adire

to appeal to (a court); to approach

verb ah-DEE-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin 'adire' (to approach, to go to), from 'ad-' + 'ire' (to go)

Usage Note

Adire is a defective legal verb — it is used mainly in the infinitive and third-person forms. Adire le vie legali ('to take legal action / to go to court') is its dominant fixed phrase. Outside this phrase it is archaic; everyday Italian uses rivolgersi a or ricorrere a. It takes avere as its auxiliary when conjugated.

Examples

"La società ha deciso di adire le vie legali."

Natural Translation

The company decided to take legal action.

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