# proceedings

/pɹəˈsidɪŋz/ (US) · /pɹəsˈiːdɪŋz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/proceedings
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. legal or formal events

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the official things that happen in a court of law or during a formal meeting.

For teachers: the formal series of actions or events that occur in a court of law or a structured meeting. Usually plural and takes a plural verb.

- The judge asked for silence before the court proceedings began.
- The legal proceedings were delayed for several months while the defence team gathered additional evidence from international witnesses.

Usage: Always used in the plural form when referring to legal or formal actions.

### 2. published records

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

a published book or report that contains all the papers and talks from a professional meeting.

For teachers: the published record of the activities, discussions, or papers presented at a meeting of a society or professional body.

- You can find his research paper in the conference proceedings from last year.
- The annual proceedings of the Royal Society provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific breakthroughs discussed during their autumn sessions.

Usage: Often appears in the title of academic journals or conference reports.

## Examples

- The judge asked for silence before the proceedings began.
- The committee published the full proceedings of the conference to ensure all members could review the discussed proposals.
- Legal counsel advised that any further delay in the proceedings would likely prejudice the jury and undermine the defendant's right to a timely trial.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.