sentence
( sentences plural & 3rd person present) ( sentencing present participle) ( sentenced past tense & past participle )
1 n-count A sentence is a group of words which, when they are written down, begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop, question mark, or exclamation mark. Most sentences contain a subject and a verb.
2 n-var In a law court, a sentence is the punishment that a person receives after they have been found guilty of a crime.
They are already serving prison sentences for their part in the assassination..., He was given a four-year sentence..., The offences carry a maximum sentence of 10 years., ...demands for tougher sentences..., The court is expected to pass sentence later today.
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death sentence
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life sentence
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suspended sentence
3 verb When a judge sentences someone, he or she states in court what their punishment will be. A military court sentenced him to death in his absence... V n to n He has admitted the charge and will be sentenced later. be V-ed
death sentence ( death sentences plural ) A death sentence is a punishment of death given by a judge to someone who has been found guilty of a serious crime such as murder. n-count
His original death sentence was commuted to life in prison.
life sentence ( life sentences plural ) If someone receives a life sentence, they are sentenced to stay in prison for the rest of their life, or for a very long period of time. n-count
Some were serving life sentences for murder.
sentence adverb ( sentence adverbs plural ) Adverbs such as `fortunately' and `perhaps' which apply to the whole clause, rather than to part of it, are sometimes called sentence adverbs. n-count
suspended sentence ( suspended sentences plural ) If a criminal is given a suspended sentence, they are given a prison sentence which they have to serve if they commit another crime within a specified period of time. n-count
John was given a four-month suspended sentence.