deposition

de·po·si·tion | \ ˌde-pə-ˈzi-shən

, ˌdē-pə- \

Definition of deposition

1a law : a testifying especially before a court was sworn in before giving his deposition

b : declaration specifically, law : testimony taken down in writing under oath took depositions from the witnesses

c law : out-of-court testimony made under oath and recorded by an authorized officer for later use in court gave a videotaped deposition about what she witnessed also : a meeting at which such testimony is taken

2 : an act or process of laying someone or something down or letting something fall : an act or process of depositing the deposition of earth and stone by glaciers

3 : something deposited : deposit Moraines are glacial depositions.

4 : an act of removing from a position of authority : an act of deposing deposition of a king

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Examples of deposition in a Sentence

She gave a videotaped deposition about what she saw that night. His attorneys took depositions from the witnesses. the deposition of sand and gravel on the river bed

Recent Examples on the Web The judge also ordered Lowe to cover attorney’s fees and sit for a deposition. — Fox News, "'Tiger King' zoo searched by police after human remains were believed to be buried on property," 14 July 2020 She was also accused of perjuring herself during a deposition in a civil lawsuit over alleged abuse. — Fox News, "Nancy Grace: Only 'justice' would be for Epstein's underage sex ring confidant Ghislaine to serve time," 4 July 2020 The court ordered Lowe to cover attorney’s fees, turn over relevant documents and sit for a deposition. — Fox News, "'Tiger King' star Jeff Lowe ordered to surrender documents in animal neglect case exposed by PETA," 3 July 2020 Staysniak's testimony — given Jan. 31, 2020 — aligns with Lamey's deposition. — Jim Ayello, The Indianapolis Star, "Derek Daly secretly records Bob Lamey in effort to support Daly's lawsuits over use of a racial slur," 26 June 2020 Cosby, in the deposition testimony, acknowledged a string of extramarital relationships. — CBS News, "Bill Cosby appeal will test scope of #MeToo-era prosecutions," 23 June 2020 Godwin Ehiremen, a former guard, alleged in a 2015 deposition that when a Nigerian inmate was deported, Straight, his supervisor, questioned whether Ehiremen was also in the country illegally. — Washington Post, "Tulsa guard’s deadly assault on hotel guest raises issues of race, private security oversight," 19 June 2020 The deposition states that Reinwald confessed to viewing child pornography and used DropBox to store the images. — Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, "19-year-old jailed on child porn charges in Tuscaloosa County," 15 June 2020 Most of the two TeamHealth affiliates’ charges were never actually collected, according to their tax returns and a deposition of the accountant who prepared them. — Isaac Arnsdorf, ProPublica, "How Rich Investors, Not Doctors, Profit From Marking Up ER Bills," 12 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deposition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near deposition

deposition from the cross

deposit money

deposit of faith

Statistics for deposition

Last Updated

31 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Deposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deposition. Accessed 12 Aug. 2020.

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More Definitions for deposition

deposition

noun

English Language Learners Definition of deposition

law : a formal statement that someone who has promised to tell the truth makes so that the statement can be used in court especially : a formal statement that is made before a trial by a witness who will not be present at the trial

technical : the action of depositing something (such as sand, snow, or mud) on a surface or area especially over a period of time

formal : the act removing someone from a powerful position : the act of deposing someone

See the full definition for deposition in the English Language Learners Dictionary

deposition

noun

de·po·si·tion | \ ˌdep-ə-ˈzi-shən

, ˌdē-pə-

Medical Definition of deposition

1 : a process of depositing something the deposition and clearance of a metabolic product

2 : something deposited : deposit beta-amyloid depositions in Alzheimer's disease

deposition

noun

de·po·si·tion | \ ˌde-pə-ˈzi-shən

Legal Definition of deposition

1a : a statement that is made under oath by a party or witness (as an expert) in response to oral examination or written questions and that is recorded by an authorized officer (as a court reporter) broadly : affidavit

b : the certified document recording such a statement — compare interrogatory

2 : the hearing at which a deposition is made the deposition takes place where the deponent answers the questions — Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 30(b)(4)

Note: A deposition can be used as a method of discovery, to preserve the testimony of a witness who is likely to become unavailable for trial, or for impeachment of testimony at trial. Depositions are distinguished from affidavits by the requirement that notice and an opportunity to cross-examine the deponent must be given to the other party.

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