accuseac‧cuse /əˈkjuːz/ ●●○ W3 verb [transitive] 
He was accused of murder. Smith accused her of lying. The professor stands accused of (=has been accused of) stealing his student’s ideas and publishing them.—accuser noun [countable]GRAMMARYou accuse someone of doing something: · They accused him of cheating. ✗Don’t say: accuse someone to do somethingTHESAURUSaccuse to say that you believe that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad: · Two women have been accused of kidnapping a newborn baby.· Are you accusing me of lying?allege /əˈledʒ/ to accuse someone of doing something, although this has not been proved: · He alleged that the other man had attacked him first.charge if the police charge someone, they officially tell that person that they are believed to be guilty of a crime and that they must go to court: · She was charged with murder.indict American English law to officially accuse someone of a crime so that they will be judged in court under the American legal system: · He was indicted on charges of fraud.
WORD ORIGINaccuse
Origin:
1400-1500 Old French acuser, from Latin accusare ‘to call someone to explain their actions’, from ad- ‘to’ + causa ‘lawsuit, cause’VERB TABLE
accuse
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | accuse |
| he, she, it | accuses | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | accused |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have accused |
| he, she, it | has accused | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had accused |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will accuse |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have accused |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am accusing |
| he, she, it | is accusing | |
| you, we, they | are accusing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was accusing |
| you, we, they | were accusing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been accusing |
| he, she, it | has been accusing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been accusing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be accusing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been accusing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A former businessman has gone on trial accused of a two million pound investment fraud.
- Are you accusing her of lying?
- How can you accuse me without knowing all the facts?
- Human rights lawyers have accused the police of beating Murkett to death.
- Protesters angrily accused the police of violence and intimidation.
- The man accused of kidnapping Lucy Pohl has been found guilty.
- The woman was accused of having beaten her four-year-old daughter.
- They're accusing me without any proof.
- West has been accused of first-degree murder.
- A: Nobody ever accuses Hollywood of making historically accurate films.
- Ramaphosa's own transformation into a tycoon has disappointed some blacks, who accuse him of desertion.
- Such considerations affect the way the courts decide on what sentence to pass on the accused.
- The commission, which accused both sides of atrocities, has been criticised from left and right.
- To be actually accused point blank by an outraged husband!
THESAURUS
to say that you believe that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad: · Two women have been accused of kidnapping a newborn baby.· Are you accusing me of lying?
to accuse someone of doing something, although this has not been proved: · He alleged that the other man had attacked him first.
if the police charge someone, they officially tell that person that they are believed to be guilty of a crime and that they must go to court: · She was charged with murder.
American English law to officially accuse someone of a crime so that they will be judged in court under the American legal system: · He was indicted on charges of fraud.
Longman Language Activatorto say that you think someone has done something bad : accuse somebody of doing something · Human rights lawyers have accused the police of beating Murkett to death. · The man accused of kidnapping Lucy Pohl has been found guilty.accuse somebody of something · Protesters angrily accused the police of violence and intimidation.· A former businessman has gone on trial accused of a two million pound investment fraud.accuse somebody · How can you accuse me without knowing all the facts?
a statement saying that someone has done something bad : make an accusation: · You've made a lot of accusations but you haven't come up with any evidence to support them.accusation against: · A spokesman said the accusations against Mr Fallon would be investigated.accusation of: · There have been accusations of racism in the Los Angeles Police Department.level an accusation against somebody/something formal (=make an accusation): · A number of accusations have been levelled against Hutchinson by his former colleagues.wild accusation (=an accusation made without thinking carefully first): · You shouldn't make any wild accusations if you're not absolutely sure that Wilkins stole the money.
to say publicly that someone has done something bad or illegal, even though this has not been proved - used especially in newspapers and news reports : (allege that): · In a statement to the press, Massey alleged that her husband had planned to kill her.be alleged to have done something: · Taylor is alleged to have used public money to buy expensive presents for her friends.it is alleged that: · It has been alleged that senior officials were involved in a $20 million drugs deal.
a public statement saying that someone has done something bad or illegal, even though this has not been proved: make an allegation: · The newspaper made several allegations, none of which turned out to be true.allegation of: · There were allegations of corruption in the police department.allegation about: · The book contains shocking allegations about the senator's private life.allegation that: · There have been allegations in the press that the fire was started deliberately.serious allegation: · These are serious allegations. Do you have any evidence to support them?deny an allegation (=say it is false): · Weimar denied allegations of financial mismanagement.
