在法律英語中該單詞可用于指法院作出的撤銷案件而不作進一步考慮的裁定，其可在訴訟的任何階段作出，應被翻譯為“駁回（訴訟或訴訟請求）”[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求“駁回”與法院對案件“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)案件實體作出的最終裁決，故當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未考慮訴訟案件的實體部分，故當事人可以同 —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》編委會編：《英漢法律詞典》（修訂版），法律出版社1999年版，第244~245頁?！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。
[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).