- an official judgement made in court or at an inquest (= an official investigation into somebody's death)
- Has the jury reached a verdict?
- The jury returned a verdict (= gave a verdict) of guilty.
- The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Collocations Criminal justiceCriminal justiceBreaking the lawsee also majority verdict, open verdict- break/violate/obey/uphold the law
- be investigated/arrested/tried for a crime/a robbery/fraud
- be arrested/ (especially North American English) indicted/convicted on charges of rape/fraud/(especially US English) felony charges
- be arrested on suspicion of arson/robbery/shoplifting
- be accused of/be charged with murder/(especially North American English) homicide/four counts of fraud
- face two charges of indecent assault
- admit your guilt/liability/responsibility (for something)
- deny the allegations/claims/charges
- confess to a crime
- grant/be refused/be released on/skip/jump bail
- stand/await/bring somebody to/come to/be on trial
- take somebody to/come to/settle something out of court
- face/avoid/escape prosecution
- seek/retain/have the right to/be denied access to legal counsel
- hold/conduct/attend/adjourn a hearing/trial
- sit on/influence/persuade/convince the jury
- sit/stand/appear/be put/place somebody in the dock
- plead guilty/not guilty to a crime
- be called to/enter (British English) the witness box
- take/put somebody on the stand/(North American English) the witness stand
- call/subpoena/question/cross-examine a witness
- give/hear the evidence against/on behalf of somebody
- raise/withdraw/overrule an objection
- reach a unanimous/majority verdict
- return/deliver/record a verdict of not guilty/unlawful killing/accidental death
- convict/acquit the defendant of the crime
- secure a conviction/your acquittal
- lodge/file an appeal
- appeal (against)/challenge/uphold/overturn a conviction/verdict
- pass sentence on somebody
- carry/face/serve a seven-year/life sentence
- receive/be given the death penalty
- be sentenced to ten years (in prison/jail)
- carry/impose/pay a fine (of $3 000)/a penalty (of 14 years' imprisonment)
- be imprisoned/jailed for drug possession/fraud/murder
- do/serve time/ten years
- be sent to/put somebody in/be released from jail/prison
- be/put somebody/spend X years on death row
- be granted/be denied/break (your) parole
Extra ExamplesTopics Preferences and decisionsc1, Law and justicec1- His family always insisted that the original ‘guilty’ verdict should be overturned.
- In the case of an adverse verdict, the company could lose millions.
- The judge sent the jury away to consider its verdict.
- The jury returned a formal verdict after direction by the judge.
- The jury returned a verdict of guilty at the end of the trial.
- The jury's verdict was unanimous.
- The verdict came in this afternoon.
- The verdict was delivered in front of a packed courtroom.
- The verdict was upheld at appeal.
- They reached a verdict after hours of deliberation.
- We believe that the verdict against him was unfair.
- a unanimous verdict of not guilty
- The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- adverse
- favourable/favorable
- guilty
- …
- consider
- agree
- agree on
- …
- be in somebody’s favour/favor
- be in
- come down
- …
- verdict of
- verdict against
- verdict in favour/favor of
- …
- the court’s verdict
- the judge’s verdict
- the jury’s verdict
- …
Definitions on the go
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- a decision that you make or an opinion that you give about something, after you have tested it or considered it carefully
- Well, what's your verdict?
- verdict on something/somebody The panel will give their verdict on the latest album releases.
Extra ExamplesTopics Preferences and decisionsc1, Opinion and argumentc1- The panel will give its final verdict tomorrow.
- The unanimous verdict was that the picnic had been a great success.
- What's your verdict on her new book?
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- final
- general
- overall
- …
- give
- verdict on
Word OriginMiddle English: from Anglo-Norman French verdit, from Old French veir ‘true’ (from Latin verus) + dit (from Latin dictum ‘saying’).
Check pronunciation:
verdict