- [countable] (grammar) a set of words expressing a statement, a question or an order, usually containing a subject and a verb. In written English sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop/period (.), a question mark (?) or an exclamation mark (!).
- Does the sentence contain an adverb?
- I was too stunned to finish my sentence.
- There are mistakes in grammar, sentence structure and punctuation.
- Let's take that paragraph apart sentence by sentence.
Extra ExamplesTopics Languagea1- Complete the following sentence: ‘I love dictionaries because…’.
- Cooke was so nervous he could barely string a sentence together.
- He can barely form a grammatical sentence.
- He tells her not to end her sentences with prepositions.
- I kept reading the same sentence over and over again.
- Peter finished Jane's sentence for her.
- The argument can be distilled into a single sentence.
- Troy uttered one last sentence.
- Try to keep your sentences short.
- the opening sentence of the novel
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- short
- complete
- …
- begin
- finish
- complete
- …
- contain something
- have something
- structure
Definitions on the go
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- [countable, uncountable] the punishment given by a court
- a jail/prison sentence
- a custodial sentence
- a harsh/stiff/heavy/lengthy sentence
- a light/lenient sentence
- The court will impose an appropriate sentence.
- The judge passed sentence (= said what the punishment would be).
- The prisoner has served (= completed) his sentence and will be released tomorrow.
- sentence of something a maximum/minimum sentence of five years
- a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment
- The charges carry a sentence of up to ten years.
- She could face a sentence of between seven and ten years in jail.
- sentence for something He received an 18-year sentence for attempted murder.
- under sentence (of something) to be under sentence of death
Collocations Criminal justiceCriminal justiceBreaking the lawsee also community sentence, death sentence, life sentence, suspended sentence- 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
- 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
- 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
- He spent a week in custody awaiting sentence.
- He turned state's evidence in return for a reduced sentence.
- She could face a long prison sentence.
- The US Supreme Court recently upheld both of these sentences.
- The judge imposed the mandatory sentence for murder.
- The offence carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.
- an eight-year sentence for burglary
- ex-felons who have completed their sentences
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- maximum
- minimum
- average
- …
- hand down
- impose
- pass
- …
- sentence for
- under sentence of death
Word OriginMiddle English (in the senses ‘way of thinking, opinion’, ‘court's declaration of punishment’, and ‘gist (of a piece of writing)’): via Old French from Latin sententia ‘opinion’, from sentire ‘feel, be of the opinion’.
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