ALLEGE: 1: to assert without proof or before proving 2: to bring forward as a reason or excuse
These days, you can "allege" something before presenting the evidence to prove it (or perhaps with no evidence at all), but the word actually derives from the Middle English verb allegeen, meaning "to submit (something) in evidence or as justification." Alleggen, in turnd, traces back to Anglo-French and probably ultimately to Latin allegare, meaning "to send as a representative" or "to offer as proof in support of a plea." Indeed, "allege" once referred to the actions of someone who came forward to testify in court; this use is no longer seen, but it led to the development of the current "assert without proof" sense.
No comments:
Post a Comment