Dictionary

indict en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪnˈdaɪt/ (UK, US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English enditen, endyten (“to accuse”), from Old French enditer (“to dictate, indite”), from Late Latin indictāre, frequentative of Latin indicere (“to proclaim”), from in- + dicere (“to say”), or from in- + dictāre (“to say often, to dictate”). Doublet of indite. The irregular spelling is due to the word having been borrowed into Middle English from Old French, and not from Latin as was the case with most other descendants of dictāre (but see dight). The borrowed /iː/ regularly shifted to /aɪ/ in the course of the Great Vowel Shift; the ⟨c⟩ represents a later attempt at graphic Latinisation.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To accuse of wrongdoing; charge.
   • Co-writer Jonathan Keasey has said the film will aim to indict “our nonstop, 24-7 media cycle that convicts and ruins the lives of so many people without any due process”. 2023 September 29, Benjamin Lee, quoting Jonathan Keasey, “OceanGate Titan sub disaster movie in the offing”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
   • a book that indicts modern values
2. (transitive) To make a formal accusation or indictment for a crime against (a party) by the findings of a jury, especially a grand jury.
   • his former manager was indicted for fraud
   • Having been indicted by the U.S. government for violating the anti-Serbian sanctions, Bobby blamed Jews and the N.Y. Times, "which is controlled by rich Jews." 1991, Wilmot Robertson (contributor), Instauration, volumes 17-18, page 28:
   • “Now, let’s consider what our competition did in the same six-week period,” wrote Betsy Ankney, Haley’s campaign manager. “Donald Trump had a good Q1, if you count being indicted as ‘good.'" 2023 April 11 [2023 April 10], Sarah Elbeshbishi, quoting Betsy Ankney, “Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley slams Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis in campaign letter”, in USA Today, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 12 Apr 2023:

Forms

Deriveds

indicter · indictable · unindicted · indict a ham sandwich · indictor · indictee · reindict · indictability · indictment

Relateds

indite · indictive · endict · induct

Synonyms

incriminate · inculpate · accuse · indict · becry · have up · accriminate · criminate · appeach · inculpate · tax · charge · arraign · charge · arraign

Translations (58)

ru обвиня́ть (to accuse of wrongdoing) · hu vádat emel (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · fa متهم کردن (to accuse of wrongdoing) · pl oskarżyć (to accuse of wrongdoing) · ka ბრალს წაუყენებს (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ru осуди́ть (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ka ბრალს უყენებს (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · gl acusar (to accuse of wrongdoing) · gl inculpar (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · gl acusar (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · hu vádol (to accuse of wrongdoing) · pt indiciar (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · sv angripa (to accuse of wrongdoing) · bg предявявам обвинение (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · eo akuzi (to accuse of wrongdoing) · sv åtala (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · sv anklaga (to accuse of wrongdoing) · ca inculpar (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · la crīminō (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ka ბრალს სდებს (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · pl oskarżać (to accuse of wrongdoing) · pt acusar (to accuse of wrongdoing) · sh optužiti (to accuse of wrongdoing) · ru обвини́ть (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · fi syyttää (to accuse of wrongdoing) · cs obžalovat (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ka ადანაშაულებს (to accuse of wrongdoing) · ga díotáil (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · cy ditio (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · nl beschuldigen (to accuse of wrongdoing) · ca acusar (to accuse of wrongdoing) · de beschuldigen (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ko 기소하다 (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · es sindicar (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ru обвиня́ть (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · cy cyhuddo (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ka დაადანაშაულებს (to accuse of wrongdoing) · cs obvinit (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · it accusare (to accuse of wrongdoing) · la accuso (to accuse of wrongdoing) · fi syyttää (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · cs obviňovat (to accuse of wrongdoing) · de beschuldigen (to accuse of wrongdoing) · ru осужда́ть (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · cmn 起訴 /起诉 (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · it incriminare (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · nl aanklagen (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ru обвини́ть (to accuse of wrongdoing) · cs obvinit (to accuse of wrongdoing) · de anklagen (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · hu megvádol (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · cmn 控告 (to accuse of wrongdoing) · pt acusar (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ja 起訴する (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · ka ბრალს დასდებს (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · fr inculper (to make a formal accusation or indictment) · fr accuser (to accuse of wrongdoing) · sv beskylla (to accuse of wrongdoing)