From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclaimclaim1 /kleɪm/ ●●● S1 W1 verb 1 truth [transitive]SAY/STATE to state that something is true, even though it has not been provedclaim (that) The product claims that it can make you thin without dieting.claim to do/be something No responsible therapist will claim to cure your insomnia. I don’t claim to be a feminist, but I’d like to see more women in top jobs.claim to have done something The girls claim to have seen the fairies.claim responsibility/credit (for something) (=say officially that you are responsible for something that has happened) The group claimed responsibility for the bombings. Opposition leaders will claim victory if the turnout is lower than 50%.claim somebody/something as something A letter appeared in ‘The Times’ claiming Fleming as the discoverer of penicillin.GrammarIn more formal English, you say it is claimed that something is true: It has been claimed that he was difficult to work with.2 money [intransitive, transitive]ASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something to officially demand or receive money from an organization because you have a right to itclaim something back He should be able to claim the price of the ticket back.claim on British English You can claim on the insurance if you have an accident while on holiday.claim benefit/an allowance/damages etc If you’re still not satisfied, you may be able to claim compensation.3 legal right [transitive]SAY/STATE to state that you have a right to take or have something that is legally yours The majority of those who claim asylum are genuine refugees. Lost property can be claimed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.4 death [transitive]DIE if a war, accident etc claims lives, people die because of it – used especially in news reports The earthquake has so far claimed over 3,000 lives.5 attention [transitive]ATTENTION if something claims your attention, you notice and consider it carefully The military conflict continues to claim our undivided attention.COLLOCATIONSnounsclaim responsibility (=say that you are responsible for something bad)Following the attack, a man phoned a newspaper claiming responsibility.claim credit (=say that you are responsible for something good)Political parties always claim credit for economic growth.claim victory (=say that you are the winner)The election results were in and the president was able to claim victory.claim descent (=say that you are related to someone important who lived a long time ago)He claimed descent from Beethoven.adverbswrongly/rightlyThis hotel can rightly claim that it has some of the best views on the island.falsely/rightfully (=wrongly/rightly)Some manufacturers falsely claim that their products are environmentally friendly.justifiably (=with good reasons)They can justifiably claim to be the top team in the country. THESAURUSclaim to say that something is true, even though it has not been provedHe claims that he didn’t see anything.She claims to be a descendant of Charles Dickens.allege to claim that someone did something wrong or illegal, although you do not give any proofIt is alleged that he murdered his wife.Patients allege that the two firms failed to warn doctors about the dangers of taking the drugs over a long period.maintain to repeatedly say that something is true, especially when other people do not believe youHe continued to maintain his innocence, even after he was sent to prison.My mother always maintains that I learned to talk at six months.insist to say very firmly that something is trueShe insists that Tom was there, although he denies it.Turkey insists that there is more than enough water in the two rivers for all three countries. assert formal to state that something is true – used especially in formal writing when reporting someone’s opinionThey assert that children work better on their own.The Environment Minister asserted that one third of the country’s cities had major pollution problems.contend formal to claim that something is true, especially when other people disagree with youLawyers contend that his back problems were due to an existing injury, not the accident. It is possible, as Kennedy contends, that her medical condition is caused by her work. → See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
claim• The 12-year-old civil war had claimed 1.5 million lives.• The two companies are claiming $500 million each in damages from the government.• Congress intends to make welfare harder to claim.• Lost items can be claimed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.• Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan.• Because the accident had not been her fault, Barbara was able to claim damages.• He claimed he was inside for not paying his poll tax.• No one has yet claimed responsibility for planting the bomb.• She claimed she was fired from her job for being pregnant.• Martin claimed that he was with friends at the time of his wife's murder.• Euro Disney claims that one of its tour operators has sold 70 percent of its first three months of Euro Disney allocations.