Vacate

Intermediate ⚖️ Legal

Definition

To leave or withdraw from a place, position, or legal claim; to relinquish occupancy or office. Often used in legal contexts regarding the abandonment of property or the annulment of a court decision.

Example Usage

The tenant must vacate the apartment by the end of the month, or the landlord will pursue eviction.

Origin

From Latin 'vacatus,' past participle of 'vacare,' meaning 'to be empty or free.'

Fun Fact

In legal proceedings, a judge may 'vacate' a conviction or verdict, essentially erasing it from the record as if it never happened.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

Related Terms