Emily Dickinson Lexicon

NON'SUIT, v.t.

To determine or record that the plaintiff drops his suit, on default of appearance when called in court. When a plaintiff being called in court, declines to answer, or when he neglects to deliver his declaration, he is supposed to drop his suit; he is therefore nonsuited, that is, his non-appearance is entered on the record, and this entry amounts to a judgment of the court that the plaintiff has dropped the suit. When two are joined in a writ, and one is nonsuited. Z. Swift.