Word Noun
rap sheet
n.
countable
C1 Advanced
Definition
n.a list of all the crimes a person has been caught for in the past. You usually hear this in movies or news stories about police and criminals.
n.an official record maintained by law enforcement listing a person's criminal history and prior arrests. Informal in register; derived from the acronym 'Record of Arrests and Prosecutions'.
Examples
“The suspect has a long rap sheet for petty theft.”
“The detective reviewed the suspect's rap sheet and noticed several previous arrests for similar white-collar crimes.”
“While the candidate's professional resume is impressive, a lengthy rap sheet from his youth continues to haunt his public image during the election cycle.”
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Updated