• The prosecution had claimed that the furniture factory boss resolved to kill his second wife Helen when she walked out on him.• Not even the most unreconstructed Keynesian would ever claim that the General Theory was an easy read.• Thousands of people who should get welfare payments never even bother to claim them.• At Tiverton in 1809 they had claimed they had received the same rate for 300 years!• She claims to be a descendent of Charles Dickens.• She claimed to be doing it only for Jeeta, but there was real, wilful contrariness in it, I suspected.• He carried a heavy lad one day, claiming to be weighted by the problems of the world.• Doctors claim to have discovered a cure for the disease.• Yardley was proud that he was one of the few bowlers who could claim to have dismissed Bradman three times in Tests.claim (that)• First, a band of men order Murieta to leave his claim.• Laub claimed a third at 1735.• The rest of the statement of claim does not make matters much clearer.• Three years ago, a reader complained to Chicago Sun-Times columnist Diane Crowley about the claiming of spots.• Deleage sued Saab after a June 1992 fire that he claimed originated in a faulty fuse box.• She claims she has been forced to wait for him to call her from phone boxes.• The report claims that 78% of male high school students have used illegal drugs.• Lozano had claimed that the motorcycle was aimed at him, and that he had no time to leap out of the way.• We understand this person claims to have been stiffed on past bills by certain savvy political types.claim benefit/an allowance/damages etc• Registered blind people can claim an allowance of £1,080 a year. claim asylum• As far asI know he has no passport, so I suppose he will claim asylum.claimclaim2 ●●● S2 W1 noun [countable] 1 STATEMENTtruthSAY/STATE a statement that something is true, even though it has not been provedclaim that Gould rejected claims that he had acted irresponsibly.false/extravagant/dubious etc claims firms that make false claims about their products They made claims they couldn’t live up to. the competing claims of scientistsdispute/deny/reject a claim The police denied claims that the men were tortured. Evidence to support these claims is still lacking.claim to do/be something his claim to be the rightful owner of the painting I make no claim to understand the complexities of the situation.2 MONEYmoney a) RIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TOan official request for money that you think you have a right toclaim for claims for compensationreject/uphold/lose etc a claim He lost his claim for unfair dismissal.make/put in/file a claim All claims should be made in writing.pay/wage claim (=a request from workers for more money) Fill in and return the claim form as soon as it arrives. b) MONEYthe sum of money you request when you make a claim The insurance company cannot meet (=pay) such enormous claims.3 TO OWN OR TAKE somethingRIGHT/HAVE THE RIGHT TOrights a right to do something or to have something, especially because it belongs to you or because you deserve itclaim to/on Surely they have a rightful claim on their father’s land? The Maldives pressed its claim to hold the summit. Philip feared Edward would lay claim to the Scottish crown. the competing claims of parents and teachershave a claim on somebody’s time/attention etc A woman who has given a man children will always have a claim on his love.4 → stake your claim (for something)5 → somebody’s/something’s claim to fame6 LANDSCLland something such as a piece of land that contains valuable mineralsCOLLOCATIONSadjectivesfalseHis claims were later found to be false.unfounded/unsubstantiated (=not based on truth or evidence)These claims of discrimination are completely unfounded.extravagant claims (=clearly not true)Some manufacturers make extravagant claims for their products.competing claimsthe competing claims of the political partiesconflicting claims (=saying that different things are true)The reports contained conflicting claims of the number of people killed.verbsmake a claimHe made extravagant claims about the benefits of the diet.deny a claim (=say it is not true)Government officials denied claims that the country possessed chemical weapons.dispute/reject a claim (=say it is not true)The prime minister rejected claims of a disagreement within his party.support a claimThe court found no evidence to support her claim.back up a claim (=support it)They challenged him to back up his claims with evidence.accept a claimMany scientists were reluctant to accept his claims.challenge a claim (=say that you do not believe it is true)Washington continued to challenge the claim that global warming is partly caused by carbon dioxide.investigate a claimDetectives are investigating claims that the two officials took bribes. THESAURUSclaim a statement that something is true, even though it has not been provedIt is difficult to believe some of the manufacturer's claims for its products.allegation a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal, but that has not been provedHe has strongly denied the allegations of sexual harassment.assertion formal something that you say or write that you strongly believethe assertion that house prices are fallingcontention formal a strong opinion that someone expressesHer main contention is that doctors should do more to encourage healthy eating. Examples from the Corpus
