tales
Tales (noun) means In law, a person available on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury. Example: “The clerk called in tales to complete the jury panel.”
How to use tales
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA legal term for reserve jurors called up when the original panel is short.
A specialist legal term, rarely used outside courtroom procedure.
Word forms
tales plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The clerk called in _____ to complete the jury panel.
Etymology
From Latin talis, meaning "such persons," used in legal Latin for jurors called to fill vacancies.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for tales
See all rhymes for tales →Frequently asked questions
What does “tales” mean?
The word “tales” means in law, a person available on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury. In plain terms, a legal term for reserve jurors called up when the original panel is short.
How do you pronounce “tales”?
“Tales” is pronounced TAY-leez (/ˈteɪliːz/ in IPA).
How do you use “tales” in a sentence?
Here is “tales” used in a sentence: “The clerk called in tales to complete the jury panel.”
What part of speech is “tales”?
“Tales” is a noun.
Where does the word “tales” come from?
The word “tales” comes from Latin. From Latin talis, meaning "such persons," used in legal Latin for jurors called to fill vacancies.
Is “tales” a common word?
“Tales” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is the legal term tales the same as the plural of the word tale?
No. In law, tales refers to a person or people kept on standby to fill a vacancy on a jury, which is a distinct term from the everyday plural of tale, meaning stories. The two are spelled the same but used in completely different contexts.
What is the difference between a regular juror and a tales?
A regular juror is drawn from the official jury panel, while a tales is a person available on standby to step in if the panel falls short of the required number. The tales fills the vacancy so the jury can be completed.
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