höhere Gewalt
German
Etymology
Literally: “higher power” or “higher force”. Compare French force majeure and similar forms in other languages.
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Noun
höhere Gewalt f (genitive höherer Gewalt or höheren Gewalt, no plural)
- Used other than as an idiom, compare hoch, Gewalt.
- (law) force majeure; act of God (an event for which someone cannot be held responsible because it was out of their capacity to influence or foresee it)
- Bei Streik wird einem seine Zugfahrkarte nicht erstattet, da das höhere Gewalt ist.
- In case of a strike, you’re not reimbursed for your train ticket, because that’s force majeure.
Usage notes
- The plural must be paraphrased as Fälle höherer Gewalt, or the like.
- As with all law terms, there may be subtle but important differences between jurisdictions.