to prosecute
- verb
- /ˈprɑsɪˌkjut/
- The state plans to prosecute those involved in the illegal drug trade to curb its growth.
- prosecute the accused
- prosecute cases
- prosecute criminals
That does not prevent them from being prosecuted for that very thing.
- That does not prevent them from being prosecuted for that very thing.
- And the system doesn't prosecute those folks zealously, right?
- So I decided I was going to start prosecuting parents for truancy.
- That court decided who gets to be prosecuted and who does not.
- That's the law that so you can't be prosecuted for possessing classified documents.
- And their CEO, Walter Forbes goes to jail, He's prosecuted by Chris Christie.
- And but the race of the defendants that we prosecute does not match that.
- As in any state where rule of law prevails, crimes are prosecuted, not persons.
- You're a Minister of Justice attempting to prosecute that particular case.
- I certainly think we want to have a legal system that prosecutes violent crime.
- Anyway, I prosecuted it and he was convicted.
- Should you do that, Will you be prosecuted?
- Some people are kind of saying it could be prosecuted under like, reproductive coercion.
- Would they cooperate with an investigation and help us to prosecute the abusers?
- No one was ever prosecuted, especially the people who made fortunes off this.
Examples
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The U.S. agreed not to prosecute Fokker Services, and after eighteen months, dismissed its charges.
Academic text (2017) -
The district attorney decided to prosecute the suspect for robbery after gathering enough evidence.
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And they go, how do we prosecute a case like this?
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Actually, we might prosecute her first.
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The town court was unable to prosecute any of them in the face of military opposition.
Academic text (2011) -
But if we get a conviction, you put on the record that you can prosecute this.
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That does not prevent them from being prosecuted for that very thing.
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The people who prosecuted that war are still around.
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You're a Minister of Justice attempting to prosecute that particular case.
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A business that does not have the necessary permits will be prosecuted for polluting without a permit.
Academic text (1992)
Synonyms
To make a person who broke the law be caught and punished
Try someone again for the same or a related crime
Antonyms
How Serious
- Formal
- Jargon
- Formal
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word prosecute comes from Latin parts pro- meaning 'forward' and sequi meaning 'to follow', the same root you see in sequel. So to prosecute someone is to 'follow' the case into court and try to prove they are guilty.