prosecute

Universal Words verb 1 ~ sb (for sth / doing sth) to officially charge sb with a crime in a court of law: [VN] The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act. * Trespassers will be prosecuted (= a notice telling people to keep out of a particular area). * [V] The police decided not to prosecute. 2 to be a lawyer in a court of law for a person or an organization that is charging sb with a crime: [V] the prosecuting counsel / lawyer / attorney * James Spencer, prosecuting, claimed that the witness was lying. [also VN] 3 [VN] (formal) to continue taking part in or doing sth: They had overwhelming public support to prosecute the war.