Noscitur a sociisAssociated wordsQueen's Bench Division

Tuck & Sons v Priester

(1887) 19 Queen's Bench Division 62918871 min read
The case in brief30-second read
Facts
Dispute over the scope of a contractual term. One word in the agreement was capable of a wide or narrow meaning. Court looked at the surrounding words to determine the intended scope.
Issue
How should an ambiguous word be interpreted when its meaning can be inferred from the words around it?
Held
Noscitur a sociis applies: "a word is known by the company it keeps"
Principle
Noscitur a sociis applied. The meaning of a doubtful word is determined by reference to the words associated with it in the statute.
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Facts

  • Dispute over the scope of a contractual term
  • One word in the agreement was capable of a wide or narrow meaning
  • Court looked at the surrounding words to determine the intended scope

Issue

  1. How should an ambiguous word be interpreted when its meaning can be inferred from the words around it?

Held

  • Noscitur a sociis applies: "a word is known by the company it keeps"
  • The meaning of a doubtful or ambiguous word is determined by reference to the words associated with it
  • Context provided by surrounding/companion words colours the meaning
  • The wider meaning was rejected in favour of the meaning consistent with companion words

Ratio decidendi

A word derives its meaning from the words associated with it in the statute. Where a word is ambiguous, its companions determine its scope (noscitur a sociis).

Exam use

How to use it in an answer

  • The leading case for noscitur a sociis
  • Distinguish from ejusdem generis (which requires general word after specific list)
  • Key line: "In Tuck v. Priester (1887), the court applied noscitur a sociis: a word is known by the company it keeps, and its meaning is gathered from the words associated with it."

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Citation

Tuck & Sons v. Priester (1887) 19 Queen's Bench Division 629

Reported: (1887) 19 QBD 629; standard textbook authority. This is an educational summary, not the judgment itself. Cite the reported version in professional or academic work.