to accuse someone of doing something by showing them the proof against them: confront somebody with the evidence/proof etc: · The FBI confronted Schmidt with the evidence of his part in the murder plot.
to say that you think someone is probably responsible for something bad that has happened, although you do not have definite proof: · Someone's lost the letter and the boss is pointing the finger at me.
if you look at, point at, or speak to someone accusingly , you do it in a way that shows you think they have done something bad: · Janet suddenly pointed at me, and everyone looked at me accusingly.· "You did it, Tom," she said accusingly. "I know you didn't mean to, but you did do it."
when someone is officially accused of a crime if the police charge someone, they tell that person that they believe he or she is guilty of a crime, and that the person must appear in court so that it can be proved whether they are guilty or not : charge somebody with murder/theft/assault etc: · The man they arrested last night has been charged with murder.· They're going to charge him with dangerous driving.charge somebody with doing something: · Police have charged a 22-year-old man with robbing two Japanese tourists.be charged: · Twelve people involved in the demonstration have been arrested and charged.
also bring charges British to make an official statement accusing someone of a crime or an offence, so that they will be judged in a court of law: · He's in trouble this time. The police have said they're going to press charges.press charges against: · Curran decided to bring charges against the man who attacked him.· Charges have been brought against the demonstrators.
if the authorities prosecute someone, they try to prove that the person is guilty of a crime in a court of law so that they can be punished: · The shopkeeper is unlikely to prosecute if the stolen goods are returned. · People who give the police false information will be prosecuted.prosecute somebody for something: · Winstanley was prosecuted for criminal damage of property.
to send someone to a court of law where they will be officially accused of a serious crime and will be judged: · Blake was brought to trial and sentenced to seven years in prison.put somebody on trial for something: · A Glasgow girl was put on trial for poisoning her lover.bring somebody to trial for something: · These men were brought to trial for a crime they did not commit.
to officially accuse someone of a crime, so that they will be judged in a court of law - used especially in the American legal system: be indicted: · A leading cocaine trafficker has been indicted by the United States government.indict somebody for something: · He was indicted for perjury before a grand jury.
to officially accuse an important public official or politician of a crime when they are in a position of authority - used especially in the American legal system: · Congress voted to impeach the President, but he resigned before any action was taken.impeach somebody for doing something: · The governor was impeached for accepting bribes.
an official statement accusing someone of a crime an official statement made by the police accusing someone of a crime or an offence: a charge of burglary/theft/fraud etc: · He faces a charge of armed robbery.charge against: · What are the charges against the accused?on a charge British: · He appeared in court on a murder charge.drop (the) charges (=decide to stop accusing someone): · Police have dropped the charges due to lack of evidence.
an official written statement accusing someone of a crime or an offence - used especially in the American legal system: · A 15-page indictment was placed before the panel of judges.· Hancock pleaded not guilty to a federal indictment accusing him of four bombings.
someone who is accused of a crime in a trial especially British the person or group of people who are officially accused of a crime or offence in a court of law: · The witness told the court that she had never seen either of the accused before.· The judge asked the jury if they found the accused guilty or not guilty.· The accused, Dorothy Jackson, was being held in the Tarrant County Jail on a charge of assault.
someone who is officially accused of a crime or offence in a court of law: · The police officer said the defendant had resisted arrest.· Each of the three defendants was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder.
if someone is on trial , they have been accused of a serious crime in a court of law, and the court will judge whether they are guilty: · There were four defendants on trial, all sitting together in a line.be on trial for: · Hollins is on trial for corruption after admitting he accepted bribes.
British if someone is in the dock , they are in a court of law because they have been accused of a crime: · In the dock at Craigavon Crown Court was Richard Ellis (21) who denies the murder.
to have been accused of a crime and be judged in a court of law: · He's been up in court several times before on charges of robbery with violence.· Anyone who's been had up in court will find it more difficult to get a job afterwards, even if they are innocent.· We need to be very careful about how we play this - we don't want to end up in court.
someone who officially tries to prove that someone is guilty the group of lawyers in a court of law who try to prove that the person accused of a crime is guilty: · The prosecution alleged that the men took part in a plot to kill the President.· McFarlane will appear as a witness for the prosecution.
the lawyer who officially accuses someone of a crime or offence in a court of law and tries to prove that they are guilty: · The chief prosecutor told the court that Johnson was guilty of a horrible crime and asked for the maximum sentence.· A special prosecutor was appointed to deal with that particular case.
a government lawyer in the US who works with the police and in the courts on legal cases against people who have been charged with a crime: · the District Attorney's office· Richards was pictured on the front page, shaking the D.A.'s hand.
