battery
BAT-uh-ree
/ˈbætəri/
The physical act of touching another person in a harmful or offensive manner without their consent.
Battery requires actual contact. It doesn't have to be a punch; even spitting on someone or knocking a hat off their head can constitute battery in a legal sense.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'battuere,' meaning 'to beat.' This root also gives us 'battle,' 'batter' (the dough you beat), and 'battalion.' In law, it moved from meaning a heavy beating to any unauthorized physical contact.
Word relationships
- beating: Beating is a non-legal term for repeated physical strikes; battery is the legal term for any offensive contact.
Commonly confused with
- assault: Assault is the threat; battery is the hit.
Word family
- batter (verb): To strike repeatedly with hard blows.
Collocations
- assault and battery
- domestic battery
- aggravated battery
- simple battery
Example sentences
- "Battery is the intentional and harmful physical contact with another person." A legal textbook explaining the elements of a tort.
- "The suspect was booked on charges of battery after striking the bouncer with a glass." A news report on a bar fight.
Memory hook
Think of a 'batter' in baseball hitting the ball. Battery is the 'hit.' The actual hit.
When not to use
Do not use this for a threat where no contact occurred; that is assault.
Fun facts
- In the UK, the legal term for battery is often just 'common assault,' which adds to the confusion between the two terms.
- The electrical 'battery' got its name because a series of Leyden jars looked like a 'battery' (group) of cannons.
Related words
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