crimes
crimes — noun
- crimessingular
- crimesesplural
1. actions that break the law, thought of as a widespread problem in society rather
actions that break the law, thought of as a widespread problem in society rather than as single events
The mayor announced that violent crimes had fallen by half across the city this year.
violent crimes — adjective + crimes for a category of law-breaking
Rohan's research paper looked at the link between poverty and crimes in four port cities.
Fewer crimes were reported in the park after bright street lights were installed there.
Nala told reporters that crimes against small shops had become a serious worry.
The police published a map showing where most crimes took place in the district.
- criminality
more formal; used in academic or legal writing about overall levels of law-breaking
- lawbreaking
stresses the act of breaking rules rather than the social harm caused
- offending
mainly British; used in official contexts about patterns of criminal behaviour
文法句型
crimes + rise/fall/drop
violent/organised/petty + crimes
用法筆記
This sense treats law-breaking as a broad social issue. You use it when discussing patterns, statistics, or public safety rather than naming a specific illegal act. Compare with sense 2 (ILLEGAL ACTS), which refers to individual offences.
常見錯誤
2. separate offences against the law, each one carrying a specific punishment such
separate offences against the law, each one carrying a specific punishment such as a fine or a prison term
Wei was found guilty of two crimes — breaking into a warehouse and stealing copper wire.
number + crimes: two crimes
The police chief said the three jewellery heists were separate crimes carried out by different gangs.
Tomás spent five years in prison for crimes he insisted he never committed.
The arson attack on St Mary's Primary School was among the worst crimes the town had ever seen.
Nadia's neighbour was arrested for crimes linked to selling fake medicines to elderly patients.
- offences
slightly more formal; the standard term in British legal writing
- felonies
specifically serious crimes in legal systems that distinguish them from misdemeanours
- violations
often used for less serious breaches or in regulatory rather than criminal contexts
文法句型
commit + crimes
be convicted of + crimes
report + crimes to + authority
用法筆記
This is the countable use — each crime is a separate illegal act. You can count them: 'two crimes,' 'several crimes.' The most frequent verb partner is 'commit.' Also common: 'report a crime,' 'solve a crime,' 'be convicted of a crime.'
常見錯誤
3. an action or situation that people feel is so wrong or unreasonable that it dese
an action or situation that people feel is so wrong or unreasonable that it deserves strong criticism, even though it may not actually break any law
Luca told the chef it was a crime to serve pasta that tasted of nothing at all.
it is a crime + to-infinitive — expressing strong disapproval
Throwing away trays of fresh bread while people queue at food banks is a crime.
Abigail called it a crime when the council shut down the only youth club in town.
Jason said charging eight dollars for a tiny bottle of water at the station was a crime.
Nora felt the new owner painting over those beautiful old murals was an absolute crime.
文法句型
it is a crime + to-infinitive
a crime against + noun
call something a crime
用法筆記
This use is always figurative — nobody faces legal punishment for these 'crimes.' The speaker uses the word to express strong personal disapproval. It often appears in spoken English, especially in the patterns 'it is a crime to...' and 'a crime against...' The tone is emotional rather than legal.
常見錯誤
4. books, films, and television programmes that tell stories about criminal acts an
books, films, and television programmes that tell stories about criminal acts and the effort to solve them
Mert has read every book about real crimes that the city library keeps on its shelves.
books about crimes — describing the genre through a prepositional phrase
Gabriela watched a documentary about crimes that went unsolved for over thirty years.
The shelf of fiction about crimes at the bookshop was empty by the end of the week.
Noa borrowed a novel in which a reporter investigates crimes along the coast of Brittany.
Keiko prefers series about crimes where the viewer knows the killer from the first scene.
- detective fiction
narrower; specifically about a detective solving the crime rather than the broader genre
- mystery
broader; includes stories where the central puzzle may not involve a crime at all
- thriller
focuses on suspense and excitement rather than the investigation itself
文法句型
books/films/dramas/series + about crimes
fiction + about crimes
a novel + in which someone investigates crimes
用法筆記
This sense uses 'crimes' in phrases describing media about criminal investigation. The word stays plural but the sense is uncountable — you cannot say 'two crimes fictions.' The plural 'crimes' works naturally after prepositions: 'books about crimes,' 'fiction about crimes,' or in relative clauses: 'a novel in which a detective investigates crimes.'