A Reasonable Doubt
Definitions and Samples
1. accuse v. To say that someone did something wrong (e.g., committed
a crime)
Jordan was accused of using a stolen credit card to buy about $300
worth of electronic equipment.
Usage tips Accuse is often used in the passive voice.
Parts of speech accusation n, accuser n
2. allegedly adv. According to what people say
The chief financial officer of the company allegedly took company
money for his personal use.
Parts of speech allege v, allegation n
3. civil adj. Involving a dispute between two citizens, not a criminal charge
In a civil suit against his neighbor, Barney claimed that the neighbor’s
dog had bitten him.
Usage tips In a court context, civil almost always appears in one of
the following phrases: civil suit, civil action, civil court, civil
proceedings, and civil penalties.
4. convict v. To decide that someone is guilty of a crime
Dean was convicted of assault after the jury saw a video of him
striking another man.
Usage tips Convict is often used in the passive voice.
Parts of speech convict n, conviction n
5. guilty adj. Responsible for doing something bad
The jury found that the director was guilty of embezzlement.
Usage tips Guilty is often followed by an of phrase that names a
crime or bad deed.
Parts of speech guilt n, guiltily adv
6. offense n. A specific act that breaks the law
Convicted twice of reckless driving,Victor will lose his license if he
commits another serious traffic offense.
Parts of speech offender n, offensive adj
7. peer n. A person who is one’s social equal
In requiring judgment by “a jury of one’s peers,” U.S. law meant to
protect lower-class defendants from the possibly biased judgment of
upper-class juries.
8. suspect n. Someone who, in the opinion of the police, might have committed
a certain crime
The police were investigating the activities of five suspects in the
liquor-store robbery.
Parts of speech suspect v, suspicion n, suspicious adj,
suspiciously adv
9. verdict n. A judgment in a court case
It took the jury only 30 minutes to reach a verdict of “guilty.”
Usage tips Verdict is often the object of the verbs reach or
arrive at.
10. witness v. To see something, especially a crime, happen
After witnessing the car theft, Rodney called the police.
Parts of speech witness n
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The Police
Definitions and Samples
1. apprehend v. To capture
The police apprehended the robbery suspect as he tried to get on a
bus to Chicago.
Parts of speech apprehension n
2. ascertain v. To make sure of
The police failed to ascertain that the man they arrested was the
Gregory Brown they were really looking for.
Usage tips Ascertain is often followed by a that clause. Notice that
the root of the word is the adjective certain, meaning “sure.”
3. bureaucratic adj. Related to a large organization with a lot of complicated
procedures
Before I could speak with the chief, I had to go through a
bureaucratic runaround of identity checks and written requests.
Usage tips Bureaucratic implies that something is inefficient and
unnecessarily complicated.
Parts of speech bureaucracy n
4. condemn v. To speak out against something in very strong terms
Religious radicals condemned the government for allowing alcohol
to be sold in restaurants.
Parts of speech condemnation n
5. evidence n. Something that makes the truth of a statement seem more
likely
The most convincing evidence that Garner robbed the store was a
videotape from surveillance cameras.
Parts of speech evidence v, evident adj, evidently adv
6. implicate v. To suggest that someone was involved in a crime or other
wrong behavior
No group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but the type of
explosive used implicates the Heartland Freedom Militia.
Usage tips Implicate is often followed by in.
Parts of speech implication n
7. inquiry n. An investigation
The FBI launched an inquiry into the relationship between organized
crime and the trucking company.
Parts of speech inquire v
8. intrusively adv. In a way that brings an unwanted person or thing into
someone else’s affairs
The new consultant from company headquarters appeared
intrusively at meetings, staff parties, and other functions where he
was not wanted.
Parts of speech intrude v, intrusion n, intruder n, intrusive adj
9. seize v. To take something against its owner’s will
Federal agents can seize private homes and other property possibly
used in the production or sale of illegal drugs.
Parts of speech seizure n
10. surveillance n. A process of watching something or someone for a
long time, usually because the person is suspected of something
Police surveillance of one suspected car thief resulted in the arrest
of a whole gang of carjackers.
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Investigating Crimes
Definitions and Samples
1. analyze v. To examine something by looking at its parts
Chemists analyzed the white powder and found it to be only a mixture
of sugar and salt.
Parts of speech analysis n, analyst n
2. assail v. To attack or criticize forcefully
With DNA evidence from the crime scene, the defense lawyer
assailed the police for falsely arresting his client.
Parts of speech assault n, assailant n
3. contrary adj. Opposite
Contrary to most studies, Dr. Ito’s work shows the world’s climate is
not getting warmer.
Usage tips Common phrases are contrary to and on the contrary.
4. hypothesize v. To make a guess, the correctness of which will eventually
be investigated systematically.
Scientists hypothesize that planets capable of supporting life exist
beyond our solar system, but they have not yet seen any.
Usage tips Hypothesize is often followed by a that clause.
Parts of speech hypothesis n, hypothetical adj
5. impair v. To make something less effective than usual
The snow impaired John’s ability to hear anyone’s footsteps.
Usage tips The object of impair is often [someone’s] ability to.
Parts of speech impairment n
6. inference n. A conclusion drawn from evidence
Inspector Dowd’s inference that Ms. Miller was South African was
based on her accent.
Parts of speech infer v
7. objectively adv. Based on unbiased standards, not on personal opinion
I don’t like Mr. Rowan, but looking objectively at his sales numbers,
I saw that he was a very valuable employee.
Parts of speech objective adj
8. suspicious adj. Believing that something is wrong; acting in a way
that makes people believe you have done something wrong
The neighbors became suspicious of Jim when he bought a big new
car and some fancy clothes.
Jim’s suspicious purchases made his neighbors think he might be
getting money illegally.
Parts of speech suspicion n, suspiciously adv
9. tolerate v. To avoid getting upset about something
My math teacher tolerates a lot of talking in her class, but my history
teacher tells us to be quiet.
Parts of speech toleration n, tolerance n, tolerant adj
10. versus prep. Against
In the debate, it was pro-war senators versus antiwar senators.
Usage tips Versus is often abbreviated as vs. in sports contexts, or
simply v. in legal contexts.