Word
perjury
Phoneticsper·jury
US/ˈpɝdʒɝi/
UK/pˈɜːdʒəɹi/
Definition
n. the crime of telling a lie in a court of law after you have promised to tell the truth.
n. the intentional act of swearing a false oath or falsifying an affirmation to tell the truth concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding.
Examples
“The witness was charged with perjury after lying about the accident.”
“The prosecutor warned the defendant that committing perjury would lead to a much harsher prison sentence than the original charge.”
“Legal experts noted that while the defendant's testimony was inconsistent, proving perjury requires demonstrating a deliberate intent to deceive rather than a mere failure of memory.”
Examples
simple
“The witness was charged with perjury after lying about the accident.”
contextual
“The prosecutor warned the defendant that committing perjury would lead to a much harsher prison sentence than the original charge.”
complex
“Legal experts noted that while the defendant's testimony was inconsistent, proving perjury requires demonstrating a deliberate intent to deceive rather than a mere failure of memory.”
Usage
Typically used as an uncountable noun; often follows the verbs 'commit' or 'be charged with'.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman perjurie, from Latin perjūrāre (“swear falsely”), from per- + jūrāre. Displaced native Old English mānāþ (literally “false oath”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/perjury