Words / C1

PROS-ik-yoot/ˈprɒsɪkjuːt/

To prosecute is to bring a criminal charge and try it in court: prosecute an offender, the Crown prosecutes. Accuse (already in the dictionary) is wider and can be informal; sue is civil (plaintiff, this batch). Do not call a campus panel a prosecution.

Meaning

To officially accuse someone of a crime and try them in a court of law.

Examples

• “To prosecute is a legal act; a campus panel is not a Crown Court.”
• “Accuse is everyday/formal and already in this course. Charge is the legal step. A prosecutor is the lawyer. Civil claims have a plaintiff (this batch). Jurisdiction and the criminal standard still apply. A disciplinary hearing is not a prosecution unless it is.”

Good to know

Take someone to court (criminal). Wider: accuse (already in the dictionary). Contrast: sue / plaintiff (civil). A campus panel is not Crown Court.

Near in meaning

accuse

New