From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishaccuseac‧cuse /əˈkjuːz/ ●●○ W3 verb [transitive] SCCACCUSEto say that you believe someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something badaccuse somebody of (doing) something He was accused of murder. Smith accused her of lying. The professor stands accused of (=has been accused of) stealing his student’s ideas and publishing them. —accuser noun [countable]GrammarYou accuse someone of doing something: They accused him of cheating. ✗Don’t say: accuse someone to do somethingTHESAURUSaccuse to say that you believe that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something badTwo women have been accused of kidnapping a newborn baby.Are you accusing me of lying?allege /əˈledʒ/ to accuse someone of doing something, although this has not been provedHe alleged that the other man had attacked him first.charge if the police charge someone, they officially tell that person that they are believed to be guilty of a crime and that they must go to courtShe was charged with murder.indict American English law to officially accuse someone of a crime so that they will be judged in court under the American legal systemHe was indicted on charges of fraud. → See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
accuse• Such considerations affect the way the courts decide on what sentence to pass on the accused.• The commission, which accused both sides of atrocities, has been criticised from left and right.• Are you accusing her of lying?• Ramaphosa's own transformation into a tycoon has disappointed some blacks, who accuse him of desertion.• A: Nobody ever accuses Hollywood of making historically accurate films.• They're accusing me without any proof.• How can you accuse me without knowing all the facts?• A former businessman has gone on trial accused of a two million pound investment fraud.• West has been accused of first-degree murder.• The woman was accused of having beaten her four-year-old daughter.• The man accused of kidnapping Lucy Pohl has been found guilty.• To be actually accused point blank by an outraged husband!• Human rights lawyers have accused the police of beating Murkett to death.• Protesters angrily accused the police of violence and intimidation.accuse somebody of (doing) something• What does a wife ever accuse a husband of?• Race row flares again: Minister accuses Lib Dems of attacking black Tory.• Let no one accuse us of idle posturing.• Dole accused Clinton of improperly claiming credit for a number of measures of national economic health.• Government officials accused the rebels of intimidating voters.• Are you accusing me of lying?• He's accused of murder.• Congress has accused certain agencies of neglecting the issue.• Friends of the Earth accused the government of retreating from a firmly-stated commitment to identify contaminated land.• His slide work caused many to accuse him of using an easier-to-use valve trombone.Origin accuse (1400-1500) Old French acuser, from Latin accusare “to call someone to explain their actions”, from ad- “to” + causa “lawsuit, cause” 