How is "battery" defined in legal terms?

In legal terms, battery is defined as unlawful touching of another person without consent. This means that for an act to be considered battery, it must involve intentional physical contact that is harmful or offensive and occurs without the other person's permission. This definition emphasizes the lack of consent as a key element of battery, distinguishing it from actions that may involve touching but are consensual or minor in nature.

In contrast to battery, options related to threatening, consensual interactions, or intentionally injuring someone may relate to other legal concepts but do not fully encompass the specific definition of battery within the context of the law. For example, threatening an individual verbally may fall under assault but does not involve physical contact, while consensual physical interaction does not constitute battery since it involves mutual agreement to the contact. Intentional injury relates more closely to the concept of assault or can lead to a claim of battery, but again, it does not fully convey the essence of unlawful touching without consent. Thus, the focus on unauthorized physical contact is what makes the correct choice accurate in defining battery legally.