felony
/ˈfeləni/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfeləni/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfe-lə-nē/ (ame, mw)
felony — noun
- felonysingular
- feloniesplural
1. a major offense, such as armed robbery or murder, that the law treats with priso
a major offense, such as armed robbery or murder, that the law treats with prison time of at least one year — much heavier than the punishment for a small offense.
Christopher was charged with a felony after the police found stolen jewellery in his car.
passive: be charged with a felony
Under Texas law, stealing a car worth more than $2,500 counts as a felony.
collocation: counts as a felony
Beatriz spent six years in prison after being convicted of a felony at age twenty-two.
The jury found Samir guilty of two felonies and one minor offense related to the warehouse fire.
Anyone who commits a felony in this state cannot vote until their sentence is complete.
- crime
broader umbrella term covering both felonies and lesser offenses
- offense
neutral legal label for any law-breaking act, not necessarily serious
- capital offense
narrowest — a felony so grave it can carry the death penalty
- misdemeanor
the lesser counterpart, usually punishable by under one year in jail
- infraction
minor violation such as a traffic ticket, no jail time
文法句型
commit a felony
convicted of a felony
charged with a felony
用法筆記
Common in US legal and news contexts; contrasts directly with 'misdemeanor' (a lesser offense). The threshold separating the two is usually one year of possible prison time, and the exact list of crimes varies by state.