CRIMES
Noun
crimes
plural of crime
Anagrams
• mercis
Source: Wiktionary
CRIME
Crime (krm), n.Etym: [F. crime, fr. L. crimen judicial decision, that
which is subjected to such a decision, charge, fault, crime, fr. the
root of cernere to decide judicially. See Certain.]
1. Any violation of law, either divine or human; an omission of a
duty commanded, or the commission of an act forbidden by law.
2. Gross violation of human law, in distinction from a misdemeanor or
trespass, or other slight offense. Hence, also, any aggravated
offense against morality or the public welfare; any outrage or great
wrong. "To part error from crime." Tennyson.
Note: Crimes, in the English common law, are grave offenses which
were originally capitally punished (murder, rape, robbery, arson,
burglary, and larceny), as distinguished from misdemeanors, which are
offenses of a lighter grade. See Misdemeanors.
3. Any great wickedness or sin; iniguity.
Nocrime was thine, if 'tis no crime to love. Pope.
4. That which occasion crime. [Obs.]
The tree of life, the crime of our first father's fall. Spenser.
Capital crime, a crime punishable with death.
Syn.
– Sin; vice; iniquity; wrong.
– Crime, Sin,Vice. Sin is the generic term, embracing wickedness of
every kind, but specifically denoting an offense as committed against
God. Crime is strictly a violation of law either human or divine; but
in present usage the term is commonly applied to actions contrary to
the laws of the State. Vice is more distinctively that which springs
from the inordinate indulgence of the natural appetites, which are in
themselves innocent. Thus intemperance, unchastity, duplicity, etc.,
are vices; while murder, forgery, etc., which spring from the
indulgence of selfish passions, are crimes.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition