nolle prosequi

plural nolle prosequis · plural nolle prosequies · alternative obsolete noli prosequi · alternative obsolete nolo prosequi · alternative obsolete nolly prossy coy

1. UKlawA declaration from the attorney general ending a criminal prosecution.
2. lawA proceeding or declaration by which a plaintiff or prosecutor ends a legal suit.
3. figurativelyA refusal, a denial, a rejection.

   1 more example

   [...] where the ordinary man would have met the suggestion they had made with a firm nolle prosequi, I was barred from doing this by the code of the Woosters, which, as is pretty generally known, renders it impossible for me to let a pal down. [...] “I do wish you wouldn't always be so difficult, Bertie. Your aunt tells me it was just the same when you were a child. She'd want you to eat your cereal, and you would stick your ears back and be stubborn and non-co-operative, like Jonah's ass in the Bible.” I could not let this go uncorrected. It's pretty generally known that when at school I won a prize for Scripture Knowledge. “Balaam's ass. Jonah was the chap who had the whale. Jeeves!” “Sir?” “To settle a bet, wasn't it Balaam's ass that entered the nolle prosequi?” “Yes, sir.”

   1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter XVI and XIX

present singular third person nolle prosequis · participle present nolle prosequing · participle present nolle prosequiing · participle past nolle prosequied · past nolle prosequied · alternative obsolete noli prosequi · alternative obsolete nolo prosequi · alternative obsolete nolly prossy coy

1. informaltransitivelawTo issue a nolle prosequi.

   Synonyms: nol. pros., nol pros