prep. [L.] Against; employed in Law to denote an action by one party against another. Also transf. Freq. abbrev. v. (also ver., vs.).
1447–8. Stillingford, Lett. (Camden), 53. Also the jugement by twene … John Husset versus John Notte.
1451. Paston Lett., I. 221. I send yow the scire facias for Osbern and Foke versus Heydon and Wyndam.
1621. Debates Ho. Lords (Camden), 26. Suyt per Fowles in the Starr-chamber versus Lake and others.
1744. J. Comyns, Reports of Cases, 634. Wallis ver. Pain and Underhill.
1774. J. Adams, in Fam. Lett. (1876), 19. I am engaged in a famous case,—the cause of King, of Scarborough, versus the mob that broke into his house.
1822. Scott, Peveril, Pref. Ep. She may sue me for damages, as in the case Dido versus Virgil.
1839. De Quincey, Casuistry Rom. Meals, Wks. 1890, VII. 22. Generally such a person is ‘rather yellow, rather yellow’ (to quote Canning versus Lord Durham).
1848. Guardian, 24 May, 4/5. There are others will be only too glad of a pretext to support their own personal interests, or advance their party views, by reviving the cry of slave labour versus free labour.
1873. H. Spencer, Stud. Sociol., ii. 38. The old battle-ground of free will versus necessity.
1894. Outing, Feb., 397/2. The Rambler vs. the Lumberman; an indictment for the larceny of a path.
