criminal

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

crim·i·nal

(krĭm′ə-nəl)

adj.

1. Of, involving, or having the nature of crime: criminal abuse.

2. Relating to the administration of penal law.

a. Guilty of crime.

b. Characteristic of a criminal.

4. Shameful; disgraceful: a criminal waste of talent.

One that has committed or been legally convicted of a crime.

[Middle English, from Old French criminel, from Late Latin crīminālis, from Latin crīmen, crīmin-, accusation; see crime.]

crim′i·nal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

criminal

(ˈkrɪmɪnəl)

1. (Law) a person charged with and convicted of crime

2. a person who commits crimes for a living

adj

3. (Law) of, involving, or guilty of crime

4. (Law) (prenominal) of or relating to crime or its punishment: criminal court; criminal lawyer.

5. informal senseless or deplorable: a criminal waste of money.

[C15: from Late Latin crīminālis; see crime, -al¹]

ˈcriminally adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

crim•i•nal

(ˈkrɪm ə nl)

adj.

1. of the nature of or involving crime.

2. guilty of crime.

3. dealing with crime or its punishment: a criminal proceeding.

4. senseless; foolish: a criminal waste of food.

5. exorbitant; outrageous: criminal prices.

6. a person convicted of a crime.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French < Late Latin crīminālis= Latin crīmin-, s. of crīmen crime + -ālis -al¹]

crim′i•nal•ly, adv.

syn: See illegal.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	criminal - someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime crook, felon, malefactor, outlaw accessary, accessory - someone who helps another person commit a crime arsonist, firebug, incendiary - a criminal who illegally sets fire to property blackmailer, extortioner, extortionist - a criminal who extorts money from someone by threatening to expose embarrassing information about them bootlegger, moonshiner - someone who makes or sells illegal liquor briber, suborner - someone who pays (or otherwise incites) you to commit a wrongful act coconspirator, conspirator, machinator, plotter - a member of a conspiracy desperado, desperate criminal - a bold outlaw (especially on the American frontier) fugitive from justice, fugitive - someone who is sought by law officers; someone trying to elude justice gangster, mobster - a criminal who is a member of gang highbinder - a corrupt politician highjacker, hijacker - someone who uses force to take over a vehicle (especially an airplane) in order to reach an alternative destination hood, hoodlum, punk, strong-armer, thug, toughie, goon, tough - an aggressive and violent young criminal gaolbird, jail bird, jailbird - a criminal who has been jailed repeatedly abductor, kidnaper, kidnapper, snatcher - someone who unlawfully seizes and detains a victim (usually for ransom) mafioso - a member of the Mafia crime syndicate in the United States gangster's moll, gun moll, moll - the girlfriend of a gangster liquidator, manslayer, murderer - a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being) principal - (criminal law) any person involved in a criminal offense, regardless of whether the person profits from such involvement parolee, probationer - someone released on probation or on parole drug dealer, drug peddler, drug trafficker, peddler, pusher - an unlicensed dealer in illegal drugs racketeer - someone who commits crimes for profit (especially one who obtains money by fraud or extortion) habitual criminal, recidivist, repeater - someone who is repeatedly arrested for criminal behavior (especially for the same criminal behavior) scofflaw - one who habitually ignores the law and does not answer court summonses contrabandist, moon curser, moon-curser, runner, smuggler - someone who imports or exports without paying duties stealer, thief - a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it traitor, treasonist - someone who betrays his country by committing treason law offender, lawbreaker, violator - someone who violates the law
Adj.	1.	criminal - bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure; "a criminal waste of talent"; "a deplorable act of violence"; "adultery is as reprehensible for a husband as for a wife" condemnable, reprehensible, vicious, deplorable wrong - contrary to conscience or morality or law; "it is wrong for the rich to take advantage of the poor"; "cheating is wrong"; "it is wrong to lie"
	2.	criminal - guilty of crime or serious offense; "criminal in the sight of God and man" guilty - responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act; "guilty of murder"; "the guilty person"; "secret guilty deeds"
	3.	criminal - involving or being or having the nature of a crime; "a criminal offense"; "criminal abuse"; "felonious intent" felonious illegal - prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules; "an illegal chess move"

criminal

noun

1. lawbreaker, convict, con (slang), offender, crook (informal), lag (slang), villain, culprit, sinner, delinquent, felon, con man (informal), jailbird, malefactor, evildoer, transgressor, skelm (S. African) He was put in a cell with several hardened criminals.

