The Complete Vocabulary Builder Workbook

accuse

IPA:

Dictionary definition of accuse

To charge or blame someone for an offense, wrongdoing, or an act deemed improper or illegal.
"The detective will accuse the suspect only after gathering enough proof."

Detailed meaning of accuse

When someone accuses another person, they are asserting that the individual is responsible for a particular action, behavior, or event. It involves making an allegation or stating a formal charge against someone, often supported by evidence or perceived indications of guilt. Accusations can be made in various contexts, including legal, personal, or professional situations, and they carry the implication of wrongdoing or moral breach. Accusing someone implies a belief in their culpability and typically initiates a process of investigation, confrontation, or legal proceedings to determine the veracity of the accusation. Accusations can have significant consequences, both for the accused and the accuser, and they play a crucial role in establishing accountability, seeking justice, or addressing perceived transgressions.

Example sentences containing accuse

1. The prosecutor will accuse the suspect of theft in today's trial.
2. Please don't accuse me without evidence; I'm innocent.
3. The media will accuse the politician of corruption.
4. She didn't want to accuse her friend of betrayal.
5. The teacher decided not to accuse the student of cheating.
6. He accused his coworker of stealing his ideas.

History and etymology of accuse

The verb 'accuse' has its etymological origins in the Latin word 'accusare,' which is a combination of 'ad,' meaning 'to,' and 'causa,' meaning 'cause' or 'reason.' In ancient Rome, 'accusare' was used in legal contexts to refer to the act of bringing a formal charge or accusation against someone for a specific cause or reason, often related to a perceived offense or wrongdoing. Over time, this term made its way into the English language, retaining its fundamental meaning of charging or blaming someone for an offense or act considered improper or illegal. Thus, the etymology of 'accuse' reflects its historical association with the legal process of lodging accusations against individuals.

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Further usage examples of accuse

1. They may accuse you of violating company policy.
2. The detective will accuse the butler of the murder.
3. The rival company will accuse us of industrial espionage.
4. I won't accuse you until I have solid proof.
5. The public may accuse the company of environmental harm.
6. She didn't want to accuse her sibling of lying.
7. The police will accuse the suspect of resisting arrest.
8. The coach didn't want to accuse the player of doping.
9. The shareholders might accuse the CEO of embezzlement.
10. Don't accuse them without discussing the issue first.
11. The board will accuse the executive of mismanagement.
12. The media will accuse the celebrity of scandalous behavior.
13. The jury will accuse the defendant of perjury.
14. Let's not accuse anyone until we investigate further.
15. If you don’t have evidence, it’s not fair to accuse someone of wrongdoing.
16. The opposition party may accuse the government of corruption if they find discrepancies in the budget.
17. It is important not to hastily accuse someone based on rumors or hearsay.
18. The human rights group plans to accuse the regime of war crimes in the international court.
19. When the money was missing, everyone started to accuse each other of taking it.
20. The plaintiff's lawyer will accuse the defendant of breach of contract in the lawsuit.
21. The committee will accuse the athlete of doping if the test results are positive.
22. If the watchdog finds any illegal activities, it can accuse the company of violating regulations.
23. It is a teacher's responsibility to carefully investigate before they accuse a student of cheating.
24. The neighbors threatened to accuse the man of trespassing if he did not stop cutting through their yard.
25. The manager didn't want to wrongfully accuse any employee, so he reviewed the surveillance tapes before making a decision.