From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishproceedingpro‧ceed‧ing /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/ ●○○ AWL noun 1 → the proceedings2 SCL[countable usually plural] when someone uses a court of law to deal with a legal casebegin/open/take proceedings (against somebody) She has begun divorce proceedings. John is taking legal proceedings against his ex-partner.3 → the proceedingsCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: when someone uses a court of law to deal with a legal caseverbstake/bring proceedingsYou may take proceedings to enforce payment.begin/start proceedings (also institute proceedings formal)They threatened to begin legal proceedings against him.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + proceedingslegal proceedingsHe wanted to avoid the expense and trouble of legal proceedings.criminal proceedingsOne of the businessmen is facing criminal proceedings.civil proceedings (=not relating to a criminal charge)The couple say they will take civil proceedings against the medics for professional misconduct.divorce proceedingsHis wife had threatened to start divorce proceedings.bankruptcy proceedingsShe faced criminal charges in addition to bankruptcy proceedings.
Examples from the Corpus
proceeding• They do apply to applications for interim orders in care proceedings.• Dorset Police said its investigation into the tragedy would look at whether there were any grounds for criminal proceedings.• Supervision orders, but not care orders, may also be made in criminal proceedings and are then subject to different legal requirements.• divorce proceedings.• For hearsay evidence to be admissible in proceedings in the magistrates' court the proceedings have to be family proceedings.• In later proceedings, the validity of this arrest was upheld.• The husband's advisers will also have regard to the advantages of severance whilst matrimonial proceedings are pending.• Brady directs the proceedings at the board meetings.legal proceedings• More evidence of environmental damage is expected to emerge in legal proceedings against Exxon, scheduled for April.• But meanwhile the park has agreed to seek protection orders in consultation with landowners, rather than risking conflict and long legal proceedings.• This broadly relates to communications between lawyer and client either in relation to the giving of legal advice or in contemplation of legal proceedings.• Mr Benquis faces strong political pressure to successfully wrap up both the investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings.• Is it something you should do, or do you lay yourself open to terrible legal proceedings?• How long that takes is entirely a matter for the legal proceedings in Ireland.It's dependent on them.• Then what role did race play in the legal proceedings involving Simpson?• Anonymous accounts could still be held if they related to legal proceedings such as divorce or inheritance. 