adjective

1. unlawful, illicit, lawless, wrong, illegal, corrupt, crooked (informal), vicious, immoral, wicked, culpable, under-the-table, villainous, nefarious, iniquitous, indictable, felonious, bent (slang) The entire party cannot be blamed for the criminal actions of a few members.
unlawful right, legal, innocent, honourable, honest, lawful, law-abiding, commendable

2. (Informal) disgraceful, ridiculous, foolish, senseless, scandalous, preposterous, deplorable This project is a criminal waste of time and resources.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

criminal

adjective

Of, involving, or being a crime:

illegal, illegitimate, illicit, lawless, unlawful, wrongful.

noun

One who commits a crime:

lawbreaker, malefactor, offender.

Law: felon.

Translations

إجراميجِنائيجِنائي، غَير قانونيمُجْرِممُجْرم، جانِ

zločinectrestnýtrestuhodnýzločinnýtrestní

kriminelforbryderkriminal-

Verbrecher kriminell strafbar Kriminelle Krimineller

εγκληματίας εγκληματικός απατεώνας

criminal delictivo delincuente

rikollinenrikosoikeudellinenkriminaalilainsuojatonlainvastainen

criminel délinquant escroquerie

kriminalackriminalan

bűnözőbüntetõjogibûnvádivétkes

glæpamaîurglæpsamlegursaknæmur, saka-

criminale criminoso delittuoso malfattore malvivente

犯罪の犯罪者

범인범죄의

crimineel misdadig misdadiger onwettig

forbryter kriminell kriminelt straffbar syndig

przestępca przestępczy kryminalista

criminoso criminal criminosa

infractor

преступный преступник криминальный уголовный

kazenskikaznivkriminalprotizakonit

brottslingkrimimell

เกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรมอาชญากร

suçsuç/cinayet işleyen kimsesuça aitsuçlu yazık

kẻ phạm tộiliên quan đến tội phạm

犯罪的罪犯刑事上的可耻的

criminal

[ˈkrɪmɪnl]

A. N → criminal mf

B. ADJ

1. (Jur) [act, activity, behaviour] → delictivo; [investigation, organization] → criminal; [trial, case] → penal
he had done nothing criminal → no había cometido ningún delito
to bring criminal charges against sb → formular or presentar cargos en contra de algn, entablar un proceso penal contra algn

2. (= shameful) it would be criminal to throw them away → sería un crimen tirarlos
it was a criminal waste of resources → era un crimen desperdiciar recursos así

C. CPD criminal assault N → intento m de violación
criminal code N → código m penal
criminal court N → juzgado m de lo penal
criminal damage N → delito m de daños
criminal intent N → intención f dolosa
Criminal Investigation Department N (Brit) → Brigada f de Investigación Criminal (Sp)
the criminal justice system N → el sistema penal
criminal law N → derecho m penal
criminal lawyer N → penalista mf, abogado/a m/f criminalista
criminal negligence N → negligencia f criminal
criminal record N → antecedentes mpl penales
to have a criminal record → tener antecedentes penales

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

criminal

[ˈkrɪmɪn^əl]

n → criminel(le) m/f

adj

(lit) (connected with crime) [activities, action] → criminel(le); [investigation, trial, prosecution] → criminel(le)
criminal charges → charges fpl
to face criminal charges → être sous le coup d'une inculpation criminal offence

(= serious, wrong) → criminel
it's criminal! → c'est criminel!criminal court n → cour f d'assisesCriminal Investigation Department n (British) → police f judiciaire

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

criminal

n → Straftäter(in) m(f) (form), → Kriminelle(r) mf; (guilty of capital crimes also, fig) → Verbrecher(in) m(f)

adj

→ kriminell, verbrecherisch; action also → strafbar; criminal law → Strafrecht nt; to take criminal proceedings against somebody → strafrechtlich gegen jdn vorgehen; to have a criminal record → vorbestraft sein

