- 1(also eyewitness) [countable] a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people Police have asked witnesses to the accident to come forward. a witness to the killing Topic CollocationsCrimecommitting a crime
- commit a crime/a murder/a violent assault/a brutal killing/an armed robbery/fraud/perjury
- be involved in terrorism/a suspected arson attack/human smuggling/human trafficking
- engage/participate in criminal activity/illegal practices/acts of mindless vandalism
- steal somebody's wallet/purse/watch/cell phone
- rob a bank/a person/a tourist
- break into/burglarize a house/a home/an apartment/an office
- hijack a plane/ship/bus
- smuggle drugs/weapons/arms/people/immigrants
- launder (drug) money (through something)
- forge documents/certificates/passports
- take/accept/pay somebody/offer (somebody) a bribe
- run a phishing scam/an e-mail scam/an Internet scam
- combat/fight crime/terrorism/drug trafficking/corruption
- prevent/stop credit-card fraud/child abuse/software piracy
- deter/stop criminals/burglars/thieves/shoplifters/vandals
- reduce/tackle/crack down on gun/violent/street/property crime
- foil a bank robbery/a terrorist plot
- help/support/protect the victims of crime
- report a crime/a theft/a rape/an attack/an incident to the police
- witness a crime/an attack/a murder/an incident
- investigate a murder/a homicide/a burglary/a robbery/the alleged incident
- conduct/launch/pursue/open an investigation (into…)
- investigate/reopen a criminal/murder case
- examine/investigate/find fingerprints at the crime scene/the scene of crime
- collect/gather forensic evidence/physical evidence
- uncover/discover new evidence/a fraud/a scam/a plot/a conspiracy/political corruption/a cache of weapons
- describe/identify a suspect/the culprit/the perpetrator/the assailant/the attacker
- question/interrogate a suspect/witness
- solve/crack the case
- ⇨ more collocations at
- break/violate/obey/uphold the law
- be investigated/arrested/tried for a crime/a robbery/fraud
- be arrested/indicted/convicted on felony charges/on charges of rape/fraud
- be arrested on suspicion of arson/robbery/shoplifting
- be accused of/be charged with murder/homicide/four counts of fraud
- face two charges of assault and battery
- admit your guilt/liability/responsibility (for something)
- deny the allegations/claims/charges
- confess to a crime
- be granted/be refused/be released on/skip/jump bail
- 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/advise a jury
- stand/appear/be brought before a judge
- plead guilty/not guilty to a crime
- be called to/take/put somebody on the stand/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 guilty/not guilty
- convict/acquit the defendant of the crime
- secure a conviction/your acquittal
- lodge/file an appeal
- appeal (against)/challenge/uphold/overturn a conviction/verdict
- sentence somebody to 5 years in prison/2 years' probation
- 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 13 years on death row
- be granted/be denied/violate (your) parole
- ⇨ more collocations at crime
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in court - 2[countable] a person who gives evidence in court a defense/prosecution witness to appear as (a) witness for the defense/prosecution Several witnesses testified that there had been two gunmen. see hostile witness
- 3[countable] a person who is present when an official document is signed and who also signs it to prove that they saw this happen He was one of the witnesses at our wedding. of religious beliefs
- 4[uncountable] evidence of a person's strong religious beliefs, that they show by what they say and do in public see Jehovah's Witness Thesauruswitness
- observer
- onlooker
- passerby
- bystander
- eyewitness
- witness a person who sees something happen and is able to describe it to other people; a person who gives evidence in a court of law:Police are seeking witnesses to the accident.
- observer a person who watches something happen:According to observers, the election was peaceful and fair.
- onlooker a person who watches something that is happening but is not involved in it:A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the accident.
- passerby a person who is going past someone or something by chance, especially when something unexpected happens:Police asked passersby if they had witnessed the robbery.
- bystander a person who is near and can see what is happening when something such as an accident or a fight takes place:Three innocent bystanders were killed in the crossfire.
- eyewitness a person who has seen a crime or an accident and can describe it afterward
- a(n) witness/observer/onlooker/passerby/bystander/eyewitness sees something
- a(n) observer/onlooker/passerby/bystander witnesses something
- 1(formal) to see something take place He has been witness to a terrible murder.
- 2to show that something is true; to provide evidence for something His good health is a witness to the success of the treatment.
person who sees something
to provide evidence of the truth of something The crowd of mourners at his funeral bore witness to the public's great affection for him.
Check pronunciation: witness