arraignment
Americannoun
-
Law. an act or instance of bringing someone before a criminal court to hear an indictment, or formal charge, against them and to enter a plea in response to that charge.
At her arraignment Crane pleaded not guilty, and the trial was set for May 21.
-
a calling into question or a finding fault, especially with respect to the value or virtue of something; critical examination.
In his arraignment of the basic weaknesses in the nation's social fabric, he drew special attention to racism.
Other Word Forms
- nonarraignment noun
Etymology
Origin of arraignment
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English arainement, from Middle French araisnement; equivalent to arraign + -ment
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.
His arraignment will be scheduled at a later date, prosecutors said.
From Los Angeles Times
An arraignment would usually take place much sooner, but Reiner was unable to appear at the first scheduled attempt.
From Barron's
In January, his arraignment was postponed to Monday after his lawyer, famed defense attorney Alan Jackson, stepped down and was replaced by a public defender.
From Los Angeles Times
"We are confident that after the facts and evidence are reviewed in this case, he will be completely exonerated," attorney Mitchell Schuster told reporters outside the court, where Diggs's arraignment lasted less than five minutes.
From Barron's
The arraignment hearing was originally scheduled for Jan. 23 but was postponed until after the Super Bowl.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
