criminal
4 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of CRIMINAL
1
:
involving illegal activity
:
relating to crime
-
committing criminal acts/activities
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a criminal organization
-
a history of criminal behavior
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We're trying to understand how the criminal mind [=the mind of someone who commits crimes] works.
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The captain of the wrecked boat was accused of criminal negligence.
2
always used before a noun
:
relating to laws that describe crimes rather than to laws about a person's rights
—
compare civil 5;
see also criminal law
-
the criminal justice system
-
a criminal court/case/trial
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criminal proceedings
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criminal lawyers [=lawyers who represent people accused of a crime]
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The company brought/filed criminal charges against her.
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Using this drug is a criminal offense. [=it is illegal to use this drug]
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The police are conducting a criminal investigation. [=they are investigating a crime]
3
not used before a noun,
[more criminal; most criminal]
:
morally wrong
— often used in a joking way to say that someone should not do something
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It's criminal that the government is doing nothing to stop the problem.
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In my opinion, it would be criminal to miss seeing this movie. [=I think everyone should see this movie]
-
the criminality of his actions
— criminally
adverb-
criminally liable/responsible
2
criminal
/ˈkrɪmənl̟/
noun
plural
criminals
2
criminal
/ˈkrɪmənl̟/
noun
plural
criminals
Britannica Dictionary definition of CRIMINAL
[count]
:
a person who has committed a crime or who has been proved to be guilty of a crime by a court
-
She's a convicted criminal.
-
violent/white-collar/common criminals
-
a hardened criminal
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career criminals [=people who have committed many crimes throughout their lives]
