Word of the Day

: September 27, 2008

recuse

verb rih-KYOOZ

What It Means

: to disqualify (oneself) as a judge in a particular case; broadly : to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest

recuse in Context

Because he was a frequent customer at the plaintiff's shop, the judge recused himself from the case.

Did You Know?

"Recuse" is derived from the Anglo-French word "recuser," which comes from Latin "recusare," meaning "to refuse." English speakers began using "recuse" with the meaning "to refuse or reject" in the 14th century. By the 17th century, the term had acquired the meaning "to challenge or object to (a judge)." The current legal use of "recuse" as a term specifically meaning "to disqualify (oneself) as a judge" didn't come into frequent use until the mid-20th century. Broader applications soon followed from this sense -- you can now recuse yourself from such things as debates and decisions as well as court cases.