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alibi Definition

ali·bi (al′ə bī′)

noun pl. -·bis′

  1. Law the defensive plea or fact that an accused person was elsewhere than at the scene of the crime with which the person is charged
  2. Informal an excuse

Etymology: L, contr. < alius ibi, elsewhere

intransitive verb, transitive verb -·bied′, -·bi′·ing

Informal to offer an excuse (for)

alibi Synonyms

alibi

n.

  1. A legal defense

    proof of absence, plea, explanation, defense, declaration, statement, case, defense of being elsewhere, allegation, affirmation, avowal, assurance, profession, plausible excuse, assertion, justification, answer, reply, retort, pretext, vindication, puncture-proof, alibi, airtight alibi*, out*, cover story*. *

  2. *An excuse

    defense, account, excuse, reason; see explanation 2.

alibi Law Definition

n

  1. In a criminal action, a defense that the defendant was somewhere other than the scene of the crime when the crime was committed.
  2. The fact or state of being somewhere other than the scene of the crime when the crime was committed.

alibi Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • prove: He was able to prove an alibi which could not be shaken.
  • establish: David established an alibi for himself by being at a public house in Crossland Moor at the time of the offense.
  • provide: He made sure it got a mention in the gossip columns, to provide an alibi for himself.
  • have: He has no alibi for the night of Smith's murder; he says he can't remember where he was.
  • give: He also gave an alibi for the night of the murder, which police found didn't stand up.
  • need: It's one of those questions that makes you wonder if you need an alibi, and I've been asked it by Sarah.

Adjective modifier

  • cast-iron: Indeed, he soon supplies a completely cast-iron alibi.
  • false: He then took his two daughters out to a DIY store in order to create a false alibi for himself.
  • good: Manoel had a good alibi, and was finally released.
  • perfect: Thus, the " euro " presents the perfect alibi.
  • solid: He will offer a solid alibi which no one will believe.
  • watertight: The husband is decidedly odd and his absence at the time of the crime doesn't give him a watertight alibi by any means.

Modifies a noun

  • witness: I also gave my solicitor another four alibi witness names who had been with me at the time of the robbery.
  • pendens: Seminar 6 ( Yvonne Baatz ) Multiple Proceedings Forum non conveniens and lis alibi pendens.
  • warning: Where the magistrates ' court gives the alibi warning, the file should be clearly noted.

Noun used with modifier

iron: On the contrary they both have cast iron alibis proving they could not have been at either location.

Possessives

suspect: Then you can start checking the various suspects ' alibis and begin to draw conclusions.

Preposition: for

  • night: He has no alibi for the night of Smith's murder; he says he can't remember where he was.
  • time: During his trial, the night porter backed up his alibi for this time.
  • portion: That art exists as a specialized area means that it can only be an alibi for the guilty portion of non-cultural life.