the.com/onus
The burden of proof, politely disguised as a Latin word so it stings less.
means The responsibility or obligation to do something, especially the duty to prove a claim or fix a problem.
from Borrowed straight from Latin 'onus,' meaning 'load' or 'burden' — the same word Romans used for cargo weight. It passed into English in the 1600s basically unchanged, which is why it still feels like it's carrying its toga. Its cousin 'onerous' comes from the same root, which is fitting, since both words describe things you'd rather hand off to someone else.
- origin
- Latin for load or burden
- usage
- always placed on someone, never lifted
- grammar trap
- singular, no plural, no escape
- feels like
- responsibility wearing a toga