prosecution
UK /ˌpɹɒs.ɪˈkjuː.ʃən/ · US /ˌpɹɑ.sɪˈkju.ʃən/ noun
Forms prosecutions
- noun The act of prosecuting a scheme or endeavor. “The prosecution of the war fell to Winston Churchill.”
- noun (law) The institution of legal proceedings (particularly criminal) against a person.
- noun (law) The prosecuting party.
- noun (law) In many countries, a legal body and institution, usually part of the state apparatus, empowered to perform prosecution. Prosecutor's Office. See Prosecutor. “Backed by public outrage, the prosecution requested the death penalty to be imposed on the murderer.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
Equivalent to prosecute + -ion, from Middle French prosecution, from Late Latin prōsecutio, from Latin prōsequor (“follow, pursue”), from pro- (“onward”) + sequor (“follow”) (English sequel). Compare persecution, and see more at prosecute.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act or process of prosecuting, or of endeavoring to gain or accomplish something; pursuit by efforts of body or mind; as, the prosecution of a scheme, plan, design, or undertaking; the prosecution of war. Keeping a sharp eye on her domestics . . . in prosecution of their various duties. Sir W. Scott.
- noun (a) The institution and carrying on of a suit in a court of law or equity, to obtain some right, or to redress and punish some wrong; the carrying on of a judicial proceeding in behalf of a complaining party, as distinguished from defense.
Etymology [L. prosecutio a following.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “prosecution”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details