indictment
Americannoun
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a formal written charge of crime formerly referred to and presented on oath by a grand jury
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any formal accusation of crime
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a charge of crime brought at the instance of the Lord Advocate
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the act of indicting or the state of being indicted
Usage
What does indictment mean? An indictment is an official accusation stating that a person is being charged with a crime and that a criminal trial will be held.An indictment is the final step in the evidence-gathering process before a person is put on trial for a serious crime, especially a felony. In the U.S., such indictments are presented by a grand jury—the group of people responsible for determining whether there is enough evidence of a crime for a suspect to be put on trial.Indictment can also be used in a more general way, outside of a legal context, to mean an accusation, strong criticism, or something that has the effect of revealing something as being deserving of criticism.Indictment is a noun form of the verb indict, which can be used in the sense of making formal criminal charges or in the more general sense of accusing or criticizing.Example: According to the indictment, the suspect is being charged with armed robbery.
Other Word Forms
- nonindictment noun
- reindictment noun
- superindictment noun
Etymology
Origin of indictment
First recorded in 1275–1325; indict + -ment; replacing Middle English enditement, from Anglo-French ( indite )
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.
Prosecutors fired back, saying a court filing that "even if the defendants' constitutional rights were violated -- which they were not -- dismissal of the indictment would be far too drastic a remedy."
From Barron's
The BBC has obtained a copy of the indictment that includes charges relating to an alleged operation aimed at changing the political course of Angola.
From BBC
Super Micro Computer shares fell 33% Friday after an indictment alleged employees tried to export restricted Nvidia AI servers to China.
From Barron's
And while the company, which wasn’t named in the indictment, has taken several steps to distance itself from the scandal, one analyst just wrote that risks remain.
From MarketWatch
Mueller’s legacy rests not just in the headlines or indictments, but in the principle that even the most powerful figures are subject to scrutiny.
From Salon
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.
