Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To initiate or conduct a criminal case against.
  • intransitive verb To initiate or conduct (a civil case or legal action).
  • intransitive verb To initiate or conduct legal proceedings regarding (an offense, for example).
  • intransitive verb To pursue (an undertaking, for example) until completion; continue to the very end.
  • intransitive verb To carry on, engage in, or practice (an occupation or business).
  • intransitive verb To chase or pursue (a vessel).
  • intransitive verb To initiate or conduct legal proceedings.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To follow up; pursue with a view to attain or obtain; continue endeavors to accomplish or complete; pursue with continued purpose; carry on; follow up: as, to prosecute a scheme; to prosecute an undertaking.
  • In law: To seek to obtain by legal process: as, to prosecute a claim in a court of law.
  • To arraign before a court of justice for some crime or wrong; pursue for redress or punishment before a legal tribunal: as, to prosecute a man for trespass or for fraud.
  • To proceed against or pursue by law: said of crimes.
  • Synonyms To follow out, persevere in.—2 . To arraign.
  • To carry on a legal prosecution; act as a prosecutor before a legal tribunal.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To follow or pursue with a view to reach, execute, or accomplish; to endeavor to obtain or complete; to carry on; to continue.
  • transitive verb To seek to obtain by legal process.
  • transitive verb (Law) To pursue with the intention of punishing; to accuse of some crime or breach of law, or to pursue for redress or punishment, before a legal tribunal; to proceed against judicially.
  • intransitive verb obsolete To follow after.
  • intransitive verb (Law) To institute and carry on a legal prosecution.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive, law To start civil or criminal proceedings against.
  • verb transitive, law To charge, try.
  • verb transitive To pursue something to the end.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
  • verb bring a criminal action against (in a trial)
  • verb conduct a prosecution in a court of law

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English prosecuten, from Latin prōsequī, prōsecūt- : prō-, forward; see pro– + sequī, to follow; see sekw- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin prōsecūtus, perfect participle of prōsequor. Compare persecute.

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Examples

  • A good and proper result from the courts for a change, the CPS decision to prosecute is at best very suspect. on March 31, 2010 at 8: 38 pm RD

    G20 police assault verdict SHOCK! « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010

  • Now you want to say that the decision to prosecute is Holder's decision, and his alone.

    Cheney wrong on interrogation inquiry facts, Obama official says 2009

  • Now, America sees all the more glaringly your integrity faults ... and once you're out of the nomination race and the courts can once again prosecute you ... we'll see it even further.

    Clinton reviewing 'options' - but says superdelegates could shift 2008

  • Now, America sees all the more glaringly your integrity faults … and once you're out of the nomination race and the courts can once again prosecute you … we'll see it even further.

    Vilsack says it's over 2008

  • As I pointed out, the decision to prosecute is independent of the decision to compel testimony (the North case notwithstanding; there they screwed the process up).

    Balkinization 2007

  • As I pointed out, the decision to prosecute is independent of the decision to compel testimony (the North case notwithstanding; there they screwed the process up).

    Balkinization 2007

  • As I pointed out, the decision to prosecute is independent of the decision to compel testimony (the North case notwithstanding; there they screwed the process up).

    Balkinization 2007

  • As I pointed out, the decision to prosecute is independent of the decision to compel testimony (the North case notwithstanding; there they screwed the process up).

    Balkinization 2007

  • As I pointed out, the decision to prosecute is independent of the decision to compel testimony (the North case notwithstanding; there they screwed the process up).

    Balkinization 2007

  • As I pointed out, the decision to prosecute is independent of the decision to compel testimony (the North case notwithstanding; there they screwed the process up).

    Balkinization 2007

Comments

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  • "We can pass all the laws we think are necessary to protect people, but if no one will prosecute them they are useless."

    July 2, 2015