accuse

ac·cuse

verb \ə-ˈkyüz\

ac·cusedac·cus·ing

Definition of ACCUSE

transitive verb

1

: to charge with a fault or offense : blame

2

: to charge with an offense judicially or by a public process

intransitive verb

: to bring an accusation

— ac·cus·er \ə-ˈkyü-zər\ noun

— ac·cus·ing·ly \-ˈkyü-ziŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of ACCUSE

1. <she was accused of lying on the employment application>

Origin of ACCUSE

Middle English, from Anglo-French accuser, from Latin accusare to call to account, from ad- + causa lawsuit

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ACCUSE

Synonyms: charge, criminate, defame [archaic], impeach, incriminate, indict

Antonyms: absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, exonerate, vindicate

Related Words: blame, call (on), castigate, censure, condemn, criticize, damn, denounce, fault, impugn, reproach, reprobate; chide, rebuke, reprove, tax; appeal, arraign, book, cite, summon; prosecute, sue, try; frame, implicate, inculpate, inform (against), name, report; recriminate, retaliate

Near Antonyms: advocate, champion, defend; excuse, forgive, justify, pardon, remit, shrive

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Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

Rhymes with ACCUSE

abuse, amuse, Andrews, bad news, bemuse, berceuse, chanteuse, charmeuse, chartreuse, coiffeuse, confuse, contuse, danseuse, defuse, diffuse, diseuse, disuse, effuse, enthuse, excuse, ill-use, incuse, infuse, masseuse, misuse, perfuse, peruse, recluse, recuse, refuse, reuse, short fuse, suffuse, Toulouse, transfuse, vendeuse