From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishverdictver‧dict /ˈvɜːdɪkt $ ˈvɜːr-/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 SCTan official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime or how a death happened The verdict was ‘not guilty’.2 DECIDEan official decision made by a person or group with authority The players anxiously awaited the verdict of the umpire.3 someone’s opinion about something The audience’s final verdict was encouraging.verdict on What’s your verdict on the movie?give (somebody) your verdict (on something) Trade unionists were quick to give their verdict on the proposals.COLLOCATIONSverbsreach/arrive at a verdict (=agree on a decision)The jury failed to reach a verdict.return/give/announce/deliver a verdict (=officially say what a verdict is)The inquest jury returned a verdict of 'unlawful killing'.record a verdict (=make it and write it in an official record)The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death on all four victims.consider your verdict (=think about what it should be)The jury retired to consider their verdict.overturn a verdict (=officially say that it was wrong)He was convicted of spying, but the verdict was later overturned.uphold a verdict (=officially say that it was right)This verdict was upheld at appeal.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + verdicta unanimous verdict (=when the whole jury agrees)The jury found him guilty by a unanimous verdict.a majority verdict British English (=when most of the jury agrees)They were finding it difficult to reach a majority verdict.a guilty/not guilty verdictThe jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.an open verdict British English (=stating that the facts about someone’s death are not known)The inquest jury recorded an open verdict because of conflicting evidence.phrasesa verdict of guilty/not guiltyThe jury took only twenty minutes to return a verdict of guilty.
Examples from the Corpus
verdict• The judge will hand down a verdict in January, the newspaper reported.• Jurors were unable to reach a verdict after deliberating two hours Friday afternoon.• A second inquest in February returned a verdict of death by misadventure.• The coroner recorded an accident verdict.• The statistical sum of their opinions is not the final verdict on an issue.• a guilty verdict• He denied a further 10 theft and deception offences and not guilty verdicts were recorded.• The jury's not guilty verdict was criticized all over the country.• For some people, fundamentalist Protestants most prominently, the issue likewise has been settled, but with the opposite verdict.• The debate is over and the verdict is in on capital gains taxes.• The foreman read the verdict of guilty fourteen times, one for each defendant.• Then there were allegations that the verdict was fueled by anti-Hispanic racism.• But allow me to move straight on to the verdict on your work.• It took the jury 24 hours of deliberations to reach their verdict.verdict on• What's your verdict on the movie?From Longman Business Dictionaryverdictver‧dict /ˈvɜːdɪktˈvɜːr-/ noun [countable]LAW an official decision made in a court of law or other organization that has authorityIt took 16 hours for the jurors toreach a verdict.A civil court jury in Santa Monica, California issued a split (=divided) verdict Friday in a dispute over debts and expenses.Origin verdict (1200-1300) Anglo-French Old French ver “true” + dit “saying, judgment” 