first offender
3
4.4
- noun
- /fɜrst əˈfɛndər/
:
delincuente primerizo
- The average first offender gets two years for burglary.
- probation for a first offender
- qualify as a first offender
- first offender sentenced
Examples
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Anderson and Richards also agreed that first offenders should be given a chance at rehabilitation, but if they re-offend, they should face more severe consequences.
Blog text (5) -
In many jurisdictions, first offenders often receive a lighter sentence, such as probation.
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But lucky for you, the law says first offenders receive a probation period and a fine.
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I guess I can show leniency for first offenders.
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So too were civil prisoners separated from criminals and first offenders from recidivists.
Academic text (2005) -
If you're a kid, particularly a nonviolent first offender, you walk in there and what do you see?
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The judge decided to give a warning to first offenders instead of imposing a severe penalty.
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First offenders may have the opportunity to participate in rehabilitation programs to avoid jail time.
Antonyms
How Often
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a person convicted of a crime for the first time' is directly composed from 'first' (occurring before others in time) + 'offender' (law violator), so the overall sense is predictable from the constituents. This is a common, literal compounding pattern found across many languages and should be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
First offender comes from the simple image of a court list where someone is marked first next to offender to show it is their 'first time' in trouble. That's why it means a person who has been found guilty of a crime for the 'first time'.