame
lay claim toorstake a claim toto assert one's possession of or right to
anything that is claimed, esp in a formal or legal manner, such as a piece of land staked out by a miner
lawa document under seal, issued in the name of the Crown or a court, commanding the person to whom it is addressed to do or refrain from doing some specified actformer name writ 1
a demand for payment in connection with an insurance policy, etc
the sum of money demanded
Derived forms of claim
claimable, adjectiveclaimer, noun
Word Origin for claim
C13: from Old French claimer to call, appeal, from Latin clāmāre to shout