convict
kun-VIKT
/kənˈvɪkt/
To formally declare someone guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict of a jury or decision of a judge.
Requires formal legal proceedings and proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'convincere', meaning to decisively overcome or prove guilty in argument. The prosecution 'conquers' the defendant's claim of innocence in open court.
Word relationships
- find guilty: 'Find guilty' is a descriptive phrase; 'convict' is the specific legal verb and noun.
- acquit: 'Acquit' means to formally find someone not guilty.
Commonly confused with
- sentence: Convicting establishes guilt; sentencing determines the punishment after guilt is established.
Word family
- conviction (noun): A formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense.
Collocations
- convict a criminal
- convict of felony
- wrongfully convict
Example sentences
- "The prosecutor produced overwhelming evidence to convict the suspect of grand larceny." Legal judgment
- "Courts rarely convict individuals based solely on uncorroborated circumstantial testimony." Journalism
Memory hook
To CONVICT is to CONQUER the defense with solid evidence. CONVICT = CONquer with evidence.
When not to use
Do not use to describe informal accusations outside a formal legal context.
Fun facts
- Note the stress change: the verb is con-VICT, but the noun (a prisoner) is CON-vict.
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