Synonyms

arraign

American

[uh-reyn] / əˈreɪn /

verb (used with object)

Law. to call or bring before a court to answer to an indictment, a formal charge for which it has been ascertained that there is enough evidence to warrant trial.

He is scheduled to be arraigned this morning on drug and gun charges.
to accuse or charge in general; criticize; censure.

I am not arraigning Professor Wells for these omissions, only mentioning them to indicate how complex such questions can be.

arraign British

/ əˈreɪn /

verb

to bring (a prisoner) before a court to answer an indictment
to call to account; complain about; accuse

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of arraign

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English arainen, from Anglo-French arainer, Old French araisnier, equivalent to a- a- ⁵ + raisnier, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin ratiōnāre “to talk, reason”; see ratio

Explanation

To arraign someone is to call the person before a court of law to be charged. You've probably seen it in movies. It's the part where an official charge is read and the accused responds by saying "guilty" or "not guilty." Arraign comes from Old French, but it traces back to the Latin ad, meaning “to,” and ration, meaning “reason or account.” So if you arraign someone, it’s like you're presenting an account — a record — of the thing the person has done wrong. You're outlining a formal charge in court. Arraign can also be used more broadly to describe any accusation of wrongdoing.

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