indictment
n. countablen. a formal charge or accusation of a serious crime. It can also mean a sign that a system or situation is very bad.
n. a formal written statement from a grand jury charging an individual with an offense. In a broader sense, it refers to a circumstance or statement that serves as a strong condemnation of something.
The jury issued an indictment against the former official.
The report is a damning indictment of the government's failure to protect the environment.
Legal scholars argued that the indictment was politically motivated, though the prosecutor maintained that the evidence of financial misconduct was overwhelming.
18th-century Latinized respelling of Middle English endytement (“action of accusing”), from Anglo-Norman enditement, from enditer, from Late Latin indictāre, from Latin indictus.
Often followed by the preposition 'of' when used in the sense of a general condemnation.
an indictment for the systeman indictment of the systemWhen used to mean a sign that something is bad, the noun takes 'of' rather than 'for'.