liable
If you drive into someone's fence, you’ll probably be held liable — legally responsible — for fixing it. Liable can also mean “likely,” usually with something unpleasant: "If you don't brush your teeth, they're liable to fall out."
When liable refers to legal responsibility, it's used with "for": "You're liable for the court costs" (meaning you have to pay them). When liable means "likely," it's with "to": "If you build your house on that cliff, it's liable to fall into the river," or "That part of town is liable to mudslides." Don't confuse liable with libel, which is a legal term for slander, or saying something false and damaging about someone.
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subject to legal action“liable to criminal charges”synonyms:nonexempt(of persons) not exempt from an obligation or liability
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held legally responsible“men between the ages of 18 and 35 were liable for military service”synonyms:responsibleworthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
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(often followed by 'to') likely to be affected with“liable to diabetes”synonyms: nonimmune, nonresistant, unresistantsusceptible(often followed by `of' or `to') yielding readily to or capable of
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likely to be or experience something, often something unpleasant
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Vocabulary lists containing liable
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