Longman Dictionary English

Explore Crime Topic
Word family noun crime criminal criminologist criminology adjective criminal incriminating verb incriminate criminalize ≠ decriminalize adverb criminally
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Related topics: Crime, Crime & law
crimecrime /kraɪm/ ●●● S2 W2 noun 1 CRIME IN GENERAL[uncountable]SCC illegal activities in general We moved here because there was very little crime. Police officers are being given new powers to help combat crime. a police crackdown on car crime a town with a relatively low crime rateGrammarDon’t use ‘the crime’ when talking about illegal activities in general. You say: Crime has increased dramatically. ✗Don’t say: The crime has increased dramatically. 2 A PARTICULAR CRIME[countable]SCC an illegal action, which can be punished by law He insisted that he had not committed any crime. men who have been found guilty of violent crimescrime against Crimes against the elderly are becoming more common. Police are still busy hunting for clues at the scene of the crime (=where the crime happened).3 → a life of crime4 → the perfect crime5 → crime of passion6 → crime against humanity7 → crime doesn’t pay8 [singular] something that someone is blamed or criticized for doing – use this when you think someone is treated very unfairly → sin My only crime is that I fell in love with another girl. Johnson’s biggest crime was that he told the truth.9 → it’s a crimeCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbscommit (a) crimeMost crime is committed by young men.carry out a crimeThe boy admitted that he’d carried out the crime.fight/combat/tackle crimeThere are a number of ways in which the public can help the police to fight crime.beat crimenew measures to beat car crimeturn to crime (=start committing crimes)Youngsters who are bored sometimes turn to crime.solve a crimeIt took ten years for the police to solve the crime.report a crimeI immediately telephoned the police to report the crime.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + crime(a) serious crimeKidnapping is a very serious crime.(a) violent crimeFigures show a 19% rise in violent crime.a terrible/horrific crime (also a dreadful crime British English)What made him commit such a terrible crime?petty crime (=crime that is not very serious)Immigrants were blamed for the increase in petty crime.juvenile/youth crime (=committed by children and teenagers)Police blame gangs for a third of all juvenile crime in the city.an alleged crime (=not proved to have happened)No evidence of the alleged crime was presented.organized crime (=committed by large organizations of criminals)the growing threats of terrorism and organized crimecar crime British English (=stealing cars)the battle against car crimestreet crime (=crimes such as robbery committed on the streets)There will be new measures to tackle street crime.corporate crime (=involving businesses)Those responsible for corporate crime often escape punishment.property crime (=stealing from or damaging property)theft and other property crimecomputer crime (=committed using computers)It is usually companies that are the victims of computer crime.war crimes (=serious crimes committed during a war)a sex crime (=in which someone is sexually attacked)a hate crime (=committed against someone because of their race, religion etc)a capital crime American English (=a crime such as murder, for which the criminal can be killed)phrasesa victim of crimeVictims of crime do not always report the offence.a crackdown on crime (=strong action to fight crime)The government has promised a crackdown on crime.the scene of the crime (also the crime scene) (=the place where a crime has happened)Detectives were already at the scene of the crime.be tough on crime (=punish crime severely )Politicians want to appear tough on crime.be soft on crime (=not punish crime severely enough)He accused the government of being soft on crime.crime + NOUNa crime wave (=a sudden increase in crime in an area)Larger cities have been the worst hit by the crime wave.a crime spree (=when one person commits a lot of crimes in a short time)He was arrested after a two-day crime spree.crime preventionThe police can give you advice on crime prevention.the crime rateThe crime rate has gone up.crime figures/statisticsThe new crime figures are not good.a crime syndicate American English (=an organization of criminals)Women found themselves trapped by crime syndicates into prostitution.a crime writer (=someone who writes stories about crimes, especially murder)COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘do a crime’. Say commit a crime or carry out a crime. THESAURUSillegal actionscrime noun [countable, uncountable] an illegal action or activity, or these actions in generalThe police need the public’s help to solve crimes.Crime is on the increase.It was a horrific crime.offence British English, offense American English noun [countable] a crime, especially one that has a particular description and name in lawIt is an offence to drive while using a mobile phone.a minor offence (=one that is not serious)a serious offencea parking offencemisdemeanor noun [countable] American English law a crime that is not very seriousThey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and were fined.felony noun [countable, uncountable] especially American English law a serious crimeFewer than 25 percent of the people arrested on felony charges are convicted.He committed a series of violent felonies. crimes of stealingrobbery noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of stealing from a bank, shop etcOver £100,000 was stolen in the robbery.The gang carried out a string of daring robberies.burglary noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of breaking into someone’s home in order to steal thingsThere have been several burglaries in our area. theft noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of stealing somethingCar theft is a big problem.thefts of credit cardsshoplifting noun [uncountable] the crime of taking things from shops without paying for themThey get money for drugs from shoplifting.fraud noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of getting money from people by tricking themHe’s been charged with tax fraud.credit card fraudlarceny noun [uncountable] especially American English law the crime of stealing somethingHe was found guilty of larceny.phishing noun [uncountable] the activity of tricking people into giving their personal details, bank numbers etc on the Internet, in order to steal money from themOne in four computer users reports that they have been hit by phishing attempts.violent crimesassault noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of physically attacking someoneHe was arrested for an assault on a policeman.mugging noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of attacking and robbing someone in a public placeMuggings usually happen at night.murder noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of deliberately killing someoneHe is accused of the murder of five women.homicide noun [countable, uncountable] especially American English law murderHomicide rates are rising fastest amongst teenagers.rape noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of forcing someone to have sexIn most cases of rape, the victim knows her attacker.crimes against propertyarson noun [uncountable] the crime of deliberately setting fire to a buildingThe school was completely destroyed in an arson attack.vandalism noun [uncountable] the crime of deliberately damaging things, especially public propertyHe often got into fights and committed acts of vandalism.
Examples from the Corpus
crime• Crime is a complex social problem with no single cause or solution.• The cops believe they have both participated in an alleged crime and wish to get one or both to give evidence.• He called for making payment delinquency a felony crime in some cases.• The agency also recently hosted a meeting of prefectural police to coordinate investigations into crimes tied to the bad loans.• Compared to most cities, Cedar Rapids has very little crime.• The number of crimes reported in the New York City area has decreased dramatically over the last ten years.• the growing problem of crime in the inner cities• Reynolds became involved in petty crime at a very young age.• Not surprisingly, the police say that 50% of serious crimes are drug-related.• Increasing the number of patrol cars on the street has not had any effect on the level of serious crime.• He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for rape and other sexual crimes against women.• The police would let him use their files because he usually brought back good tips from the crime underworld.• For everyone there is a problem in understanding the nature of the crime when no motive can be identified.• The demonstrators called on the governor to make solving the crime a priority.• Investigators believe that the crime was committed at around 7.30 p.m.• In his past, however, there is an unsolved crime that continues to torment him.• Violent crime increased by 11% last year.crime against• Crimes against the elderly are becoming more common.biggest crime• The biggest crime was Oxford's defeat at Tranmere.From Longman Business Dictionarycrimecrime /kraɪm/ nounLAW1[countable] a dishonest or immoral action that can be punished by lawInsider trading is a crime here and in the U.S.2[uncountable] illegal activities in generalWe moved here ten years ago because there was very little crime. → white-collar crimeOrigin crime (1200-1300) Latin crimen “judgment, accusation, crime”
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