claim• After the fire we made a claim to our insurance company.• Maisha and Tiger meet us outside baggage claim, and Maisha is looking terrific as usual.• They've paid out $30,000 in worker's compensation claims.• One of his more excessive claims was that the abrupt ending of a relationship could be more damaging than bereavement.• Don't believe all of the health claims that are printed on food labels.• His claim to the house was finally recognized by the court.• They have a mining claim on the Salmon River.• No one can dispute the Mohawks' claim to this land.• Have your policy or claim number ready as a reference.• The friar suddenly realised that Cranston's claim that Allingham was murdered was really a piece of pure guesswork on his part.• The local people's claims for compensation from the chemical factory have so far been ignored.• There were no tourism survey results available to support claims that very late hours were needed, he added.• There is no proof of these claims.• These claims are now examined by considering the position of each sector in turn.• Ask for this claim to be investigated, and find out whether anyone has been found responsible and brought to justice.claim that• However, Dimitrov claimed that Asparukhov's allegations were part of a Zhelev-inspired effort to smear him and his government.• The newspaper's further claim that the police funded an Inkatha rally in January 1991 was later confirmed officially.• Latino politicians claimed that the district boundaries discriminated against them.• An eminent preacher claimed that he could overcome even the worst disaster if he could have fifteen minutes of contemplation.• It's claimed that Honda is turning away job applicants who belong to a union.• She claimed that their action had been ill-considered and ironic coming so soon after the launch of their customer service charter.• There is no evidence to support claims that stolen dogs are being sold for research.• They claim that the dial up approach cuts the cost of two-way motion video by up to 90 percent.• Their strategy was to claim that output targets were unattainable, and not to attain them.claim for• There has been a rise in claims for unemployment benefits.claim to/on• Damages Damages may be claimed on their own or in addition to rescission.• This has such a tenuous physical basis that it can hardly account for the results it is claimed to produce.• Opinions that do not claim to be a statement of fact are therefore not covered by this principle.• Results claim to last 12-18 months-a top-up treatment is included in the course, it necessary.• Moses, brought up in the harem, had a special claim to Pharaoh's attention.• Toulouse would be a rich prize and it would have been foolish to allow the claim to drop.• This means simply that the customers have the claim on these deposits and thus the institutions are liable to meet the claims.• Which one of you claims to be the craziest?From Longman Business Dictionaryclaimclaim1 /kleɪm/ noun [countable]1COMMERCEa request or demand for money, or the amount of money asked forThe developer made a claim against the owner for extra building costs.There were very large claims for loss of earnings.The company finally agreed to settle her claim (=pay it) for damages.2 (also insurance claim)INSURANCE a request for a payment for damage, theft, injury etc for which you are insuredEurop Assistance will deal with any claim received from the insured.This form will be needed should you have to make an insurance claim.The company’s results included a net gain of $87.3 million from the settlement of insurance claims resulting from the interruption of its operations. → see also statement of claim3LAW a right to have or get something such as land or other assets that belong to youThey have no claim to the property.4MARKETING a favourable statement made about a product by its producer that may or may not be trueThe company has been forced by the Food and Drug Administration to remove ‘no cholesterol’ claims from its labels.claimclaim2 verb [intransitive, transitive]1to officially request, demand, or receive money from an organizationThe new rules mean young people between 16 and 18 can no longer claim unemployment benefit.Alcan claimed damages for the losses that resulted from the government cancelling the project.2INSURANCE to request money for damage, theft, injury etc for which you are insuredclaim (something) onCan you claim on your household insurance if the tiles on your roof are stolen?3LAW to state that you have a right to something or to take something that belongs to youThey wanted to expand the golf course on land that Indians had claimed.→ See Verb tableOrigin claim1 (1300-1400) Old French clamer, from Latin clamare “to cry out, shout” 