nolle prosequi

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin nolle prosequi (to not want to pursue). Cf. prosecute.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

nolle prosequi (plural nolle prosequis or nolle prosequies)

  1. (UK law) A declaration from the attorney general ending a criminal prosecution.
  2. (law) A proceeding or declaration by which a plaintiff or prosecutor ends a legal suit.
  3. (figuratively) A refusal, a denial, a rejection.
    • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter XVI and XIX:
      [...] where the ordinary man would have met the suggestion they had made with a firm nolle prosequi, I was barred from doing this by the code of the Woosters, which, as is pretty generally known, renders it impossible for me to let a pal down. [...] “I do wish you wouldn't always be so difficult, Bertie. Your aunt tells me it was just the same when you were a child. She'd want you to eat your cereal, and you would stick your ears back and be stubborn and non-co-operative, like Jonah's ass in the Bible.” I could not let this go uncorrected. It's pretty generally known that when at school I won a prize for Scripture Knowledge. “Balaam's ass. Jonah was the chap who had the whale. Jeeves!” “Sir?” “To settle a bet, wasn't it Balaam's ass that entered the nolle prosequi?” “Yes, sir.”

Synonyms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb[edit]

nolle prosequi (third-person singular simple present nolle prosequis, present participle nolle prosequing, simple past and past participle nolle prosequied)

  1. (law, transitive, somewhat informal) To issue a nolle prosequi.

Synonyms[edit]

References[edit]