crime

[ krahym ]
See synonyms for: crimecrimescrimeless on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.

  2. criminal activity and those engaged in it: to fight crime.

  1. the habitual or frequent commission of crimes: a life of crime.

  2. any offense, serious wrongdoing, or sin.

  3. a foolish, senseless, or shameful act: It's a crime to let that beautiful garden go to ruin.

Origin of crime

1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin crīmin-, stem of crīmen “accusation, blame, charge,” akin to cernere “to decide, distinguish, separate,” literally, “to sift” (cf. discern )

synonym study For crime

1, 4. Crime, offense, sin agree in meaning a breaking of law. Crime usually means any serious violation of human laws: the crime of treason or robbery. Offense is used of an infraction of either human or divine law, and does not necessarily mean a serious one: an offense leading to a jail sentence; an offense against morals. Sin means a breaking of moral or divine law: the sins of greed and lust.

Other words for crime

Other words from crime

  • crimeless, adjective
  • crime·less·ness, noun
  • an·ti·crime, adjective
  • su·per·crime, noun

Words Nearby crime

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use crime in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crime

crime

/ (kraɪm) /


noun
  1. an act or omission prohibited and punished by law

    • unlawful acts in general: a wave of crime

    • (as modifier): crime wave

  1. an evil act

  2. informal something to be regretted: it is a crime that he died young

Origin of crime

1
C14: from Old French, from Latin crīmen verdict, accusation, crime

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