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.
Reiner’s arraignment was postponed until Feb. 23 based on the change of counsel.
From Los Angeles Times
“I was captured,” he said in Spanish, before pleading not guilty during a brief arraignment.
From Los Angeles Times
He appeared in court Wednesday, when a judge postponed his arraignment until January.
From Los Angeles Times
He was held in a glass enclosure as Jackson requested that his arraignment be postponed until Jan. 7.
"The psychiatric evaluation is generally done before arraignment to see if he is even fit to stand trial," Seth Zuckerman said.
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.
