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n. 1. A belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof: "The world is not run by thought, nor by imagination, but by opinion" (Elizabeth Drew). See Synonyms at view. 2. A judgment based on special knowledge and given by an expert: a medical opinion. 3. A judgment or estimation of the merit of a person or thing: has a low opinion of braggarts. 4. The prevailing view: public opinion. 5. Law a. A court's formal, usually written statement explaining its reasons for its decision in a case. b. An attorney's formal, usually written statement giving an assessment of how the law should be or is likely to be applied in a particular situation. c. A piece of testimony that is not usually admissible when given by a layperson, as in contrast to an opinion given by an expert witness. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin opīniō, opīniōn-, from opīnārī, to think.] |
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