What does "prosecute" mean?
Prosecute: To seek to obtain by legal process; as, to prosecute a right or a claim in a court of law.
Additional senses
- 2.(Law) To pursue with the intention of punishing; to accuse of some crime or breach of law, or to pursue for redress or punishment, before a legal tribunal; to proceed against judicially; as, to prosecute a man for trespass, or for a riot. To acquit themselves and prosecute their foes. Milton.
- 3.To follow after. [Obs.] Latimer.
- 4.(Law) To institute and carry on a legal prosecution; as, to prosecute for public offenses. Blackstone.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00