cross-examine

/ˌkrɒs ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkrɔːs ɪɡˈzæmɪn/ (ame, ipa)

cross-examine — verb

  • cross-examinepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • cross-examineshe / she / it
  • cross-examinedpast simple
  • cross-examining-ing form

1. to ask someone who has already testified in court a series of detailed follow-up

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to ask someone who has already testified in court a series of detailed follow-up questions, in order to test whether their earlier answers were truthful and accurate

例句

The defense lawyer will cross-examine the main witness when the trial resumes on Monday.

collocation: cross-examine + a witness

The prosecutor spent an hour cross-examining the victim about her earlier statement to the police.

pattern: spend [time] cross-examining [someone] about [topic]

同義詞
  • interrogate

    stronger and more forceful; often used by police or in formal investigations

  • question

    more general and less formal; suitable for everyday contexts

  • grill

    informal; means to ask many difficult questions in an aggressive way

  • examine

    broader in meaning; can refer to checking documents or asking questions

文法句型

cross-examine + noun_phrase

be cross-examined by + noun_phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice (be cross-examined by). The subject performing the action is typically a lawyer or prosecutor, and the object is a witness or defendant. Outside of legal contexts, the word sounds overly dramatic or imprecise.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher cross-examined the student about the missing homework.
✅The teacher questioned the student about the missing homework.
💡Cross-examine is a legal term; using it in everyday settings sounds unnatural.
❌The lawyer cross-examined the evidence in the case.
✅The lawyer cross-examined the witness about the evidence in the case.
💡You cross-examine a person, not a document or piece of evidence.