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arraign

[ uh-reyn ]
/ əˈreɪn /
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verb (used with object)

to call or bring before a court to answer to an indictment.
to accuse or charge in general; criticize adversely; censure.

RELATED WORDS

incriminate, indict, summon, blame, charge, criminate, inculpate

Nearby words

  1. arr,
  2. arr.,
  3. arracacha,
  4. arrack,
  5. arrah,
  6. arraignment,
  7. arran,
  8. arrange,
  9. arranged,
  10. arranged marriage

Origin of arraign

1275–1325; Middle English arainen < Anglo-French arainer, Old French araisnier, equivalent to a- a-5 + raisnier < Vulgar Latin *ratiōnāre to talk, reason; see ratio
Related formsar·raign·er, nounun·ar·raigned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for arraign

British Dictionary definitions for arraign

arraign

/ (əˈreɪn) /

verb (tr)

to bring (a prisoner) before a court to answer an indictment
to call to account; complain about; accuse
Derived Formsarraigner, nounarraignment, noun

Word Origin for arraign

C14: from Old French araisnier to speak, accuse, from a- ² + raisnier, from Vulgar Latin ratiōnāre (unattested) to talk, argue, from Latin ratiō a reasoning
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
Word Origin and History for arraign

arraign

v.

late 14c., araynen, "to call to account," from Old French araisnier "speak to, address; accuse (in a law court)," from Vulgar Latin *arrationare, from Latin adrationare, from ad- "to" (see ad-) + *rationare, from ratio "argumentation, reckoning, calculation" (see ratio). Sense of "to call up on a criminal charge" is c.1400. The excrescent -g- is a 16c. overcorrection based on reign, etc. Related: Arraigned; arraigning.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper