defendant

IPA/dɪˈfendənt/
KK[dɪfˈɛndənt]IPA/dɪˈfendənt/

defendant — 名詞

  • defendantsingular
  • defendantsplural

1. the person, company, or organization that a criminal charge or civil lawsuit is

1.名詞B2
釋義

被告

刑事或民事訴訟中被指控的一方

the person, company, or organization that a criminal charge or civil lawsuit is formally brought against before a judge, and who must respond to the accusation or claim.

例句

Antonia stood nervously in court as the defendant, facing charges of business fraud.

Antonia 緊張地站在法庭上作為被告，面臨商業詐欺的指控。

criminal context: facing charges of fraud

The defendant's testimony about the night of the incident did not match the security footage.

被告關於事發當晚的證詞與監視器畫面不符。

常見搭配
  • the defendant + verb: testify, plead guilty / not guilty, appear in court, face charges, appeal the decision
  • verb + defendant: represent (the defendant), cross-examine (the defendant), convict (the defendant), acquit (the defendant)
  • preposition: the defendant in a criminal case / civil lawsuit / fraud trial
同義詞
  • accused

    used primarily in criminal cases, often before or during trial; less common in civil lawsuits

  • respondent

    used in some civil proceedings, particularly appeals, family law, and administrative tribunals

  • appellee

    the party against whom an appeal is brought; narrower and limited to appellate courts

反義詞
  • plaintiff

    the party who initiates a civil lawsuit against the defendant

  • claimant

    the party making a civil claim in some legal systems; equivalent to plaintiff

  • prosecution

    the state or government body that brings criminal charges against the defendant

文法句型

defendant + in + [type of case]

the defendant + verb (testify, plead, appeal)

用法筆記

Distinct from 'the accused', which in some legal systems refers only to a person formally charged with a crime, whereas 'defendant' covers the entire legal process and also applies to civil cases. The party who brings a civil case is the 'plaintiff' (or 'claimant' in some jurisdictions); in a criminal case, the government brings the charge as the 'prosecution'.

常見錯誤

The plaintiff was found guilty of theft.
The defendant was found guilty of theft.
The plaintiff is the person who brings a case to court, not the person accused of a crime.
She was the defendant in the divorce case.
She was the respondent in the divorce proceedings.
In many legal systems, family-law cases use 'respondent' instead of 'defendant'.

defendant — 形容詞

同根字

常見搭配

名詞搭配

常用片語

  • on the part of the defendant
  • in favor of the defendant

介系詞搭配

  • against (the defendant)
  • on behalf of (the defendant)