26984 words

crime

8 definitions • 31 examples
1

Examples:

She promised to fight crime and reform government.
violent crime The rate of violent crime fell last month.
serious crime The government plans to put more officers on the streets to tackle serious crime.
The priority of community policing is to prevent crime.
crime prevention Nearly £2 million of the city budget was set aside for crime prevention.
He believes that religion saved him from a life of crime.
2
an illegal act:

Examples:

be accused of a crime The defendant is accused of a range of crimes, from theft to murder.
be charged with a crime He has not been charged with any crime and has denied wrongdoing.
alleged crime He should not be allowed to question the victims of his alleged crimes.
the scene of the crime A knife was found at the scene of the crime.
3

Examples:

To have hundreds of homeless people sleeping in the streets of a rich city like London is a crime.
it is a crime It would be a crime (= very wrong) to spend such a beautiful day indoors.
4
books, films, and TV shows about crimes being committed and investigated (= examined to find the truth about them):

Examples:

I read all kinds of books, but crime is my favourite genre.
crime novel She publishes her crime novels under a pseudonym.
crime writer Today we meet one of America's best-selling crime writers.
crime novelist I think he's the best crime novelist on the planet.
5
an action or activity that is against the law, or illegal activity generally:

Examples:

[ U ] Violent crime has been reduced.
[ C ] It’s a crime to yell "fire" in a crowded theater if there isn’t one.
[ C ] If you commit a crime, you will be punished.
6
People say something is a crime if it is wrong:

Examples:

[ C usually sing ] It’s a crime that people go to bed hungry in this country.
7

Examples:

The area was plagued with failing schools, rising crime and poor healthcare.
Unemployment is associated with a rising crime rate.
crime prevention
petty/serious crime
The judicial system has been too soft on corruption and white-collar crime.
The number of cases of computer crime has continued to increase.
The new database will help in the fight against identity fraud and organized crime.
combat/tackle crime Most local stores were involved in the initiative to tackle retail crime.
8
an illegal act:

Examples:

commit a crime The former chief executive had committed a crime and was brought to justice.
be accused of/charged with/convicted of a crime The defendant is accused of a range of crimes, from fraud to embezzlement of company funds.

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