(fig) → kriminell; it’s criminal to stay in in this weather → es ist eine Schande, bei diesem Wetter drinnen zu bleiben

criminal

criminal assault

n → Körperverletzung f

criminal charge

n → Anklage f → wegen eines Verbrechens; she faces criminals → sie wird eines Verbrechens angeklagt, sie muss sich vor Gericht wegen eines Verbrechens verantworten

criminal code

n → Strafgesetzbuch nt

criminal court

n → Strafkammer m, → Gericht nt → für Strafsachen

criminal damage

n → strafbare Sachbeschädigung f

Criminal Investigation Department

n (Brit) → Kriminalpolizei f

criminal

criminal negligence

n → grobe Fahrlässigkeit, Fahrlässigkeitsdelikt nt

criminal offence, (US) criminal offense

n → strafbare Handlung

criminal profile

n → Täterprofil nt

Criminal Records Office

n → Kriminaldienststelle f → zur Führung der Verbrecherkartei

criminal responsibility

n → Strafbarkeit f; (= accountability) → Zurechnungsfähigkeit g; age of criminal → Strafmündigkeit f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

criminal

[ˈkrɪmɪnl]

1. n → criminale m/f

2. adj → criminale (fig) → vergognoso/a
criminal lawyer → (avvocato) penalista m/f
to study criminal law → fare studi penalistici
to take criminal proceedings against sb → istruire una causa penale contro qn

crime

(kraim) noun

1. act(s) punishable by law. Murder is a crime; Crime is on the increase.

2. something wrong though not illegal. What a crime to cut down those trees!

criminal (ˈkriminl) adjective

1. concerned with crime. criminal law.

2. against the law. Theft is a criminal offence.

3. very wrong; wicked. a criminal waste of food.

noun

a person who has been found guilty of a crime.

ˈcriminally adverb

criminal

→ مُجْرِم trestný, zločinec kriminel kriminell, Verbrecher εγκληματίας, εγκληματικός delictivo, delincuente rikollinen criminel kriminalac, kriminalan criminale 犯罪の, 犯罪者 범인, 범죄의 crimineel forbryter, kriminell przestępca, przestępczy criminal, criminoso преступник, преступный brottsling, krimimell เกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรม, อาชญากร suç, suçlu kẻ phạm tội, liên quan đến tội phạm 犯罪的, 罪犯

criminal

n. criminal.

References in classic literature ?

The mere silence of the Constitution in regard to civil causes, is represented as an abolition of the trial by jury, and the declamations to which it has afforded a pretext are artfully calculated to induce a persuasion that this pretended abolition is complete and universal, extending not only to every species of civil, but even to criminal causes.

View in context

the pale criminal hath bowed his head: out of his eye speaketh the great contempt.

View in context

The criminal adhered exactly, firmly, and clearly to his statement.

View in context

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

View in context

He then takes the criminal into custody till he hath made satisfaction; but if it be a crime punishable with death he is delivered over to the prosecutor, who may put him to death at his own discretion.

View in context

With the universal adoption of Colour, all distinctions would cease; Regularity would be confused with Irregularity; development would give place to retrogression; the Workman would in a few generations be degraded to the level of the Military, or even the Convict Class; political power would be in the hands of the greatest number, that is to say the Criminal Classes, who were already more numerous than the Workmen, and would soon out-number all the other Classes put together when the usual Compensative Laws of Nature were violated.

View in context

Brower was as courageous a criminal as ever lived to be hanged; that was shown by the conditions of awful personal peril in which he had coolly killed his brother-in-law.

View in context

"The criminal who now sits before the court licking her paws," resumed the Woggle-Bug, "has long desired to unlawfully eat the fat piglet, which was no bigger than a mouse.

View in context

Go to your club, and look at the criminal history of our own time, recorded in the newspapers.

View in context

One day, as he was passing sadly before the criminal Tournelle, he perceived a considerable crowd at one of the gates of the Palais de Justice.

View in context

He inveighed against the injustice of Providence, which would for the sake of one criminal perchance sailing in the ship allow so many innocent persons to perish.

View in context

This was Fix, one of the detectives who had been dispatched from England in search of the bank robber; it was his task to narrowly watch every passenger who arrived at Suez, and to follow up all who seemed to be suspicious characters, or bore a resemblance to the description of the criminal, which he had received two days before from the police headquarters at London.