Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense court martials, present participle court martialling, past tense, past participle court martialledlanguage note: The spellings court martialing and court martialed are used in American English; courts martial is also used as a plural form for the noun.
1. variable noun
A court martial is a trial in a military court of a member of the armed forces who is charged with breaking a military law.
He is due to face a court-martial on drugs charges. [+ on]
He was arrested, tried by court martial and shot.
2. verb [usually passive]
If a member of the armed forces is court martialled, he or she is tried in a military court.
I was court-martialled and sentenced to six months in a military prison. [beVERB-ed]
court martial in British English
nounWord forms: pluralcourt martials or courts martial
1.
a military court that tries persons subject to military law
verbcourt-martial, -tials, -tialling, -tialledWord forms: US-tials, -tialing or -tialed
2. (transitive)
to try (a person) by court martial
court-martial in British English
(ˌkɔːtˈmɑːʃəl)
verbWord forms: court-martials, court-martialling, court-martialledWord forms: UScourt-martials, court-martialing or court-martialed(transitive)
military
to try (a person) by court martial
I was court-martialled and sentenced to six months in a military prison.
court-martial in American English
(ˈkɔrtˌmɑrʃəl)
nounWord forms: pluralˈcourts-ˌmartial or ˈcourt-ˌmartials
1.
a court of personnel in the armed forces for the trial of persons accused of breaking military law
see also summary court-martial, special court-martial, general court-martial
2.
a trial by a court-martial
3.
a conviction by a court-martial
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈcourt-ˌmartialed or ˈcourt-ˌmartialled, ˈcourt-ˌmartialing or ˈcourt-ˌmartialling
4.
to try by a court-martial
5.
to convict by a court-martial
Examples of 'court martial' in a sentence
court martial
If proven, he could face a court martial and military prison.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The Army yesterday confirmed three soldiers face a court martial.
The Sun (2011)
He has been charged with desertion and will face a court martial in July.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He faces a court martial, possibly a life sentence.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
She also refused to comment on reports that he will not face court martial or any other punishment for the publication of the files.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The sentry, who faces a court martial, was not on board.
The Sun (2008)
Mutiny has become such a problem that 70% of commanders in the northeast now face court martial, he wrote.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
At his court-martial he'd been called a disgrace to his country.
MacNeill, Alastair CODE BREAKER (2001)
`This garbage will be killed, and then you will return with me and face a court-martial for desertion.
Forrest, Roberta WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM (2001)
In other languages
court martial
British English: court martial NOUN
A court martial is a trial in a military court of a member of the armed forces who is charged with breaking a military law.
Six sailors who worked as prison guards are facing court martials on charges of abusing detainees.
American English: court martial
Brazilian Portuguese: corte marcial
Chinese: 军事法庭的审判
European Spanish: consejo de guerra
French: cour martiale
German: Militärgericht
Italian: corte marziale
Japanese: 軍法会議
Korean: 군법 회의
European Portuguese: tribunal marcial
Latin American Spanish: consejo de guerra
British English: court martial VERB
If a member of the armed forces is court martialled, he or she is tried in a military court.
I was court-martialled and sentenced to six months in a military prison.
American English: court martial
Brazilian Portuguese: submeter à corte marcial
Chinese: 接受军事法庭的审判
European Spanish: someter a un consejo de guerra
French: passer en cour martialeN
German: vor ein Militärgericht stellen
Italian: chiamare a comparire davanti alla corte marziale
Japanese: 軍法会議にかける
Korean: 군법 회의에 회부하다
European Portuguese: submeter a tribunal marcial
Latin American Spanish: someter a un consejo de guerra