prosecution

/ˌprɒsɪˈkjuːʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌprɑːsɪˈkjuːʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌprä-si-ˈkyü-shən/ (ame, mw)

prosecution — noun

  • prosecutionsingular
  • prosecutionsplural

1. the formal legal process of charging someone with a crime and taking them to cou

1.名詞B2
釋義

the formal legal process of charging someone with a crime and taking them to court, or the state of being charged in this way

例句

The toy manufacturer now faces prosecution for selling unsafe products.

faces prosecution for [offence]

Prosecution of the fraud case lasted nearly three years in federal court.

prosecution of [type of case] + duration

同義詞
  • indictment

    more specific — refers to the formal accusation, not the full legal process

  • legal proceedings

    broader — covers both civil and criminal cases

  • trial

    narrower — refers only to the court hearing stage

反義詞
  • defense

    the side that argues against the charges

文法句型

prosecution + for + [offence]

prosecution + of + [case/defendant]

用法筆記

Often uncountable; when countable it refers to a specific case (e.g. 'several prosecutions were brought'). The verb prosecute is commonly used with the same grammatical patterns.

常見錯誤

❌He faced prosecution of tax evasion.
✅He faced prosecution for tax evasion.
💡the offence follows the preposition 'for', not 'of'.
❌The prosecution of the suspect lasted two hours.' (when referring to questioning)
✅The questioning of the suspect lasted two hours.
💡'prosecution' refers to the whole legal process, not a single interrogation.

2. the group of lawyers and officials who present the case against someone charged

2.名詞B2
釋義

the group of lawyers and officials who present the case against someone charged with a crime during legal proceedings

例句

The prosecution called Yuki to the stand as its key witness.

the prosecution calls [person] as witness

Shirin was questioned by the prosecution for over two hours.

同義詞
  • prosecutor

    refers to a single lawyer, not the whole team

  • the state

    broader — includes all government officials involved, not just the legal team

  • the crown

    used in British and Commonwealth legal systems for the same role

反義詞

文法句型

the prosecution + [verb]

for the prosecution

by the prosecution

用法筆記

Used with a singular verb in formal writing (e.g. 'the prosecution has argued'), but plural agreement ('the prosecution have argued') is common in British English when the group is seen as individuals.

常見錯誤

❌The prosecution are a lawyer named Ms. Rivera.
✅The lead prosecutor is a lawyer named Ms. Rivera.
💡'prosecution' refers to the team, not an individual lawyer.

3. the act of carrying out or continuing with a planned course of action, especiall

3.名詞C1
釋義

the act of carrying out or continuing with a planned course of action, especially a war, military campaign, or large-scale project

例句

The general was responsible for the prosecution of the entire military campaign.

prosecution of [military campaign]

Prosecution of the research programme continued despite severe budget cuts.

同義詞
  • pursuit

    broader in meaning, less formal, and can apply to any goal

  • execution

    emphasises completing each step of a plan rather than continuing an existing course

  • conduct

    focuses on how an activity is managed rather than the act of continuing it

文法句型

prosecution + of + [plan/war/campaign]

用法筆記

This formal sense is uncommon in everyday speech but appears in historical, military, and official writing. Do not confuse with sense 1 — here there is no suggestion of a crime or legal process.

常見錯誤

❌The doctor's prosecution of the surgery went well.
✅The doctor's performance of the surgery went well.
💡this sense is limited to planned activities like wars, campaigns, and policies, not routine professional tasks.