to blame someone for something to say or think that someone is responsible for something bad that has happened: · It's your idea - don't blame me if it doesn't work.· Everyone wants to blame the referees when their team loses.blame somebody for something: · Democrats have blamed Republicans for the failure to reach an agreement.blame something on somebody/something: · Some of the women blamed their husbands' violence on drinking.blame yourself: · For many years I blamed myself for her death.
especially spoken to say that someone is responsible for something bad that has happened: · Everyone is saying it's my fault, but I didn't have anything to do with it.say it's sb's fault (that): · How can you say it's my fault that you lost your job?
to say who you think is responsible for something bad that has happened, often unfairly or wrongly: · Don't try to put the blame on me!· Subsequent investigations placed the blame squarely on city officials.put/lay the blame for something on somebody/something: · Farmers have laid the blame for their problems entirely on EU policies.
to say that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad: · They're accusing me without any proof.accuse somebody of doing something: · Are you accusing her of lying?· The woman was accused of having beaten her four-year-old daughter.be accused of murder/armed robbery etc: · West has been accused of first-degree murder.
formal to officially say which people are responsible for something bad that has happened: · It is not easy for the Committee of Inquiry to apportion blame in such a complicated case.
to say that it is someone's fault that something bad has happened because you think it was their duty to prevent this from happening: · It's your decision - you can't hold me responsible if it goes wrong.hold sb responsible for: · Alex still holds his mother responsible for the divorce.hold somebody partly/largely/entirely responsible: · The shipment never arrived, and we are holding the freight company entirely responsible.hold somebody personally responsible (=blame one person only): · If anything happens to Donny, I'll hold you personally responsible.
to feel that something is your fault and wish that you had done more to prevent it from happening: · There's no point in reproaching yourself - there's nothing you could have done.reproach yourself for: · He reproached himself for not having called the police sooner.
to become angry at someone who tells you bad news even though they are not responsible for what has happened: · If you don't listen and instead shoot the messenger, you're not going to learn about the problems you need to deal with.
WORD SETSabet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The professor stands accused of (=has been accused of) stealing his student’s ideas and publishing them.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
The professor stands accused of (=has been accused of) stealing his student’s ideas and publishing them.· He accused me of being a liar.
(=say that you think someone murdered a person)· Dillon was accused of both murders.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The boys are also accused of the attempted abduction of another youngster.· Three other female recruits have also accused him of rape.· The authority had also accused him of encouraging homosexuality in his religious education lessons.· Her devotees could assume the form of horses and were also accused of riding men to death on their beds.· His son, who lives in Brafferton Street, Hartlepool, is also accused of attempted murder.· The president also accused former Gen.· They are also accused of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.· Amos Brown, a supervisor, also accuse Graham of failing to fight hard enough against the sin of racism.
· Also patron of childbirth, the falsely accused, midwives, and obstetricians.· It is particularly concerned that assessments should not falsely accuse parents and families on the basis of unproven diagnostic and predictive techniques.· We have been reviled, falsely accused, imprisoned for life.· Once before you falsely accused me, claiming I was the one possessed by Belzebub. 2.· The Gamester also ended tragically when Beverly, a gambler, falsely accused of murder, committed suicide by taking poison.
NOUN· They accuse the authorities of intimidating others to stop them joining their ranks.· They accused the law enforcement authorities of violating their civil rights by, among other things, fabricating evidence.· All too frequently, Conservative Members are wrongly accused of being anti-local authorities.· It would not be fair to accuse the authorities of doing nothing.· Foreign observers also accused the authorities of widespread malpractice.
· According to the indictment, the accused companies paid him about $ 4.2m over 10 years.· The retailers accuse the two credit-card companies of illegally tying their debitcard products to their credit cards.
· But it should apply to the accused too until the crime is proved.· This is not about depriving people accused of crimes of their legitimate rights, including the presumption of innocence.· Two prisoners are accused of a crime.· Weeks later, on July 12, 1986, Hall and her then-husband, Peter, were accused of the crime.· Oh, nobody can accuse me of a crime.· The subjects of the investigation have not been accused of any crimes.· He had not been accused of a crime, yet Curtis Brown spent 10 of his last days in a jail cell.
· Clash looms over air traffic control Many critics of Railtrack accuse it of putting profits above passenger safety.· Some critics have accused these Western pop artists of exploiting Third World traditions in an extension of cultural imperialism.· Q: How do you respond to those critics who accuse the movie of being over-directed?· But critics have accused him of being autocratic and intolerant of dissent.· Walesa's critics had accused him of dangerous populism which threatened political and economic stability.
