Etymology From Middle English cryme, crime, from Old French crime, crimne, from Latin crīmen. Displaced native Old English firen.
1
A specific act committed in violation of the law, especially criminal law.
the commission of a crime
The generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT, can be duped into providing detailed advice on how to commit crimes — ranging from money laundering to the export of weapons to sanctioned countries — a tech startup found.2024 October 23, Tricia Escobedo, “AI-generated crimes, a treasure mystery, quick thinking by bus passengers: Catch up on the day’s stories”, in CNN:
2
Any great sin or wickedness; iniquity.
Those methods of saving money should be a crime.
No crime was thine, if 'tis no crime to love.1687 (date written), Alexander Pope, “Ode for Musick on St. Cecilia’s Day”, in The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintot, […], →OCLC, canto VI, page 376:
the tree of life, the crime of our first father's fall1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 46:
4
Criminal acts collectively.
an effort by the police to tackle crime in the city
The State Department has given Ecuador $81 million since 2018 to help the country with its fight against organized crime and narcotics.2025 March 19, Hira Humayun and Michael Rios, “Ecuador’s president invites foreign armies to fight gangs in the country”, in CNN:
Nevertheless, in the course of a few days he is again intoxicated, creates disturbance in his quarters, is confined by his sergeant, crimed, and brought before the commanding officer […]1846, John Mercier McMullen, Camp and Barrack-room, Or, The British Army as it is, page 298:
If, during the 1920s, the master criminal was a gamester, criming for self expression, during the 1930s he performed in other ways for other purposes.1987, Robert Sampson, Yesterday's Faces: From the Dark Side, →ISBN, page 61: