incriminate

[in-krim-uh-neyt] /ɪnˈkrɪm əˌneɪt/

verb (used with object), incriminated, incriminating.

to accuse of or present proof of a crime or fault:

He incriminated both men to the grand jury.

to involve in an accusation; cause to be or appear to be guilty; implicate:

His testimony incriminated his friend. He feared incriminating himself if he answered.

to charge with responsibility for all or part of an undesirable situation, harmful effect, etc.:

to incriminate cigarettes as a cause of lung cancer.

Origin

1720-30; < Late Latin incrīminātus past participle of incrīmināre to accuse. See in-², criminate

Related forms

incrimination, noun

incriminator, noun

incriminatory

[in-krim-uh-nuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] /ɪnˈkrɪm ə nəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/ (Show IPA), adjective

nonincriminating, adjective

nonincrimination, noun

nonincriminatory, adjective

unincriminated, adjective

unincriminating, adjective

Examples from the web for incriminate

In court, they played a secret tape recording that seemed to incriminate him.
In court, they played a secret tape-recording that seemed to incriminate him.
Garg acknowledged that it was possible photos could be manipulated to incriminate someone who was not actually breaking the law.
They anxiously invent and revise narratives that exonerate or incriminate themselves and others.
And you can always find something to incriminate someone of something.
Then he said he would not incriminate himself by answering.
Another point that would be good to correct, but not to incriminate.
To incriminate him for those laws is at best unfair, since they are in fact instruments of political fights between factions.

British Dictionary definitions for incriminate

incriminate

/ɪnˈkrɪmɪˌneɪt/

verb (transitive)

to imply or suggest the guilt or error of (someone)

to charge with a crime or fault

Derived Forms

incrimination, noun
incriminator, noun
incriminatory, adjective

Word Origin

C18: from Late Latin incrīmināre to accuse, from Latin crīmen accusation; see crime

Word Origin and History for incriminate

1730, back-formation from incrimination or else from Medieval Latin incriminatus, past participle of incriminare "to incriminate," from in- "in" (see in- (2)) + criminare "to accuse of a crime," from crimen (genitive criminis) "crime" (see crime). Related: Incriminated; incriminating.