felon
/ˈfelən/ (bre, ipa) · [fˈɛlən] /ˈfelən/ (ame, ipa) · [fˈɛlən] /ˈfe-lən/ (ame, mw)
felon — noun
- felonsingular
- felonsplural
1. a person officially treated as a criminal because of a major offense.
a person officially treated as a criminal because of a major offense.
The judge warned the felon that another offense meant prison for life.
common frame: the felon in court
Police found the felon hiding in his cousin's garage after midnight.
The shelter would not hire a felon without checking his record first.
After ten years inside, the felon hoped to rebuild his life.
News reports said the felon crossed state lines in a stolen truck.
- law-abiding citizen
someone who follows the law instead of breaking it
文法句型
a felon
convicted felon
felon with a prior record
用法筆記
Often appears in legal or news language, especially when the crime is serious enough to count as a felony. It sounds more formal and more exact than the broader word criminal.
常見錯誤
felon — adjective
- felonpositive
- more feloncomparative
- most felonsuperlative
1. showing no kindness or mercy, especially when causing pain.
showing no kindness or mercy, especially when causing pain.
In the old poem, the felon lord laughed at the starving villagers.
literary use: felon + person
The tale describes a felon jailer who enjoyed beating prisoners.
Even the soldiers feared their captain's felon treatment of the wounded.
- compassionate
shows kindness and concern for suffering
文法句型
felon lord
felon treatment
用法筆記
Archaic or literary. This sense describes heartless cruelty, unlike adjective/2, which stresses moral wickedness, and adjective/3, which stresses savage lack of control.
常見錯誤
2. deeply wicked in character or intention.
deeply wicked in character or intention.
The chronicler blamed the fire on a felon plan for revenge.
literary use: felon + plan
People in the village whispered about the witch's felon magic.
The play ends with the king punishing his son's felon deeds.
- virtuous
means morally good and upright
文法句型
felon plan
felon deeds
用法筆記
Archaic or literary. Use it for moral wickedness or evil intent, not simply for legal criminal status. Unlike adjective/1, the focus is bad character rather than cruelty to victims.
常見錯誤
3. fierce and untamed in a violent, savage way.
fierce and untamed in a violent, savage way.
Hunters avoided the felon boar that charged anything near the river.
literary use: felon + animal
The legend tells of felon winds tearing roofs from the huts.
poetic use: felon + force of nature
A felon roar came from the cave before sunrise.
- tame
means brought under control or no longer wild
文法句型
felon boar
felon winds
用法筆記
Archaic or poetic. It often describes violent animals, weather, or sounds. Unlike adjective/1 and adjective/2, this sense stresses fierce lack of control rather than cruelty or moral evil.