/ ˈprɒsɪkjuːt; NAmE ˈprɑːs-/ verb
1.
prosecute (sb) (for sth / doing sth) to officially charge sb with a crime in court :
[ vn ]
The company was prosecuted for breaching the Health and Safety Act.
Trespassers will be prosecuted (= a notice telling people to keep out of a particular area) .
[ v ]
The police decided not to prosecute.
2.
to be a lawyer in a court case for a person or an organization that is charging sb with a crime :
[ v ]
the prosecuting counsel / lawyer / attorney
James Spencer, prosecuting, claimed that the witness was lying.
[also vn ]
3.
[ vn ] ( formal ) to continue taking part in or doing sth :
They had overwhelming public support to prosecute the war.
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in sense 3): from Latin prosecut- pursued, accompanied, from the verb prosequi , from pro- onward + sequi follow.