prosecution

Universal Words noun 1 [U,C] the process of trying to prove in a court of law that sb is guilty of a crime (= of prosecuting them); the process of being officially charged with a crime in a court of law: Prosecution for a first minor offence rarely leads to imprisonment. * He threatened to bring a private prosecution against the doctor. 2 (the prosecution) [sing.+sing./pl.v.] a person or an organization that prosecutes sb in a court of law, together with the lawyers, etc: He was a witness for the prosecution. * The prosecution has / have failed to prove its / their case. * defence and prosecution * a prosecution lawyer 3 [U] (formal) the act of making sth happen or continue