recourse

noun

re·​course ˈrē-ˌkȯrs 

ri-ˈkȯrs

1

a

: a turning to someone or something for help or protection

settled the matter without recourse to law

b

: a source of help or strength : resort

had no recourse left

2

: the right to demand payment from the maker or endorser of a negotiable instrument (such as a check)

Synonyms

• expedient
• resort
• resource

Examples of recourse in a Sentence

The dispute was settled without recourse to law.

a toddler quickly learns that a tantrum is a surefire recourse when a polite request for something is met with parental indifference

Recent Examples on the Web

If you are involuntarily bumped from a flight due to overbooking, your first recourse should be to the airline, but travel insurance will probably come into play if the overbooking leads to a significant delay or cancellation that impacts your travel plans beyond what the airline can address. —Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2023

The measure, which passed the California legislature last month, specified caste as a subset of ancestry in the state’s civil rights statutes and would have given residents legal recourse against instances of caste discrimination. —Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 9 Oct. 2023

House Democrats changed that through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, finally giving us recourse to remedy abuses and violations through our trade agreements. —WSJ, 3 Oct. 2023

The result can leave vulnerable tenants with little recourse to improve their conditions. —Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023

Forbes had reported a lawsuit was one of several options investors were tossing around as recourse this weekend before Microsoft’s move. —Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 20 Nov. 2023

Yet claimants have little recourse for fixing the problem or otherwise protecting themselves. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2023

The Supreme Court typically has no jurisdiction over state supreme court interpretations of state constitutions, leaving North Carolina Republicans with no clear recourse. —Matt Ford, The New Republic, 26 Oct. 2023

Without robust exclusion orders, foreign patent infringement entering the U.S. market can be expected to increase, leaving U.S. firms with little to no recourse. —Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English recours, from Anglo-French recurs, from Late Latin recursus, from Latin, act of running back, from recurrere to run back — more at recur

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

recourse

noun

re·​course ˈrē-ˌkō(ə)rs 

-ˌkȯ(ə)rs;

ri-ˈkō(ə)rs,

-ˈkȯ(ə)rs

1

: a turning for assistance or protection

have recourse to the law

2

: a source of help or strength : resort

Legal Definition

recourse

noun

re·​course ˈrē-ˌkōrs, ri-ˈkōrs 

1

a

: the act of turning to someone or something for assistance especially in obtaining redress

b

: a means to a desired end especially in the nature of a remedy or justice

also : the end itself

2

: the right or ability to demand payment or compensation

specifically : the right to demand payment from the endorser or drawer of a negotiable instrument see also recourse note at note compare non-recourse

Note: Under Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code, the phrase without recourse on a negotiable instrument limits the liability of the endorser or drawer. If an endorsement states that it is made without recourse, the endorser is not liable to pay, subject to various conditions, if the instrument is dishonored. Similarly, if a draft states that it is drawn without recourse, the drawer is not liable to pay, subject to various conditions, if the draft is dishonored, provided that it is not a check.