convict Definition
- 1a person found guilty of a criminal offense and serving a sentence of imprisonment
- 2declare (someone) to be guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict of a jury or the decision of a judge in a court of law
Using convict: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "convict" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Example
The jury convicted him on all charges.
Example
She is a convict serving time for drug trafficking.
Example
The police were able to convict the thief with DNA evidence.
convict Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using convict
a hard-bitten convict
a tough, experienced criminal who has spent a long time in prison
Example
He looked like a hard-bitten convict, with tattoos covering his arms and scars on his face.
a mindset characterized by a belief that one is always being persecuted or unfairly treated
Example
He has a convict mentality and always thinks that people are out to get him.
a jailhouse lawyer/convict
a prisoner who has become knowledgeable about the law and helps other prisoners with legal issues
Example
He became a jailhouse lawyer after spending years in prison and helped many other convicts with their cases.
Phrases with convict
Example
The court convicted him of theft.
Example
Australia was originally established as a convict colony.
Example
His convict record showed that he had been in and out of jail for most of his life.
Origins of convict
from Latin 'convictus', meaning 'proved, convicted'
Summary: convict in Brief
The term 'convict' [kənˈvɪkt] refers to a person found guilty of a criminal offense and serving a sentence of imprisonment. It can also mean to declare someone guilty of a crime. The term extends into phrases like 'convict someone of something,' and idioms like 'a hard-bitten convict,' denoting a tough, experienced criminal, and 'a convict mentality,' referring to a mindset characterized by a belief that one is always being persecuted or unfairly treated.