Word Study
accusation
CIDE DICTIONARY
accusation, n. [OF. acusation, F. accusation, L. accusatio, fr. accusare. See Accuse.].
- The act of accusing or charging with a crime or with a lighter offense. [1913 Webster]"We come not by the way of accusation
To taint that honor every good tongue blesses." [1913 Webster] - That of which one is accused; the charge of an offense or crime, or the declaration containing the charge. [1913 Webster]"[They] set up over his head his accusation." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Impeachment; crimination; censure; charge.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
accusation, n.
1 the act or process of accusing or being accused.
2 a statement charging a person with an offence or crime.
1 the act or process of accusing or being accused.
2 a statement charging a person with an offence or crime.
Etymology
ME f. OF f. L accusatio -onis (as ACCUSE)
ROGET THESAURUS
accusation
Lawsuit
N lawsuit, suit, action, cause, litigation, suit in law, dispute, citation, arraignment, prosecution, impeachment, accusation, presentment, true bill, indictment, apprehension, arrest, committal, imprisonment, writ, summons, subpoena, latitat, nisi prius, venire, venire facias pleadings, declaration, bill, claim, proces verbal, bill of right, information, corpus delicti, affidavit, state of facts, answer, reply, replication, plea, demurrer, rebutter, rejoinder, surrebutter, surrejoinder, suitor, party to a suit, plaintiff, defendant, litigant, hearing, trial, verdict, appeal, appeal motion, writ of error, certiorari, case, decision, precedent, decided case, reports (legal reference works, see reference books), litigious, qui tam, coram judice, sub judice, pendente lite, adhuc sub judice lis est, accedas ad curiam, transeat in exemplum.Accusation
N accusation, charge, imputation, slur, inculpation, exprobration, delation, crimination, incrimination, accrimination, recrimination, tu quoque argument, invective, denunciation, denouncement, libel, challenge, citation, arraignment, impeachment, appeachment, indictment, bill of indictment, true bill, lawsuit, condemnation, gravamen of a charge, head and front of one's offending, argumentum ad hominem, scandal, scandalum magnatum, accuser, prosecutor, plaintiff, relator, informer, appellant, accused, defendant, prisoner, perpetrator, panel, respondent, litigant, accusing, accusatory, accusative, imputative, denunciatory, recriminatory, criminatory, accused, suspected, under suspicion, under a cloud, under surveillance, in custody, in detention, in the lockup, in the watch house, in the house of detention, accusable, imputable, indefensible, inexcusable, unpardonable, unjustifiable, vicious, Int, look at home, tu quoque, the breath of accusation kills an innocent name, thou can'st not say I did it.For further exploring for "accusation" in Webster Dictionary Online