arraign

[ uh-reyn ]

/ əˈreɪn /

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See synonyms for: arraign / arraigned on Thesaurus.com

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.

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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

OTHER WORDS FROM arraign

ar·raign·er, nounun·ar·raigned, adjective

Words nearby arraign

arquebus, arr., arracacha, arrack, arrah, arraign, arraignment, Arran, arrange, arranged marriage, arrangement

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use arraign in a sentence

Hodges was arraigned in 2001 and eventually pleaded guilty to felony commercial burglary.
Oceanside Employee Alleging Treasurer Lost Millions in City Funds Was Previously Convicted of Burglary Using City’s Credit Card|Ashly McGlone and Tigist Layne|August 23, 2022|Voice of San Diego
He is expected to be arraigned in Central Islip Federal Court on Friday.
Fetty Wap Arrested at Music Festival in ‘Multimillion-Dollar’ Drug Bust|Rachel Olding|October 29, 2021|The Daily Beast
The police locked him in a cell, and made plans to arraign Picasso.
Did Picasso Try to Steal the Mona Lisa?|Nick Mafi|October 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It had been his intention before arriving there, to arraign his wife again for having let Orlean go West in the beginning.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux

If you persist, I shall positively arraign you at the bar of good breeding and fashion.
Bentley's Miscellany, Volume II|Various
Then suddenly he found himself disposed to arraign himself for selfishly clinging to his ideals.
David Dunne|Belle Kanaris Maniates
There is certainly a possibility that I may arraign myself against his dearest interests.
Doctor Grimshawe's Secret|Nathaniel Hawthorne
At first I supposed the intention was to arraign me before the high court of Thousandacres, but in this I was in error.
The Chainbearer|J. Fenimore Cooper

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 forms of arraign

arraigner, 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

arraign

Origin of arraign

OTHER WORDS FROM arraign

Words nearby arraign

Words related to arraign

How to use arraign in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for arraign

Derived forms of arraign

Word Origin for arraign