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crime definition

crime (krīm)

noun

  1. an act committed in violation of a law prohibiting it, or omitted in violation of a law ordering it; often, specif., such an act of a serious nature, as a felony: crimes are variously punishable by death, imprisonment, or the imposition of certain fines or restrictions: the range of crime includes felonies and misdemeanors, but not petty violations of local ordinances
  2. an offense against morality; sin
  3. criminal acts, collectively
  4. Informal something regrettable or deplorable; shame it's a crime you didn't finish school

Etymology: OFr < L crimen, verdict, object of reproach, offense, prob. < IE *(s)krei- (> scream), extension of base *ker-: see raven

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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