Police & Arrest

The wrong side of the law — from the handcuffs to the courtroom.

20 words

1. police n. /pəˈɫis/

the official group of people who keep order and catch criminals; as a verb, it means to control or watch an area to make sure rules are followed.
2. officer n. /ˈɔfəsɝ/

a person who has a position of authority, especially in the police, the military, or a large company.
3. arrest v. /ɝˈɛst/

to take someone to a police station because they may have committed a crime, or to stop something from moving or developing.
4. handcuffs n. /ˈhændˌkəfs/

two metal rings joined by a chain that police put around a person's wrists. They are used to stop someone from moving their hands or escaping.
5. suspect v. /ˈsəsˌpɛkt/

to think that something is true or that someone is guilty without having proof; as a noun, it refers to a person the police think committed a crime.
6. crime n. /ˈkɹaɪm/

an illegal act that can be punished by the government, or the general activity of breaking the law.
7. criminal n. /ˈkɹɪmənəɫ/

a person who breaks the law, or an adjective used to describe things related to crime and illegal acts.
8. custody n. /ˈkəstədi/

the legal right to look after a child, or the state of being held by the police or in prison.
9. cell n. /ˈsɛɫ/

a very common word for a small unit: it can be the basic part of a living thing, a room in a prison, a box in a spreadsheet, or a battery.
10. charge v. /ˈtʃɑɹdʒ/

a common word used for money, electricity, legal problems, or moving quickly toward something.
11. evidence n. /ˈɛvədəns/

facts, signs, or objects that make you believe something is true; it is also used in law for information presented in court.
12. witness n. /ˈwɪtnəs/

a person who sees an event happen, or someone who gives evidence in a court of law; it also means to see something happen yourself.
13. statement n. /ˈsteɪtmənt/

a common word for something you say or write officially, a report of your bank activity, or a bold choice in fashion.
14. lawyer n. /ˈɫɔɪɝ/

a person whose job is to give legal advice and represent people in court; it can also be used as a verb for doing legal work.
15. court n. /ˈkɔɹt/

a place where legal trials happen or where people play sports like tennis and basketball. It can also mean the group of people, like a judge and jury, who make legal decisions.
16. judge n. /ˈdʒədʒ/

a person who makes official decisions in a court of law. This person listens to the facts and decides how to apply the rules or what the punishment should be.
17. trial n. /ˈtɹaɪəɫ/

a word for testing something to see if it works, a legal process in a court, or a difficult situation that tests your patience.
18. bail n. /ˈbeɪɫ/

money paid to a court so that a person accused of a crime can stay out of jail until their trial. If the person does not show up for court, the government keeps the money.
19. guilty adj. /ˈɡɪɫti/

describing the feeling of having done something wrong, or the legal fact that someone committed a crime.
20. sentence n. /ˈsɛntəns/

a group of words that expresses a complete thought, or a punishment given by a judge in court.