Cool and contemporary vocab - crime
We’ve collected some typical words, collocations and phrasal verbs on Crime so that you can add them to your collection. The more expressions you know, the more precisely you can express your ideas and opinions and the less chance you have of repeating yourself or wasting time trying to think of the exact words.
Vocabulary
- an altercation
meaning = a serious argument or fight
example = The police were notified of a violent altercation outside a nightclub.
- GBH (grievous bodily harm)
meaning = serious physical injury
example = The man was arrested for and jailed for committing GBH against his friend.
- a fatal stabbing / shooting
meaning = when someone is stabbed with a knife or shot with a gun and dies
example = There were 5 fatal stabbings before the perpetrator was finally apprehended by police.
- to charge someone with a crime / to get/be charged
meaning = when the police officially accuse someone of committing a crime
example = The police charged her with theft.
- to drop the charge(s)
meaning = when the police cancel their claim that a person has committed a crime
example = All the charges against the politician were dropped due to lack of evidence.
- to be (held) in custody
meaning = when someone is kept in prison until they go to court for a trial
example = The suspect is still in custody awaiting trial.
- bail / to bail someone out
meaning = money paid to the court to release someone from prison/custody until their trial
example = Her parents paid her bail money so she could go home until the court case.
- to skip bail
meaning = when the offender fails to return to court for the trial
example = He skipped bail and the police have now begun a major manhunt to try and find him.
- to go/be on the run
meaning = when a suspected criminal or a prisoner escapes and tries to avoid getting caught
example = The armed robbers managed to escape and have been on the run for 2 weeks.
- to convict someone / to be/get convicted
meaning = when someone is found guilty of a crime
example = The woman was convicted of 3 cases of fraud and 2 cases of theft.
- to sentence someone / to be/get sentenced
meaning = when an offender is told by the judge what his/her punishment will be
example = Both women were sentenced to 6 years in prison.
- to serve a sentence
meaning = to spend a fixed number of months/years in prison
example = Both men are serving a life sentence for murder.
- to be (released / let out) on parole
meaning = when someone is allowed to leave prison before the official time if they obey special rules
example = After 4 years in prison, he was let out on parole for good behaviour.
Phrasal verbs
- to beat someone up / to be beaten up
meaning = to hit and/or kick another person several times causing serious injury
example = The young guy was badly beaten up by the gang who stole his wallet.
- to let someone off / to get/be let off
meaning = when the police or a judge decides not to charge/punish the offender
example = Because it was his first offence, the police let him off with a warning.
- to get/be banged up / put inside (informal)
meaning = to be put in prison/jail
example = Convicted of murder, he was banged up for 20 years.
- to get away with something
meaning = when someone commits an offence but doesn’t get caught/sentenced
example = Everyone believed she was guilty but they couldn’t prove it so she got away with it.
- to give/pay back
meaning = to return stolen goods or money
example = The judge ordered the burglars to give back everything they had stolen.
