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tried

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɹaɪd// UK //tɹˈaɪd// tried

v. attempted to do something to see if it would work. In a legal context, it means a court or judge examined a case to decide if someone was guilty.

v. attempted to achieve a result or perform an action. In a legal sense, to examine and determine a case or the guilt of a person in a court of law.


SIMPLE

The lawyer tried to prove that his client was innocent.

CONTEXTUAL

The defendant was tried in a federal court for crimes committed across state lines.

COMPLEX

Although the prosecution tried several different strategies to sway the jury, the evidence remained insufficient to secure a conviction in the case being tried.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English tried, tryed, equivalent to try + -ed.

Usage

The verb is transitive when referring to legal proceedings; it takes the person or the case as a direct object.

Pitfall

He was tried from the crimeHe was tried for the crimeIn a legal context, the preposition 'for' is used to indicate the specific charge or crime being examined.

Idioms2 entries

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