crime — an action or activity that constitutes an offence punishable by law
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: an action or activity that constitutes an offence punishable by law
Pronunciation (IPA): /kraɪm/
Example Sentences
- He watched so many crime shows that he started checking for fingerprints on his coffee mug.
- The crime statistics show a significant decrease in theft this year.
- Is it a crime that I put pineapple on pizza? My Italian friend thinks so.
crime
NOUN[/kraɪm/]
an action or activity that constitutes an offence punishable by law
A masked thief commits a crime by stealing jewels from the museum at night.
Every crime has its time, every truth its prime
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Latin 'crimen', originally meaning 'judgment' or 'accusation'. Over time, its sense broadened to encompass any act subject to legal punishment, eventually developing into the modern sense of a violation of law.
Breakdown
Latin 'crimen' (judgment, accusation, wrongdoing) → English 'crime'. The root likely derives from Latin 'cernere' (to judge, decide), though the word evolved semantically from 'act of judging' to 'act judged as wrongful'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“He watched so many crime shows that he started checking for fingerprints on his coffee mug.”
“The crime statistics show a significant decrease in theft this year.”
“Is it a crime that I put pineapple on pizza? My Italian friend thinks so.”
“Cybercrime has become a major concern for financial institutions.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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