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tort (n.)

mid-13c., "injury, wrong," from Old French tort "wrong, injustice, crime" (11c.), from Medieval Latin tortum "injustice," noun use of neuter of tortus "wrung, twisted," past participle of Latin torquere "turn, turn awry, twist, wring, distort" (from PIE root *terkw- "to twist"). Legal sense of "breach of a duty, whereby someone acquires a right of action for damages" is first recorded 1580s.

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Definitions of tort from WordNet

tort (n.)
(law) any wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be brought;
Synonyms: civil wrong
From wordnet.princeton.edu