| n. | 1. | The act or process of prosecuting, or of endeavoring to gain or accomplish something; pursuit by efforts of body or mind; |
| 2. | (Law) The institution and carrying on of a suit in a court of law or equity, to obtain some right, or to redress and punish some wrong; the carrying on of a judicial proceeding in behalf of a complaining party, as distinguished from defense. |
| Noun | 1. | prosecution - the institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior Synonyms: criminal prosecution |
| 2. | prosecution - the lawyers acting for the state to put the case against the defendant Antonyms: defense lawyers, defense team, defence, defense - the defendant and his legal advisors collectively; "the defense called for a mistrial" | |
| 3. | prosecution - the continuance of something begun with a view to its completion Synonyms: pursuance |
PROSECUTION, crim. law. The means adopted to bring a supposed offender to
justice and punishment by due course of law.
2. Prosecutions are carried on in the name of the government, and have
for their principal object the security and happiness of the people in
general. Hawk. B. 2, c. 25, s. 3; Bac. Ab. Indictment, A 3.
3. The modes most usually employed to carry them on, are by indictment;
1 Chit. Cr. Law, 132; presentment of a grand jury; Ibid. 133; coroner's
inquest; Ibid. 134; and by an information. Vide Merl. Repert. mot
Accusation.