diligence

Etymology

French diligence

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪlɪdʒəns/
• Hyphenation: di‧li‧gence

Noun

diligence (plural diligences)

1. combination of carefulness and long-term effort (often used to refer to only one of these)
2. carefulness, for example due diligence
3. long-term effort, working hard, the qualities of a hard worker, including conscientiousness, determination, and perseverance
4. A public stage-coach. (19th century, now used only in reference to France or other European countries including Great Britain.)
   • 1818, Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, Volume 1, Chapter V:

     Continuing thus, I came at length opposite to the inn at which the various diligences and carriages usually stopped.

   • 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson, Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes:

     Being in a civilised country of stage-coaches, I determined to sell my lady friend and be off by the diligence that afternoon.

5. (law, Scotland) The process by which persons, lands, or effects are seized for debt; process for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or the production of writings.

Anagrams

• ceilinged

Etymology

diligence

From Latin diligentia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.li.ʒɑ̃s/

Noun

diligence f (countable and uncountable, plural diligences)

1. (uncountable) diligence, conscientiousness
2. (uncountable) haste
3. (countable) stage-coach, diligence

Further reading

• “diligence” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).