Innuendo in United States

Innuendo Definition

(Lat. innuere, to nod at, to hint at; meaning). The word was used when pleadings were in Latin, and has been translated by “meaning.” In Pleading. A clause in a declaration, indictment, or other pleading containing an averment which is explanatory of some preceding word or statement. It derives its name from the leading word by which it was always introduced when pleadings were in Latin. It is mostly used in actions of slander, and is then said to be a subordinate averment, connecting particular parts of the publication with what has gone before, in order to elucidate the defendant’s meaning more fully. 1 Starkie, Sland. & L. 431. Its object is to explain the defendant’s meaning by reference to previous matter. See “Colloquium.” It may be used to point to the plaintiff as the person intended in the defendant’s statement. It may show that a general imputation of crime is intended to apply to the plaintiff (Heard, Lib. & Sland. § 226; 1 H. L. Cas. 637; 2 Hill [N. Y.] 282), but it cannot be allowed to give a new sense to words where there is no such charge (8 Q. B. 825; 7 C. B. 280). It may point to the injurious and actionable meaning, where the words complained of are susceptible of two meanings (8 Q. B. 841; Moore & S. 727), and generally explain the preceding matter (1 Dowl. [N. S.] 602; 7 C. B. 251; 15 C. B. 360; 1 Mees. & W. 245; 5 Bing. 17; 10 Bing. 250; 12 Adol. & E. 317), but cannot enlarge and point the effect of language beyond its natural and common meaning in its usual acceptation (Heard, Lib. & Sland. § 219; Mete. Yelv. 22; 2 Salk. 513; 1 Ld. Raym. 256; 2 Cowp. 688; 4 Per. & D. 161; 6 Bam. & C. 154; 4 Nev. 6 M. 841; 4 Dowl. 703; 9 Adol. & E. 282; 12 Adol. & E. 719; 15 Pick. [Mass.] 335), unless connected with the proper introductory averments (1 Cromp. & J. 143; 1 Adol. & E. 554; 9 Adol. & E. 282, 286, note; 1 C. B. 728; 6 C. B. 239; 1 Saund. 242; 2 Pick. [Mass.] 320; 13 Pick. [Mass.] 198; 15 Pick. [Mass.] 321; 16 Pick. [Mass.] 1; 11 Mete. [Mass.] 473; 8 N. H. 246; 12 Vt. 51; 1 Bin. [Pa.] 537; 5 Bin. [Pa.] 218; 11 Serg. & R. [Pa.] 343; 5 Johns. [N. Y.] 211).

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(Lat. innuere, to nod at, to hint at; meaning). The word was used when pleadings were in Latin, and has been translated by “meaning.” In Pleading. A clause in a declaration, indictment, or other pleading containing an averment which is explanatory of some preceding word or statement. It derives its name from the leading word by which it was always introduced when pleadings were in Latin. It is mostly used in actions of slander, and is then said to be a subordinate averment, connecting particular parts of the publication with what has gone before, in order to elucidate the defendant’s meaning more fully. 1 Starkie, Sland. & L. 431. Its object is to explain the defendant’s meaning by reference to previous matter. See “Colloquium.” It may be used to point to the plaintiff as the person intended in the defendant’s statement. It may show that a general imputation of crime is intended to apply to the plaintiff (Heard, Lib. & Sland. § 226; 1 H. L. Cas. 637; 2 Hill [N. Y.] 282), but it cannot be allowed to give a new sense to words where there is no such charge (8 Q. B. 825; 7 C. B. 280). It may point to the injurious and actionable meaning, where the words complained of are susceptible of two meanings (8 Q. B. 841; Moore & S. 727), and generally explain the preceding matter (1 Dowl. [N. S.] 602; 7 C. B. 251; 15 C. B. 360; 1 Mees. & W. 245; 5 Bing. 17; 10 Bing. 250; 12 Adol. & E. 317), but cannot enlarge and point the effect of language beyond its natural and common meaning in its usual acceptation (Heard, Lib. & Sland. § 219; Mete. Yelv. 22; 2 Salk. 513; 1 Ld. Raym. 256; 2 Cowp. 688; 4 Per. & D. 161; 6 Bam. & C. 154; 4 Nev. 6 M. 841; 4 Dowl. 703; 9 Adol. & E. 282; 12 Adol. & E. 719; 15 Pick. [Mass.] 335), unless connected with the proper introductory averments (1 Cromp. & J. 143; 1 Adol. & E. 554; 9 Adol. & E. 282, 286, note; 1 C. B. 728; 6 C. B. 239; 1 Saund. 242; 2 Pick. [Mass.] 320; 13 Pick. [Mass.] 198; 15 Pick. [Mass.] 321; 16 Pick. [Mass.] 1; 11 Mete. [Mass.] 473; 8 N. H. 246; 12 Vt. 51; 1 Bin. [Pa.] 537; 5 Bin. [Pa.] 218; 11 Serg. & R. [Pa.] 343; 5 Jo
hns. [N. Y.] 211).

This definition of Innuendo is based on The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary. This entry needs to be proofread.