different between reliable vs liable

English

Etymology

From Scottish raliabill, itself from to rely + -able

Pronunciation

• enPR: r?-l???-b?l, IPA^(key): /???la??b?l/
• Rhymes: -a??b?l

Adjective

reliable (comparative more reliable, superlative most reliable)

1. Suitable or fit to be relied on; worthy of dependence, reliance or trust; dependable, trustworthy
   • 1855, Andrews Norton, Internal Evidences of the Genuineness of the Gospels

     a reliable witness to the truth of the miracles

   • February 18, 1800, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Report on Mr. Pitt's Speech in Parliament of February 17, 1800, on the Continuance of the War with France (published in The Morning Post)

     the best means, and the most reliable pledge, of a higher object

   • According to General Livingston's humorous account, his own village of Elizabethtown was not much more reliable, being peopled in those agitated times by unknown, unrecommended strangers, guilty-looking Tories, and very knavish Whigs.

2. (signal processing, of a communication protocol) Such that either a sent packet will reach its destination, even if it requires retransmission, or the sender will be told that it didn't

Synonyms

• secure
• dependable
• trustworthy
• trusty

Antonyms

• unreliable

Derived terms

• reliableness
• reliably
• semireliable

Related terms

• reliability
• reliance
• rely

Translations

See also

• Reliability on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Noun

reliable (plural reliables)

1. Something or someone reliable or dependable

   the old reliables

Translations

Anagrams

• Abrielle, Bellaire, lieberal

English

Etymology

From Old French lier (“to bind”), from Latin ligare (“to bind, to tie”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?la???b?l/, [?la???b??], [?la???b??]
• Rhymes: -a??b?l

Adjective

liable (comparative more liable, superlative most liable)

1. bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable.

   The surety is liable for the debt of his principal.

   • 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 34.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

     He inveighed against the folly of making oneself liable for the debts of others; vented many bitter execrations against the brother; and concluded with wishing something could be done for the unfortunate family.

     The passion for philosophy, like that for religion, seems liable to this inconvenience

2. subject; susceptible.
3. exposed to a certain contingency or causality, more or less probable.
4. (as predicate, with "to" and an infinitive) likely.

   Someone is liable to slip on your icy sidewalk.

Related terms

• liability
• reliable

Translations

Anagrams

• Belial, Biella, alible, labile