defendant
730
3.7
- noun
- /dɪˈfɛndənt/
- Specialized
- Detective Ravine, at the time of the arrest, did you read the defendant his Miranda rights?
- a criminal defendant
- charge the defendant
- convict the defendant
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Watch on YouTubeTroy, honey, we know the defendant is Donald Trump.
- Troy, honey, we know the defendant is Donald Trump.
- Today the defendant is the Nelk Boys.
- And but the race of the defendants that we prosecute does not match that.
- Concerns about free speech and the rights of defendants.
- The whole litigation system is geared to overpower the defendants in court.
- And again and again and again, it's the government and its corporate defendants.
- So Judge Brinkma would be really tough on criminal defendants.
Examples
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When a defendant has no lawyer, the court will assign one to him.
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Therefore, the defendant will not be held to answer to these charges at trial.
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We find the defendant not guilty.
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The court agreed with the defendant and held that no contract was formed.
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We, the jury, find the defendant guilty as charged.
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If the defendant could please rise.
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The police then arrested and charged the defendant with five counts of possession of stolen property.
Academic text (1990) -
We, the jury, find the defendant Bernie Tiede, guilty of murder as charged.
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Eyewitnesses for the prosecution testified that they saw the defendant, wearing a dark wool coat, enter the victim's apartment.
Academic text (2011) -
The jury deliberated for several hours before finding the defendant not guilty.
Synonyms
131
3.6
A person officially charged with a crime in court
9
7.7
A party in a court case who sues or is sued
Antonyms
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Defendant comes from the verb defend, from the old Latin defendere meaning 'to push away' or 'protect'. So, a defendant is literally someone who must 'defend' themself in court against a charge.