ver ‧ dict /ˈvɜːdɪkt $ ˈvɜːr-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Anglo-French ; Origin: Old French ver 'true' + dit 'saying, judgment' ]
1 . an official decision made in a court of law, especially about whether someone is guilty of a crime or how a death happened:
The verdict was ‘not guilty’.
2 . an official decision made by a person or group with authority:
The players anxiously awaited the verdict of the umpire.
3 . someone’s opinion about something:
The audience’s final verdict was encouraging.
verdict on
What’s your verdict on the movie?
give (somebody) your verdict (on something)
Trade unionists were quick to give their verdict on the proposals.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ reach/arrive at a verdict (=agree on a decision)
The jury failed to reach a verdict.
▪ return/give/announce/deliver a verdict (=officially say what a verdict is)
The inquest jury returned a verdict of 'unlawful killing'.
▪ record a verdict (=make it and write it in an official record)
The coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death on all four victims.
▪ consider your verdict (=think about what it should be)
The jury retired to consider their verdict.
▪ overturn a verdict (=officially say that it was wrong)
He was convicted of spying, but the verdict was later overturned.
▪ uphold a verdict (=officially say that it was right)
This verdict was upheld at appeal.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + verdict
▪ a unanimous verdict (=when the whole jury agrees)
The jury found him guilty by a unanimous verdict.
▪ a majority verdict British English (=when most of the jury agrees)
They were finding it difficult to reach a majority verdict.
▪ a guilty/not guilty verdict
The jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
▪ an open verdict British English (=stating that the facts about someone’s death are not known)
The inquest jury recorded an open verdict because of conflicting evidence.
■ phrases
▪ a verdict of guilty/not guilty
The jury took only twenty minutes to return a verdict of guilty.
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THESAURUS
■ In a court
▪ defendant the person who is on trial for a crime
▪ the defence British English , the defense American English the lawyers who are working for the defendant
▪ the prosecution the lawyers who are trying to prove that the defendant is guilty
▪ judge the official in charge of a court who decides how criminals should be punished
▪ jury a group of people, usually 12 people, who listen to the facts and decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty
▪ witness someone who describes in a court of law what he or she knows about a crime
▪ testimony a formal statement made in a court of law about a particular situation or action
▪ verdict the decision of the jury as to whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty