Search the Dictionary

especially in a matter pertaining to one's self; the admission of a debt, obligation, or crime. With a crafty madness keeps aloof, When we would bring him on to some confession Of his true state. Shak.

nation of men for an evil purpose; as agreement, between two or more persons, to commit a crime in concert, as treason; a plot. When shapen was all his conspiracy From point to point. Chaucer. They made a conspiracy against [Amaziah]. 2 Kings xiv. 19. I had forgot that foul conspiracy Of the beast Caliban and his confe…

Engaging in a plot to commit a crime; conspiring. [Obs.] Shak.

To make an agreement, esp. a secret agreement, to do some act, as to commit treason or a crime, or to do some unlawful deed; to plot together. They conspired against [Joseph] to slay him. Gen. xxxvii. 18. You have conspired against our royal person, Joined with an enemy proclaimed. Shak.

ng on, construction or interpretation; not directly expressed, but inferred. Constructive crimes (Law), acts having effects analogous to those of some statutory or common law crimes; as, constructive treason. Constructive crimes are no longer recognized by the courts. -- Constructive notice, notice imputed by construc…

ssible, or liable, but not certain, to occur; incidental; casual. Weighing so much actual crime against so much contingent advantage. Burke.

A person proved guilty of a crime alleged against him; one legally convicted or sentenced to punishment for some crime.

sdiction; the act or process of finding guilty, or the state of being found guilty of any crime by a legal tribunal. Conviction may accrue two ways. Blackstone.

nct. [Obs.] Which of you convinceth me of sin John viii. 46. Seek not to convince me of a crime Which I can ne'er repent, nor you can pardon. Dryden.

deal playfully instead of seriously; to play (with); as, we have coquetted with political crime.

sti cloth. Same as Pyx cloth, under Pyx. -- Corpus delicti (d Etym: [L., the body of the crime] (Law), the substantial and fundamental fact of the comission of a crime; the proofs essential to establish a crime. -- Corpus luteum (l; pl. Corpora lutea (-. Etym: [NL., luteous body] (Anat.), the reddish yellow mass whic…

ortgage which fully covers a sum loaned on it; a law which covers all possible cases of a crime; receipts than do not cover expenses.

ich anything is nurtured or protected in the earlier period of existence; as, a cradle of crime; the cradle of liberty. The cradle that received thee at thy birth. Cowper. No sooner was I crept out of my cradle But I was made a king, at nine months old. Shak.

Guilty of crime or sin. The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God. Rogers.

The quality or state of being criminal; that which constitutes a crime; guiltiness; guilt. This is by no means the only criterion of criminality. Blackstone.

To accuse of, or charge with, a crime. To criminate, with the heavy and ungrounded charge of disloyalty and disaffection, an uncorrupt, independent, and reforming parliament. Burke.

Charging with crime; accusing; criminatory. R. North.

A treatise on crime or the criminal population. -- Crim`i*nol"o*gist (-j, n.

Criminal; involving great crime or grave charges; very wicked; heinous. [Obs.] Holland. -- Crim"i*nous*ly, adv.. -- Crim"i*nous*ness,n. [Obs.]

Guilty; as, clpable of a crime. [Obs.] Spenser. -- Cul"pa*ble*ness, n. -- Cul"pa*bly, adv.