recourse

[ ree-kawrs, -kohrs, ri-kawrs, -kohrs ]
/ ˈri kɔrs, -koʊrs, rɪˈkɔrs, -ˈkoʊrs /

noun

access or resort to a person or thing for help or protection: to have recourse to the courts for justice.
a person or thing resorted to for help or protection.
the right to collect from a maker or endorser of a negotiable instrument. The endorser may add the words “without recourse” on the instrument, thereby transferring the instrument without assuming any liability.

Origin of recourse

1350–1400; Middle English recours < Old French < Late Latin recursus, Latin: return, retreat, noun use of past participle of recurrere to run back; see recur

Example sentences from the Web for recourse

British Dictionary definitions for recourse

recourse
/ (rɪˈkɔːs) /

noun

the act of resorting to a person, course of action, etc, in difficulty or danger (esp in the phrase have recourse to)
a person, organization, or course of action that is turned to for help, protection, etc
the right to demand payment, esp from the drawer or endorser of a bill of exchange or other negotiable instrument when the person accepting it fails to pay
without recourse a qualified endorsement on such a negotiable instrument, by which the endorser protects himself or herself from liability to subsequent holders

Word Origin for recourse

C14: from Old French recours, from Late Latin recursus a running back, from re- + currere to run