在法律英語(yǔ)中該單詞可用于指法院作出的撤銷案件而不作進(jìn)一步考慮的裁定，其可在訴訟的任何階段作出，應(yīng)被翻譯為“駁回（訴訟或訴訟請(qǐng)求）”[1]。駁回訴訟的理由有多種，如因案件的法律根據(jù)不足，原告不在期限內(nèi)遞交索賠陳述，或不披露證據(jù)，或不到庭受審等。讀者必須注意的是法院將已受理的訴訟或訴訟請(qǐng)求“駁回”與法院對(duì)案件“不予受理”（“法院不予受理案件”可被譯為：The court refused to accept the case)之間的差別很大。而遺憾的是不少英漢（法律）詞典卻將兩者混為一談[2] 。
與dismissal相關(guān)的術(shù)語(yǔ)還有dismissal with prejudice (不利于原告的駁回）和dismissal without prejudice (有利于原告的駁回）。它們之間的主要差異在于dismissal with prejudice是指法庭根據(jù)案件實(shí)體作出的最終裁決，故當(dāng)事人不得以同一訴訟理由重新提起任何訴訟[3]。而dismissal without prejudice則是指法院作出駁回裁定時(shí)未考慮訴訟案件的實(shí)體部分，故當(dāng)事人可以同 —訴因再次向法院起訴[4]。
    
[1] “An order or judgment finally disposing of an action, suit, motion, etc. , without trial on the issue involved. Such may be either voluntary or involuntary. ”Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 324，West Publishing Co. (1991).
[2]參見《英漢法律詞典》編委會(huì)編：《英漢法律詞典》（修訂版），法律出版社1999年版，第244~245頁(yè)?！癲ismiss:(律）駁回，不受理”，參見陸谷孫編： 《英漢大詞典》，上海譯文出版社1995年版，第898頁(yè)。
[3] "Term meaning an adjudication on the merits, and final disposition, barring the right to bring or maintain an action on the same claim or cause. " Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 325, West Publishing Co. (1991).
[4]“A dismissal that does not bar the plaintiff from refilling the Lawsuit within the applicable limitations period. ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 482，West Group (1999).