ENGLISH
REFERENCE

verdict

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈvɝdɪkt// UK //vˈɜːdɪkt// ver·dict

n. the official decision made by a jury in a court case about whether someone is guilty or not. It can also mean a person's final opinion about something after they have tried it.

n. the formal finding of fact made by a jury on matters or questions submitted to them during a trial. In a broader sense, it refers to a definitive judgment or opinion pronounced after a period of consideration.


SIMPLE

The jury reached a verdict after three days of talking.

CONTEXTUAL

After testing the new software for a week, the team's final verdict was that it was too slow for daily use.

COMPLEX

The judge reminded the jurors that their verdict must be based solely on the evidence presented in court, rather than on personal bias or media reports.

Origin

From Middle English verdit, from Anglo-Norman verdit (> Medieval Latin veredictum), from veir (“true”) + dit (“saying”); possibly a calque of a Germanic term such as Old English sōþword, sōþsprǣċ, sōþspell, sōþsagu, or sōþcwide, all meaning "true story, statement of truth, account, history". Doublet of veredictum.

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'reach', 'deliver', or 'return'.

Pitfall

The jury made a verdict.The jury reached a verdict.In a legal context, the standard collocation is 'reach', 'return', or 'deliver' a verdict, rather than 'make'.

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