prosecute
verb/ˈpɹɒsɪkjuːt/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin prōsecūtus, perfect participle of prōsequor. Doublet of pursue, from Old French. Compare also persecute.
1
Law To start criminal proceedings against.
- to prosecute a man for trespass, or for a riot
- To acquit themſelves and proſecute their foes1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 56, line 898:
2
Law To charge, try.
- The Vigilante is prosecuted in Federal Court under a lynch bill and winds up in a Federal Nut House specially designed for the containment of ghosts […]1962 [1959], William S. Burroughs, Naked Lunch, New York: Grove Press, page 8:
3
To seek to obtain by legal process.
- to prosecute a right or a claim in a court of law
4
To pursue something to the end.
- to prosecute a scheme, hope, or an investigation
- I am beloved of beauteous Hermia; / Why should not I, then, prosecute my right?c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
1 more example
- Nor do we believe that a country that prosecuted two wars in China in the 19th century to force the Chinese to accept opium imports has any moral right to lecture Asians on drugs.2022 October 22, “Ministry of Home Affairs' Response to Sir Richard Branson's Blog Post on 10 October 2022”, in Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore):
- Derived terms
- misprosecute, nonprosecuted, overprosecute, prosecutability, prosecutable, prosecutee, prosecution, prosecutive, reprosecute, unprosecuted