Guilty Adjective - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of guilty adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

guilty adjective   /ˈɡɪlti/  /ˈɡɪlti/(comparative guiltier, superlative guiltiest) more guilty and most guilty are more commonIdioms jump to other results

1.   feeling ashamed because you have done something that you know is wrong or have not done something that you should have done
   • Matt and Chrissy both looked equally guilty.
   • John had a guilty look on his face.
   • I had a guilty conscience and could not sleep.
   • guilty about doing something I feel very guilty about leaving her.
   • guilty about something parents who feel guilty about the small amount of time they spend with their children
   • guilty that… I feel almost guilty that so many good things are happening to us.
   Extra Examples
   • I felt guilty about not visiting my parents more often.
   • She has a terribly guilty conscience about it.
   • She was looking rather guilty when I came into the room.
   Topics Feelingsb1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
   • feel
   • look
   adverb
   • extremely
   • really
   • very
   • …
   preposition
   • about
   See full entry

   Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

   Find the answers with Practical English Usage online, your indispensable guide to problems in English.

2.   having done something illegal; being responsible for something bad that has happened
   • He pleaded guilty to murder.
   • guilty of something The jury found the defendant not guilty of the offence.
   • She may be guilty of murder.
   • He was not guilty of the crime he had been put in prison for.
   • We've all been guilty of selfishness at some time in our lives.
   • the guilty party (= the person responsible for something bad happening)
   opposite innocentCollocations Criminal justiceCriminal justiceBreaking the law
   • break/​violate/​obey/​uphold the law
   • be investigated/​arrested/​tried for a crime/​a robbery/​fraud
   • be arrested/ (especially North American English) indicted/​convicted on charges of rape/​fraud/(especially US English) felony charges
   • be arrested on suspicion of arson/​robbery/​shoplifting
   • be accused of/​be charged with murder/(especially North American English) homicide/​four counts of fraud
   • face two charges of indecent assault
   • admit your guilt/​liability/​responsibility (for something)
   • deny the allegations/​claims/​charges
   • confess to a crime
   • grant/​be refused/​be released on/​skip/​jump bail
   The legal process
   • stand/​await/​bring somebody to/​come to/​be on trial
   • take somebody to/​come to/​settle something out of court
   • face/​avoid/​escape prosecution
   • seek/​retain/​have the right to/​be denied access to legal counsel
   • hold/​conduct/​attend/​adjourn a hearing/​trial
   • sit on/​influence/​persuade/​convince the jury
   • sit/​stand/​appear/​be put/​place somebody in the dock
   • plead guilty/​not guilty to a crime
   • be called to/​enter (British English) the witness box
   • take/​put somebody on the stand/(North American English) the witness stand
   • call/​subpoena/​question/​cross-examine a witness
   • give/​hear the evidence against/​on behalf of somebody
   • raise/​withdraw/​overrule an objection
   • reach a unanimous/​majority verdict
   • return/​deliver/​record a verdict of not guilty/​unlawful killing/​accidental death
   • convict/​acquit the defendant of the crime
   • secure a conviction/​your acquittal
   • lodge/​file an appeal
   • appeal (against)/challenge/​uphold/​overturn a conviction/​verdict
   Sentencing and punishment
   • pass sentence on somebody
   • carry/​face/​serve a seven-year/​life sentence
   • receive/​be given the death penalty
   • be sentenced to ten years (in prison/​jail)
   • carry/​impose/​pay a fine (of $3 000)/a penalty (of 14 years' imprisonment)
   • be imprisoned/​jailed for drug possession/​fraud/​murder
   • do/​serve time/​ten years
   • be sent to/​put somebody in/​be released from jail/​prison
   • be/​put somebody/​spend X years on death row
   • be granted/​be denied/​break (your) parole
   Extra Examples
   • The jury voted not guilty on all counts.
   • The accused is guilty on all counts.
   • Everyone thought he was guilty but there was no proof.
   • My lawyer urged me to plead guilty.
   • She was guilty of several crimes, including assault.
   • Under the UK judiciary system, everyone is innocent until proved guilty.
   • Who was the guilty party in the affair?
   • Anyone who supports terrorists is equally guilty of terrorist crimes.
   • Company directors may be deemed guilty of a crime if their company causes pollution.
   • He pleaded guilty to starting the fire.
   • He was found guilty of murder.
   • She was certainly guilty, but the police couldn't prove it.
   • She was guilty of fraud.
   • No one believed him guilty of this terrible crime.
   Topics Law and justiceb1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
   • be
   • plead
   • believe somebody
   • …
   adverb
   • certainly
   • clearly
   • obviously
   • …
   preposition
   • of
   See full entryMore Like This Silent lettersSilent letters
   • gnarled
   • gnash
   • gnat
   • gnaw
   • gnome
   • haute cuisine
   • heir
   • herb
   • honour
   • hors d’oeuvre
   • hour
   • knack
   • knee
   • kneel
   • knife
   • knight
   • knit
   • knob
   • knock
   • knot
   • know
   • knuckle
   • psalm
   • psephology
   • psychic
   • ptarmigan
   • pterodactyl
   • psychology
   • wrangle
   • wrap
   • wreath
   • wreck
   • wrench
   • wrestle
   • wriggle
   • wring
   • write
   • wrong
   • bomb
   • climb
   • crumb
   • doubt
   • lamb
   • limb
   • ascent
   • fascinate
   • muscle
   • scene
   • scissors
   • height
   • right
   • sleigh
   • weight
   • align
   • campaign
   • design
   • foreign
   • malign
   • reign
   • unfeigned
   • balmy
   • calm
   • calf
   • half
   • yolk
   • autumn
   • column
   • condemn
   • damn
   • hymn
   • solemn
   • bristle
   • fasten
   • listen
   • mortgage
   • soften
   • thistle
   • wrestle
   • biscuit
   • build
   • circuit
   • disguise
   • guilty
   • league
   • rogue
   • vague
   • yacht
   • answer
   • sword
   • two
Word OriginOld English gyltig (see guilt, -y).

Idioms a guilty pleasure

1. something that you enjoy, even though you feel it is not really a good thing
   • Daytime TV is one of my guilty pleasures.

a guilty secret

1. a secret that somebody feels ashamed about

See guilty in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee guilty in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: guilty

Nearby words

• guilt into doing phrasal verb
• guiltless adjective
• guilty adjective
• guinea noun
• Guinea noun

cactus noun From the Topic Plants and trees C1 Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day