(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is an illegal action or activity for which a person can be punished by law.
He and Lieutenant Cassidy were checking the scene of the ~...
Mr Steele has committed no ~ and poses no danger to the public...
We need a positive programme of ~ prevention.
N-VAR
2.
If you say that doing something is a ~, you think it is very wrong or a serious mistake.
It would be a ~ to travel all the way to Australia and not stop in Sydney.
= sin
N-COUNT: usu sing, oft it v-link N to-inf disapproval