indictment

indictment — 名詞

1. A spoken or written attack that accuses a person, organization, or idea of being

1.名詞B2
釋義

譴責

嚴厲批評某人或某事的言論

A spoken or written attack that accuses a person, organization, or idea of being seriously flawed or morally wrong.

例句

The senator's speech was a powerful indictment of the government's climate inaction.

這位參議員的演說對政府在氣候問題上的無所作為提出了強烈的譴責。

indictment of [target] — pattern for directing criticism

Tariro's report on the factory conditions was a damning indictment of the entire industry.

Tariro 關於工廠狀況的報告是對整個產業的嚴厲譴責。

damning indictment — strong adjective collocation

同義詞
  • condemnation

    stronger and more moralistic; used for outright rejection rather than reasoned critique

  • denunciation

    more public and formal; implies a dramatic, often angry rejection

  • criticism

    broader and milder; can be everyday disapproval without the force of an indictment

  • censure

    formal disapproval from an authority such as a committee or governing body

反義詞

文法句型

indictment + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Often followed by of + noun phrase naming the target of criticism. Frequently used with strong adjectives (damning, scathing, harsh, powerful).

常見錯誤

❌He wrote an indictment against the new policy.
✅He wrote a strong indictment of the new policy.
💡The noun indictment typically takes of, not 'against', when referring to criticism.

2. A condition or situation that clearly shows how badly flawed a system, instituti

2.名詞B2
釋義

控訴

顯示制度或社會極度敗壞的事實

A condition or situation that clearly shows how badly flawed a system, institution, or set of beliefs really is.

例句

The high unemployment rate is a clear indictment of the city's economic policies.

高失業率是對該市經濟政策的明顯控訴。

be an indictment of [system] — identifying evidence of failure

For Sofia, the empty classrooms were an indictment of how little the board valued education.

對 Sofia 而言，空蕩蕩的教室是對學區教育不重視的控訴。

同義詞
  • condemnation

    can also be a sign of failure, but more often refers to a verbal judgment

  • reflection

    softer and neutral; does not carry the same force of moral judgment

  • testimony

    can be positive or negative; implies evidence rather than accusation

反義詞

文法句型

be an indictment of + noun phrase

用法筆記

This sense does NOT describe a verbal attack — instead, the situation itself is the evidence of failure. The pattern is almost always be an indictment of + noun phrase or stand as an indictment of + noun phrase.

常見錯誤

❌The empty buildings were an indictment against the developer.
✅The empty buildings were a stark indictment of the developer's poor planning.
💡Use of, not 'against', when something is a sign of failure.

3. A formal charging document prepared through a grand jury proceeding, which accus

3.名詞C1
釋義

起訴書

大陪審團簽發的正式刑事指控文件

A formal charging document prepared through a grand jury proceeding, which accuses someone of a serious crime and allows the case to proceed to trial.

例句

The grand jury returned an indictment against the former executive on fraud charges.

大陪審團對這名前高階主管做出了詐欺罪的起訴書。

return an indictment — standard legal collocation

Jude's lawyer studied every line of the indictment before the hearing began.

Jude 的律師在開庭前仔細研究了起訴書的每一行內容。

同義詞
  • charge

    broader term; can be any formal accusation, not necessarily from a grand jury

  • accusation

    informal and general; does not carry the same legal weight

  • information

    a prosecutor's charging document used without a grand jury in some US jurisdictions

文法句型

indictment + against + person

indictment + on + charges

用法筆記

In US law, an indictment is issued by a grand jury based on evidence presented by a prosecutor. In other legal systems, a similar document may be called a charge sheet or information. The verb is indict — note the silent c.

常見錯誤

❌The police filed an indictment against the man.
✅A grand jury returned an indictment against the man.
💡Indictments come from grand juries, not the police. Police file charges or arrest reports.

4. The legal procedure by which a person is formally charged with a serious crime,

4.名詞C1
釋義

起訴

正式指控某人犯罪的司法程序

The legal procedure by which a person is formally charged with a serious crime, typically through a grand jury's decision.

例句

The prosecutor is seeking an indictment from the grand jury next Tuesday.

檢察官將於下週二向大陪審團尋求起訴。

seek an indictment — common legal phrasing

Tamar faces indictment on multiple charges linked to the data breach.

Tamar 因與資料洩露相關的多項指控而面臨起訴。

face indictment — typical verb + noun collocation

同義詞
  • prosecution

    broader; covers the entire legal case from charge to trial, not just the charging stage

  • charging

    more general; can apply to any level of offense, not only serious crimes

文法句型

under indictment

face indictment

await indictment

用法筆記

Unlike sense 3 (the document), this sense refers to the entire legal process or state of being formally charged. Common in phrases like under indictment (currently charged) and face indictment (be about to be charged).

常見錯誤

❌He is under the indictment for fraud.
✅He is under indictment for fraud.
💡No article is used in the phrase under indictment.