prosecute
Americanverb (used with object)
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Law.
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to institute legal proceedings against (a person).
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to seek to enforce or obtain by legal process.
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to conduct criminal proceedings in court against.
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to follow up or carry forward something undertaken or begun, usually to its completion.
to prosecute a war.
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to carry on or practice.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to bring a criminal action against (a person) for some offence
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(intr)
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to seek redress by legal proceedings
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to institute or conduct a prosecution
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(tr) to engage in or practise (a profession or trade)
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(tr) to continue to do (a task, etc)
Other Word Forms
- nonprosecutable adjective
- prosecutability noun
- prosecutable adjective
- quasi-prosecuted adjective
- reprosecute verb (used with object)
- well-prosecuted adjective
Etymology
Origin of prosecute
1400–50; late Middle English prosecuten to follow up, go on with < Latin prōsecūtus, past participle of prōsequī to pursue, proceed with, equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + secū-, variant stem of sequī to follow + -tus past participle suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The ICC, which prosecutes individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity, is suffering arguably the most difficult period in its 23-year history.
From Barron's
More than 900 people were prosecuted and some went to prison.
From BBC
A former ICE official, who asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation, said that in prior years the U.S. attorney’s office “didn’t prosecute hardly anybody” for assault — unless the interaction turned violent.
From Los Angeles Times
"The CPS will continue to work with the Home Office and police forces to prosecute those who have no right to be in the country."
From BBC
Entering the UK without permission is an offence under immigration law, but asylum seekers are generally not prosecuted for doing so if they claim asylum on arrival.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
