ac ‧ cuse W3 /əˈkjuːz/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ accusation , the accused, ↑ accuser ; verb : ↑ accuse ; adverb : ↑ accusingly ; adjective : ↑ accusing ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: acuser , from Latin accusare 'to call someone to explain their actions' , from ad- 'to' + causa 'lawsuit, cause' ]
to say that you believe someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad
accuse somebody of (doing) something
He was accused of murder.
Smith accused her of lying.
The professor stands accused of (=has been accused of) stealing his student’s ideas and publishing them.
—accuser noun [countable]
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THESAURUS
▪ accuse to say that you believe that someone is guilty of a crime or of doing something bad:
Two women have been accused of kidnapping a newborn baby.
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Are you accusing me of lying?
▪ allege /əˈledʒ/ to accuse someone of doing something, although this has not been proved:
He alleged that the other man had attacked him first.
▪ charge if the police charge someone, they officially tell that person that they are believed to be guilty of a crime and that they must go to court:
She was charged with murder.
▪ indict American English law to officially accuse someone of a crime so that they will be judged in court under the American legal system:
He was indicted on charges of fraud.