Emily Dickinson Lexicon

NON'SUIT, n.

In law, the default, neglect or non-appearance of the plaintiff in a suit, when called in court, by which the plaintiff signifies his intention to drop the suit. Hence a nonsuit amounts to a stoppage of the suit. A nonsuit differs from a retraxit; a nonsuit is the default or neglect of the plaintiff, and after this he may bring another suit for the same cause; but a retraxit is an open positive renunciation of the suit, by which he forever loses his action. [See the verb.] Blackstone.