criminate

American  

[krim-uh-neyt] / ˈkrɪm əˌneɪt /

verb (used with object)

criminated, criminating

1. to charge with a crime.

2. to incriminate.

3. to censure (something) as criminal; condemn.

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criminate British  

/ ˈkrɪmɪˌneɪt, -trɪ, ˈkrɪmɪnətərɪ /

verb

1. to charge with a crime; accuse

2. to condemn or censure (an action, event, etc)

3. short for incriminate

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Other Word Forms

• crimination noun
• criminative adjective
• criminator noun

Etymology

Origin of criminate

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin crīminātus, past participle of crīminārī “to accuse”; crime, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

Nowadays we do not ask a prisoner to criminate himself.

From In Jail with Charles Dickens by Trumble, Alfred

Incriminate, in-krim′in-āt, v.t. to charge with a crime or fault, to criminate: to characterise as criminal or as accessory to crime.—adj.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Without further parley, Webster and Mrs. Lawton prepared to accompany their guards, and Cashmeyer, demanding their keys, commenced a search of their trunks, which resulted in his finding nothing that would criminate his prisoners.

From The Spy of the Rebellion Being a True History of the Spy System of the United States Army during the Late Rebellion, by Pinkerton, Allan

An accused person is not obliged to criminate himself.

From An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists by Greenleaf, Simon

"Just speak up the truth; but you are not forced to say anything to criminate yourself."

From Trevlyn Hold by Wood, Mrs. Henry