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endeavoring to gain or accomplish something; pursuit by efforts of body or mind; as, the prosecution of a scheme, plan, design, or undertaking; the prosecution of war. Keeping a sharp eye on her domestics . . . in prosecution of their various duties. Sir W. Scott.

To charge with a crime; to accuse; to institute a private criminal prosecution against for some heinous crime; as, to appeal a person of felony.

The prosecution or defense of a suit, whether by furnishing money or personal services, by one who has no legitimate concern therein, in consideration of an agreement that he shall receive, in the event of success, a share of the matter in suit; maintenance with the addition of an agreement to divide the thing in suit.…

- Civil remedy (Law), that given to a person injured, by action, as opposed to a criminal prosecution. -- Civil service, all service rendered to and paid for by the state or nation other than that pertaining to naval or military affairs. -- Civil service reform, the substitution of business principles and methods for…

or charge in a declaration or indictment, separately setting forth the cause of action or prosecution. Wharton.

ng to the crown, that is, to the sovereign. -- Crown law, the law which governs criminal prosecutions. [Eng.] -- Crown lawyer, one employed by the crown, as in criminal cases. [Eng.] -- Crown octavo. See under Paper. -- Crown office. See in the Vocabulary. -- Crown paper. See under Paper. -- Crown piece. See in the…

which discourages; that which deters, or tends to deter, from an undertaking, or from the prosecution of anything; a determent; as, the revolution was commenced under every possible discouragement. "Discouragements from vice." Swift.

a forfeited recognizance from among the other records of the court, for the purpose of a prosecution in another court, or it may be in the same court. Burrill.

biting vigor, strength, or energy; slight; as, faint efforts; faint resistance. The faint prosecution of the war. Sir J. Davies.

A proceeding in the nature of a prosecution for some offens against the government, instituted and prosecuted, really or nominally, by some authorized public officer on behalt of the government. It differs from an indictment in criminal cases chiefly in not being based on the finding of a grand juri. See Indictment.…

one who habitually gives information of the violation of penal statutes, with a view to a prosecution therefor. Bouvier. Wharton.

To become weary; to lose spirit. They . . . fail, and jade, and tire in the prosecution. South.

A joining of causes of action or defense in civil suits or criminal prosecutions.

To exert one's powers of mind in the prosecution of any design; to strive; to take pains.

ioner of law; one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients, or to advise as to prosecution or defence of lawsuits, or as to legal rights and obligations in other matters. It is a general term, comprehending attorneys, counselors, solicitors, barristers, sergeants, and advocates.

ated. T. Warton. Macaulay. Maiden assize (Eng. Law), an assize which there is no criminal prosecution; an assize which is unpolluted with blood. It was usual, at such an assize, for the sheriff to present the judge with a pair of white gloves. Smart. -- Maiden name, the surname of a woman before her marriage. -- Maid…

An evil doer; one who commits a crime; one subject to public prosecution and punishment; a criminal.

us injury to the property of another; -- an offense at common law. Wharton. -- Malicious prosecution or arrest (Law), a wanton prosecution or arrest, by regular process in a civil or criminal proceeding, without probable cause. Bouvier.

themselves by murder on persons obnoxious to them. The society was broken up by criminal prosecutions in 1876.

record, denoting that a plaintiff discontinues his suit, or the attorney for the public a prosecution; either wholly, or as to some count, or as to some of several defendants.