· There was no disagreement in accusing the National government of callousness and indifference.· Minority voices on both sides will complain and accuse their governments of selling out.· They accused the government, which is led by Hindu nationalists, of caving in to foreign pressure.· The report accused the government of intensifying the violence by resorting to widespread repression.· She accused the Congress government of treating the whole Sikh community as extremists, and authorising untold atrocities.· They accused the government of trying to manipulate the composition of the conference.· AD/M-19 leaders accused the government, in accepting this ruling, of letting political decisions be taken by judges.
· He is accused of involvement in the deaths and disappearance of up to 10,000 people during the war in Kosovo.
· Student leaders accuse him of failing to understand the system.· AD/M-19 leaders accused the government, in accepting this ruling, of letting political decisions be taken by judges.· Union leaders accused the principal of scaremongering in an attempt to wreck today's strike.
· A member of the Princess Royal's team accused the men from the Star of playing out of order.· Her devotees could assume the form of horses and were also accused of riding men to death on their beds.· A third accused man has just died.· He was accused of killing one man in 1988 and another in 1991.· Wilmot, of Waterloo, Liverpool, is jointly accused with another man of stealing a radio cassette player from a car.
· However, Asda accused the Prime Minister of looking for a scapegoat.· He had accused the Minister of the Interior and police chiefs of taking bribes from drug traffickers.
· His son, who lives in Brafferton Street, Hartlepool, is also accused of attempted murder.· He has apparently upset the police by claiming to have an alibi for a teenager accused of murder.· The Gamester also ended tragically when Beverly, a gambler, falsely accused of murder, committed suicide by taking poison.· They are accused of inspiring the murders of secular intellectuals in the 1990s, but they deny this.· Anonymous flyers posted around town have accused him of murder and threatened him with lynching.· Details about a politician accused of murder.· Eddie Griffin plays the unfortunate suit who is falsely accused of murder.
· We hate doing this because it could be handy information in the event the other party ever accuses us of a transgression.· The parties accused de Gaulle of preparing a plebiscite; the General accused them of coveting an irresponsible, omnipotent assembly.
· The family accused the police of being too quick to dismiss the deaths of Errol and Jason McGowan as suicide.· Villagers accused the police of raping the sisters and killing them before quitting the post.
· He tried to impeach Mr Premadasa, accusing the president of corruption.· He accused the president, Alberto Fujimori, of vote-rigging.· But when Eisenhower opposed changes in the law, Durkin resigned and accused the Republican president of a double-cross.
VERB· A mere 18 months ago members of his International Olympic Committee stood accused of taking bribes.· He stands accused of possessing cocaine and marijuana.· No surprise, then, that the airline stands accused of corporate arrogance and customer neglect.· The two officials stand accused of ordering the beatings.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- A mere 18 months ago members of his International Olympic Committee stood accused of taking bribes.
- He stands accused of possessing cocaine and marijuana.
- He stood accused of trying to disguise a crude revenue-raising measure.
- It stands accused of being elitist and inaccessible.
- No surprise, then, that the airline stands accused of corporate arrogance and customer neglect.
- The two officials stand accused of ordering the beatings.
WORD FAMILYnounaccusationthe accusedaccuseradjectiveaccusingverbaccuseadverbaccusingly
to say that you believe someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something badaccuse somebody of (doing) something He was accused of murder. Smith accused her of lying. The professor stands accused of (=has been accused of) stealing his student’s ideas and publishing them.—accuser noun [countable]GRAMMARYou accuse someone of doing something: · They accused him of cheating. ✗Don’t say: accuse someone to do somethingTHESAURUSaccuse to say that you believe that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad: · Two women have been accused of kidnapping a newborn baby.· Are you accusing me of lying?allege /əˈledʒ/ to accuse someone of doing something, although this has not been proved: · He alleged that the other man had attacked him first.charge if the police charge someone, they officially tell that person that they are believed to be guilty of a crime and that they must go to court: · She was charged with murder.indict American English law to officially accuse someone of a crime so that they will be judged in court under the American legal system: · He was indicted on charges of fraud.- Southey, Robert
- South Georgia
- South Glamorgan
- South Island
- South Kensington
- South Korea
- South of France
- South Pacific
- southpaw
- South Pole
- South Sea
- South Sea Bubble
- South Seas
- South Wales
- southward
- southwards
- Southwark
- southwest
- southwesterly
- southwestern
- southwestward
- southwestwards
- South Yorkshire
- souvenir
- sou'wester