prosecute
PROS-uh-kyoot
/ˈprɑː.sə.kjuːt/
To conduct legal proceedings against someone accused of a crime.
Prosecute implies pursuing legal action, typically by the government on behalf of the public.
The story behind the word. From Latin prosequi, where pro- means 'forward' and sequi means 'to follow'. To prosecute is literally to follow something through to its end in court.
Word relationships
- try: Try focuses on conducting the trial itself in front of a judge or jury.
- sue: Sue refers strictly to civil claims brought by private individuals.
- defend: Defend means to protect or represent the party accused of wrongdoing.
- pardon: Pardon means to forgive and release an offender from punishment.
Commonly confused with
- persecute: Persecute means to oppress systematically; prosecute means to pursue legally.
Word family
- prosecution (noun): The institution and conducting of legal proceedings.
- prosecutor (noun): A lawyer who conducts the case against a defendant.
Collocations
- prosecute a case
- decline to prosecute
- prosecute to the full extent
Example sentences
- "The district attorney elected to prosecute the case vigorously." Courtroom Action
- "Trespassers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." Public Notice
Memory hook
PROSECUTE = PROs Pursue Criminal Suits To the End. Follow through in court to prosecute.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'persecute', which means to harass or oppress.
Fun facts
- In medieval Roman law, prosecution was literally conceived as 'following behind' a criminal until justice caught up.
Related words
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