misdemeanour
Meaning: A minor wrongdoing or offence; historically in law, a less serious criminal offence as opposed to a felony.
In British English, the distinction between misdemeanours and felonies was abolished by the Criminal Law Act 1967, and all offences are now simply classified as criminal offences. However, the word remains in common usage to describe minor infractions or misbehaviour. In American English, misdemeanor (without the 'u') still has formal legal significance as a lesser criminal charge. Common collocations include 'minor misdemeanour,' 'youthful misdemeanour,' and 'charged with a misdemeanour.'
Examples
- The headteacher dismissed the incident as a minor misdemeanour and issued a warning. 校长将该事件视为轻微的不当行为而予以警告处分。El director del centro consideró el incidente una falta menor y emitió una amonestación.校長はその出来事を軽微な違反として扱い、警告を発した。교장은 그 사건을 경미한 위반으로 처리하고 경고를 내렸다.
- His youthful misdemeanours were well documented in the tabloid press. 他年轻时的种种不当行为被小报媒体详尽记录。Sus faltas juveniles quedaron bien documentadas en la prensa sensacionalista.彼の若い頃の不品行はタブロイド紙で詳しく報じられていた。그의 젊은 시절의 비행은 타블로이드 신문에 상세히 보도되었다.
- The distinction between felonies and misdemeanours was abolished in English law in 1967. 英国法律于1967年废除了重罪与轻罪的区分。La distinción entre delitos graves y faltas fue abolida en el derecho inglés en 1967.重罪と軽罪の区別は1967年にイギリス法で廃止された。중죄와 경죄의 구분은 1967년 영국법에서 폐지되었다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: professional, media
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Anglo-French mesdemener (to misbehave), composed of mes- (wrongly, from Latin minus) + demener (to conduct), from Latin de- + minare (to lead). The legal sense developed in the 15th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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