criminal offence

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Explanation of "Criminal Offence"

Definition: A "criminal offence" is a term used to describe any act that is against the law and can lead to punishment. This can include actions like stealing, assault, or driving under the influence of alcohol. These acts are usually viewed as wrong or harmful to society.

Usage Instructions

• Part of Speech: Noun (you can say "a criminal offence" or "criminal offences" when talking about more than one).
• Context: Used in legal discussions, news articles, or everyday conversation when talking about illegal activities.

Examples

1. Basic Example: "Robbery is a serious criminal offence."
2. In a Sentence: "He was charged with a criminal offence for driving without a license."

Advanced Usage

• When discussing legal matters, you might hear terms like "felony" or "misdemeanor," which categorize criminal offences based on their severity.
• Felony: A serious crime, like murder or theft of large amounts of money.
• Misdemeanor: A less serious crime, like petty theft or vandalism.

Word Variants

• Criminal (adjective): Relating to crime.
  • Example: "The criminal justice system deals with criminal offences."
• Offence (British spelling) / Offense (American spelling): Both mean the same thing but are spelled differently based on the variety of English.

Different Meanings

• In a non-legal context, "offence" can also mean causing someone to feel upset or hurt.
  • Example: "It was an offence to her feelings when he made that comment."

Synonyms

• Crime
• Wrongdoing
• Misdeed
• Illegal act

Idioms

While there are no direct idioms specifically for "criminal offence," you may come across phrases related to crime, such as: - "Caught red-handed" – This means to be caught in the act of doing something wrong or illegal.

Phrasal Verbs

There aren’t specific phrasal verbs that directly relate to "criminal offence," but you might encounter phrases like: - "Carry out a crime" – To commit a crime. - "Get away with" – To do something wrong without being punished.

Summary

A "criminal offence" is a serious term that describes actions that break the law and can lead to punishment. Understanding this term is important in discussions about law and ethics.

Academic

Noun

1. (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
   • a long record of crimes

Synonyms

• crime
• offense
• criminal offense
• offence
• law-breaking