infringe
/in'frindʤ/
Definition
- Verb:
- To violate or break a law, rule, or agreement: To act in a way that disobeys or fails to comply with a formal regulation or right.
- To encroach or trespass upon something, especially a right or privilege: To limit or undermine someone's rights, freedom, or privacy.
Usage
- The verb "infringe" is typically used in formal or legal contexts. It is often followed by the preposition "on" or "upon" when referring to encroaching on rights or freedoms.
- It can be used transitively (with a direct object, e.g., "infringe a patent") or intransitively with a preposition (e.g., "infringe on privacy").
Examples
- Transitive use (direct object):
- The company was found to infringe several key patents.
- Copying that software directly would infringe copyright law.
- Intransitive use (with preposition):
- The new surveillance measures infringe upon our civil liberties.
- I don't want to infringe on your personal time, but I need a quick answer.
Advanced Usage
- "infringe on/upon someone's territory": To encroach on an area someone controls.
- The new policy was seen as infringing upon the authority of local governments.
- In legal writing, "infringe" is precise for discussing violations of intellectual property (patents, copyrights, trademarks).
- The court ruled that the product's design did not infringe the registered trademark.
Variants and Related Words
- Infringement (noun): The act of infringing; a violation.
- This is a clear infringement of the treaty's terms.
- Infringer (noun): A person or entity that infringes.
- The infringer was ordered to pay substantial damages.
Synonyms
- Violate: To break or fail to comply with (a rule or formal agreement). (e.g., violate a contract)
- Breach: To make a gap in and break through; to break a law, agreement, or code of conduct. (e.g., breach of security)
- Encroach: To intrude on a person's territory, rights, etc. (e.g., encroach on land)
- Transgress: To infringe or go beyond the bounds of (a moral principle or established standard).
Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions
- Infringe on/upon: This is the standard construction for indicating encroachment.
- Loud construction noise can infringe upon the right to quiet enjoyment of one's home.
Related Idioms
- No idiom commonly uses "infringe" as its core component. The word itself is often used in set legal phrases like "infringe a patent" or "infringe on rights."
Verb
-
advance beyond the usual limit
-
go against, as of rules and laws
-
He ran afoul of the law
-
This behavior conflicts with our rules
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "infringe"
