actus reus

actus reus

(ˈæktəs ˈreɪəs) n (Law) law a criminal action regarded as a constituent element of a crime, as compared with the state of mind of the perpetrator. Compare mens rea[Latin, literally: guilty act]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

actus reus - activity that transgresses moral or civil law; "he denied any wrongdoing"wrongful conduct, misconduct, wrongdoingactivity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity"brutalisation, brutalization - the activity of treating someone savagely or viciouslyusurpation, encroachment, trespass, violation, intrusion - entry to another's property without right or permissioncivil wrong, tort - (law) any wrongdoing for which an action for damages may be broughtmalversation - misconduct in public officemisbehavior, misbehaviour, misdeed - improper or wicked or immoral behaviordereliction - willful negligencemalfeasance - wrongful conduct by a public officialmisfeasance - doing a proper act in a wrongful or injurious mannermalpractice - a wrongful act that the actor had no right to do; improper professional conduct; "he charged them with electoral malpractices"malpractice - professional wrongdoing that results in injury or damage; "the widow sued his surgeon for malpractice"perversion - the action of perverting something (turning it to a wrong use); "it was a perversion of justice"injury - wrongdoing that violates another's rights and is unjustly inflictedinjury - an act that causes someone or something to receive physical damageinjustice, shabbiness, unfairness, iniquity - an unjust actinfliction - an act causing pain or damageevildoing, transgression - the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle; "the boy was punished for the transgressions of his father"knavery, dishonesty - lack of honesty; acts of lying or cheating or stealingfalsification, misrepresentation - a willful perversion of factschamperty - an unethical agreement between an attorney and client that the attorney would sue and pay the costs of the client's suit in return for a portion of the damages awarded; "soliciting personal injury cases may constitute champerty"criminal maintenance, maintenance - the unauthorized interference in a legal action by a person having no interest in it (as by helping one party with money or otherwise to continue the action) so as to obstruct justice or promote unnecessary litigation or unsettle the peace of the community; "unlike champerty, criminal maintenance does not necessarily involve personal profit"infringement, violation - an act that disregards an agreement or a right; "he claimed a violation of his rights under the Fifth Amendment"