Defendant meaning

dĭ-fĕn'dənt, -dănt'
The definition of a defendant is a person being sued or accused of a crime.

An example of a defendant is someone accused of driving under the influence.

noun
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1
The party against which an action is brought.
noun
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1
Defending.
adjective
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1
(law) In civil proceedings, the party responding to the complaint; one who is sued and called upon to make satisfaction for a wrong complained of by another.
noun
1
0
The defending party; person sued or accused.
noun
1
2
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noun
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Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive.
adjective
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In a criminal trial, the accused; in a civil proceeding, the person or entity against whom a claim is made.
noun
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1

Origin of defendant

Sentence Examples

  • When a divorce is granted, the defendant is not permitted to marry other than the plaintiff for three years, unless the plaintiff dies.

  • When a defendant was of rank superior to that of the plaintiff, distress had to be preceded by troscad (=fasting).

  • 22 Similarly in Job the bne Elohim, sons of God, appear as attendants of God, and amongst them Satan, still in his role of public prosecutor, the defendant being Job.

  • The first Th Si of these deprived the defendant of the right of travers- Acts.~

  • The judges at Babylon seem to have formed a superior court to those of provincial towns, but a defendant might elect to answer the charge before the local court and refuse to plead at Babylon.

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Words near defendant in the Dictionary