District of Criminals
- noun
- Offensive
:
barrio de delincuentes
- Locals joke that after dark, the District of Criminals is off-limits to everyone.
Examples
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The media sensationalized the old neighborhood by calling it the District of Criminals.
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The mayor promised to change the reputation of the District of Criminals by increasing police presence.
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Welcome to the District of Criminals!
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Many people avoid the District of Criminals at night.
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Many locals avoid visiting the District of Criminals after sunset due to safety concerns.
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Tourists are often warned about the dangers of exploring the District of Criminals alone.
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Crime rates are notoriously high in the District of Criminals, deterring new businesses from opening.
Synonyms
13
7.5
A part of a city controlled by criminal gangs
5
9.7
A part of a city known for crime and illegal businesses
1
7.4
A city area known for crime and violence
A part of Manhattan once known for crime and very poor housing in the 1800s and early 1900s
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'district' (an area) + 'of' (possession/association) + 'criminals' (people who commit crimes), so its meaning—an area characterized by criminals or high crime—is directly inferable from the parts. This noun phrase pattern ('district/area of X') is common cross-linguistically and follows standard English composition, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
District of Criminals is a joking name that imagines an official area on a map where criminals live, with District meaning a marked area and Criminals the people who break the law. That's why people use it to mean 'a place with a lot of crime'.