What does battery refer to in a legal sense?

In a legal sense, battery refers to the act of wrongful touching of another person. This means that when one individual physically contacts another in a harmful or offensive manner without consent, it constitutes battery. The key element here is the absence of consent; even a minor and seemingly harmless touch could be considered battery if it occurs without the other person's approval and is deemed inappropriate or offensive.

The concept of battery is distinct from threats of harm, which would relate to the fear of potential harm rather than the action itself. Additionally, while providing first aid without consent can involve ethical and legal issues, this scenario typically aligns more with the concept of implied consent in emergencies rather than defining battery itself. The failure to provide adequate care would fall under the category of negligence and does not relate directly to the act of improper touching but rather to the duty of care required in a medical context.