An injury; a tort; a violation of right or of law.The idea of rights naturally suggests the correlative one of wrongs; for every right iscapable of being violated. A right to receive payment for goods sold (for example)implies a wrong on the part of him who owes, but withholds the price; a right to live inpersonal security, a wrong on the part of him who commits personal violence. Andtherefore, while, in a general point of view, the law is intended for the establishmentand maintenance of rights, we find it on closer examination, to be dealing both withrights and wrongs. It first fixes the character and definition of rights, and then, with aview to their effectual security, proceeds to define wrongs, and to devise the means bywhich the latter shall be prevented or redressed. 1 Steph. Comm. 126.
