stalking
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the crime of following or watching someone in a way that makes them feel scared or unsafe.
the criminal act of persistently following or harassing another individual, typically causing them to fear for their safety.
Simple“The celebrity had to call the police because of a stalking incident outside her home.”
In context“The legal definition of stalking has expanded in recent years to include digital surveillance and persistent unwanted online contact.”
Usageoften used as an uncountable noun in legal contexts.
Synonyms
Usage stalking resulting
“Mangione faces two stalking counts in his federal case, as well as murder and weapons charges in a separate New York state case.”
“Mangione faces two federal charges of stalking resulting in death, each carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.”
From Middle English stalkynge, stalkyng, from Old English stealcung, from Proto-West Germanic *stalkungu, equivalent to stalk + -ing.
From stalk (“the stem of a plant”) + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.