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defendant Definition

de·fend·ant (dē fen′dənt, di-; --dant′)

adjective

defending

Etymology: ME defendaunt < OFr defendant, prp. of defendre

noun

Law the defending party; person sued or accused

defendant Synonyms

defendant

n.

the accused, defense, respondent, litigant, appellant, offender, prisoner at the bar, party; see also prisoner.

Antonyms accuser*, complainant*, plaintiff.

defendant Law Definition

n

In a criminal trial, the accused; in a civil proceeding, the person or entity against whom a claim is made.
defendant Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • acquit: An acquitted defendant will not be required to pay toward his defense.
  • convict: The court will have power to order convicted defendants to repay some or all of the cost of their defense.
  • prosecute: The current long-run proportion is about 90 % ; The long run rate showing defendants successfully prosecuted.
  • remand: ANNEX B BAIL A court can remand a defendant in custody or grant bail, with or without conditions attached.
  • domicile: In her case there was no potential defendant domiciled in England.
  • sue: She had sued defendants responsible for all his exposure.

Converse of subject

  • owe: That is the LSC would pay the costs incurred under the representation order less the amount paid or owed by the defendant.

Adjective modifier

  • unsuccessful: Only that amount was recoverable from an unsuccessful defendant.
  • fourth: The Third and Fourth Defendants were the insurers of the cargo ( " the insurers " ), both of which were Toronto-based companies.
  • remaining: The remaining defendants received similar fines and prison sentences of between one and four years.
  • second: The second defendant subsequently assigned that tenancy to the wife.

Modifies a noun

  • insurer: Also, it would normally be the defendant insurer, rather than the claimant, who would purchase the annuity.
  • solicitor: In this case the defendant solicitors had advised in connection with the sale of a piece of land in 1989.

Possessives

  • solicitor: Our client was made an offer which the defendant's solicitor refused to increase.
  • insurer: The defendant's insurer 's loss assessors accepted the offer.
  • conviction: An article detailing a defendant's previous convictions or acquittals could have this effect.
  • conduct: The defendants ' subsequent conduct, however, meant that compensation was no longer payable.
  • appeal: The House of Lords allowed the defendants ' appeal.

Preposition: in

  • lawsuit: What this means is that in the U.S. even if a defendant in a lawsuit wins he or she still loses.
  • custody: ANNEX B BAIL A court can remand a defendant in custody or grant bail, with or without conditions attached.