sue out

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sue /su/   v., sued, su•ing. 

1. Law to bring legal action against;
   bring a lawsuit in court: [~ + object]
   to sue someone for damages.
   [no object]
   threatened to sue if an accident happened.
2. to make a request, petition, or appeal for:
   [no object] The defeated army decided to sue for peace.

See -seq-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sue (so̅o̅),  v., sued, su•ing. 

v.t. 

1. Law to institute a process in law against;
   bring a civil action against:
   to sue someone for damages.
2. to woo or court.
3. [Obs.] to make petition or appeal to.

v.i. 

4. Law to institute legal proceedings, or bring suit:
   She threatened to sue.
5. to make petition or appeal:
   to sue for peace.
6. to court a woman.
7. Law sue out, to make application for or apply for and obtain (a writ or the like) from a court of law.

• Vulgar Latin *sequere to follow, for Latin sequī
• Old French sivre
• Middle English suen, siwen 1150–1200

su′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 5. beg, petition, plead, pray.

Sue (so̅o̅;
Fr. sy), n. 

Eu•gène  (œ zhen′), (Marie Joseph Sue), 1804–57, French novelist.
1. a female given name, form of Susan, Susanna, Susannah.