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sue out

C1 formal separable transitive
In simple words

Formally ask a court to give you an official legal document or order.

Meanings

1 C1 idiomatic formal

(Legal, archaic) To formally petition a court to grant and issue a writ or other legal instrument.

"The plaintiff's counsel sought to sue out a writ of mandamus compelling the authority to act."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

This is an archaic legal term most likely to appear in historical legal texts or formal legal writing. Modern legal practice would typically use 'obtain', 'apply for', or 'issue'. Unlikely to be encountered in everyday speech. Included for completeness in legal or academic contexts.

Commonly used with

writ injunction order pardon patent

Forms

Base
sue out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sues out
he/she/it
Past simple
sued out
yesterday
Past participle
sued out
have + pp
-ing form
suing out
continuous

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