liabilities
liabilities — noun
1. the legal duty that makes a person or organisation answerable when something goe
the legal duty that makes a person or organisation answerable when something goes wrong — for instance, if a customer is injured on a shop's premises or a driver causes an accident.
The construction company accepted full liability for the damage caused by its workers.
uncountable noun; 'liability + for + noun'
Under the rental agreement, the landlord cannot avoid liability for fixing the broken boiler.
The court decided that the driver bore no criminal liability because the brake failure was out of his control.
Doctors can face personal liability if a patient is harmed by a treatment that was not properly explained.
- responsibility
broader, less technical; used in everyday contexts rather than legal documents
- accountability
emphasises being answerable for outcomes rather than the legal obligation itself
- exemption
freedom from a legal duty that would normally apply
文法句型
liability + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
This sense is always uncountable singular — you cannot say 'liabilities' to mean legal responsibility. The plural form 'liabilities' belongs to sense 2 (financial debts).
常見錯誤
2. the total amount of money that a company, organisation, or person owes to others
the total amount of money that a company, organisation, or person owes to others — including bank loans, unpaid bills, and other debts that appear on a balance sheet.
The bakery's liabilities grew by fifteen percent after it borrowed money to buy new ovens.
plural form typical in accounting contexts
The accountant listed all current liabilities, such as unpaid supplier invoices and short-term loans.
collocation: 'current liabilities' (due within one year)
Before buying the business, Deepa checked its assets and liabilities on the audited balance sheet.
The startup's total liabilities exceeded its cash reserves, so the bank refused to approve a new loan.
- debts
more general everyday word; 'liabilities' is the formal accounting term
- obligations
broader — can include non-financial duties
- assets
things of value owned by a person or company
文法句型
liabilities (plural) — no article needed
用法筆記
This sense most naturally appears as the plural 'liabilities' (matching the headword) on balance sheets and in accounting reports, where it refers to the total of all debts and obligations owed by a business. The singular 'liability' is less common and refers to one specific debt item rather than the full financial picture.
常見錯誤
3. the chance or likelihood that a particular event will happen, especially an even
the chance or likelihood that a particular event will happen, especially an event that creates a legal or financial duty for someone.
The doctor's liability to be sued is higher when a surgical procedure has a known risk of complications.
pattern: 'liability + to + infinitive'
Older buildings carry a greater liability to suffer serious fire damage because their wiring is outdated.
Elena studied the liability of the bridge to collapse under extreme weather conditions before the repair work began.
- likelihood
neutral and more common; does not imply a negative outcome
- probability
mathematically precise; less tied to legal or negative contexts
- improbability
low chance of occurring
文法句型
liability + to + infinitive
用法筆記
This is a formal or technical sense, uncommon in everyday conversation. It overlaps partly with 'probability' or 'likelihood', but carries a nuance of negative outcome. Usually appears in the structure 'liability to [happen]'.
常見錯誤
4. a person or thing that creates problems and makes it harder for someone to succe
a person or thing that creates problems and makes it harder for someone to succeed — for instance, a team member who cannot keep up with the others, or a piece of old equipment that breaks down constantly.
The old heating system was a serious liability for the school, breaking down every winter and costing thousands to repair.
pattern: 'a + liability + for + noun'
Pablo's poor eyesight became a professional liability when he started working as a long-distance truck driver.
collocation: 'become a liability'
The candidate's lack of media training was viewed as a clear liability by the election campaign manager.
A factory that cannot meet modern environmental standards is a liability in an industry that values green production.
- asset
a person or thing that is valuable and helpful
文法句型
a liability — singular; liabilities — plural
用法筆記
Unlike sense 2, this sense is countable — you can have 'a liability' (one problem person/thing) or 'liabilities' (several). The context nearly always signals an unwanted burden that holds someone back.
常見錯誤
5. a type of insurance that covers the cost of paying compensation if the policyhol
a type of insurance that covers the cost of paying compensation if the policyholder is found legally responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property.
Every taxi driver in the city is required by law to carry public liability insurance.
compound noun: 'liability insurance'
The salon's liability insurance paid for the customer's medical treatment after she slipped on the wet floor.
usage: insurance covers specific incidents
Hassan took out professional liability insurance to protect his accounting practice against client lawsuits.
Without adequate liability insurance, a small restaurant could be bankrupted by a single food-poisoning claim.
- third-party insurance
a common type of liability insurance that covers damage done to others
文法句型
liability insurance — compound noun
用法筆記
This sense is uncountable and always appears in the singular form 'liability' as part of the phrase 'liability insurance'. It is never used as 'liabilities insurance'.