/ English Dictionary |
PROSECUTE
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
I. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they prosecute ... he / she / it prosecutes
Past simple: prosecuted
-ing form: prosecuting
Sense 1
Meaning:
Carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
Example:
They engaged in a discussion
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "prosecute" is one way to...):
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prosecute"):
commit; practice (engage in or perform)
close (engage at close quarters)
politick (engage in political activities)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
prosecution (the continuance of something begun with a view to its completion)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Bring a criminal action against (in a trial)
Example:
The State of California prosecuted O.J. Simpson
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
Sentence example:
They want to prosecute the prisoners
Antonym:
defend (be the defense counsel for someone in a trial)
Derivation:
prosecution (the institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior)
prosecutor (a government official who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Conduct a prosecution in a court of law
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "prosecute" is one way to...):
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Derivation:
prosecution (the institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior)
prosecutor (a government official who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state)