arraign
Americanverb (used with object)
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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.
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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.
verb
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to bring (a prisoner) before a court to answer an indictment
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to call to account; complain about; accuse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have arraignedperfect
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has arraignedperfect 3rd person singular
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is arraigningprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been arraigningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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have been arraigningperfect progressive
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are arraigningprogressive
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arraignssingular 3rd person
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am arraigningprogressive 1st person singular
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arraigningparticiple
Past
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had arraignedperfect
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were arraigningprogressive plural
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was arraigningprogressive singular
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arraignedsimple
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arraignedparticiple
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had been arraigningperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing arraign
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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Othello
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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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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.
Arraign Diopeithes, of course—but that will not improve matters.
From Authors of Greece by Lumb, T. W.
Arraign before the mind things good and evil, the higher and the lower, that the will may be drilled in the repeated preference of what belongs to Him.
From The Warfare of the Soul Practical Studies in the Life of Temptation by Hughson, Shirley C.
Down, down, proud satire! though a realm be spoiled, Arraign no mightier thief than wretched Wild; Or, if a court or country’s made a job, Go drench a pickpocket, and join the mob.
From An Essay on Man by Morley, Henry
Arraign, ar-rān′, v.t. to call one to account: to put a prisoner upon trial: to accuse publicly.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
"Arraign the white prisoners according to the roll, Mr.—. Have you sent a message to the Captain about that boy?" inquired the mayor.
From Manuel Pereira by Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
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.
