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C1 Level Wordlist - Law and Criminality

Here you will learn some English words about law and criminality, such as "assault", "blackmail", "mug", etc. prepared for C1 learners.

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CEFR C1 Vocabulary
to abuse
to abuse
[Verb]

to sexually assault a person, especially women and children

Ex: The # MeToo movement shed light on the prevalence of individuals in positions of power who use their influence to abuse others sexually .
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to assault

to violently attack someone

Ex: Authorities worked to create awareness about the consequences of assaulting healthcare workers during the pandemic .
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to hijack
to hijack
[Verb]

to forcefully take control of a vehicle, like an airplane, often to take hostages or change its course

Ex: Over the years , criminals have occasionally hijacked vehicles for ransom .
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to kidnap
to kidnap
[Verb]

to take someone away and hold them in captivity, typically to demand something for their release

Ex: She was terrified when she realized that they intended to kidnap her .
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to mug
to mug
[Verb]

to steal from someone by threatening them or using violence, particularly in a public place

Ex: The gang mugged several people before being arrested by the authorities .
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to rape
to rape
[Verb]

to force someone to have sex against their will, particularly by using violence or threatening them

Ex: The legal system should hold accountable those who attempt to rape others .
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to pirate
to pirate
[Verb]

to illegally copy, use, or sell someone else's work or product, such as a book, song, etc.

Ex: The film industry faces significant losses due to people who pirate movies and distribute them online .
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to vandalize

to intentionally damage something, particularly public property

Ex: The police arrested individuals for vandalizing street signs and traffic signals .
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arson
arson
[noun]

the criminal act of setting something on fire, particularly a building

Ex: Arson is a serious crime that can result in severe penalties, including imprisonment.
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blackmail
blackmail
[noun]

the crime of demanding money or benefits from someone by threatening to reveal secret or sensitive information about them

Ex: The police launched an investigation into a case of blackmail involving threatening letters sent to a local politician .
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deception
deception
[noun]

the action of intentionally making a person believe something that is untrue

Ex: Trust is easily broken when relationships are built on lies and deception.
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break-in
break-in
[noun]

an illegal entry into a building by using force, particularly in order to steal something

Ex: The store owner arrived early in the morning to find evidence of a break-in and immediately called the police .
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bribe
bribe
[noun]

an amount of money or something of value given to someone in order to persuade them to do something that is illegal

Ex: Accepting a bribe is a criminal offense punishable by law .
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forgery
forgery
[noun]

the criminal act of making a copy of a document, money, etc. to do something illegal

Ex: The signature on the document was determined to be a forgery after forensic analysis .
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genocide
genocide
[noun]

a mass murder committed in order to destroy a particular nation, religious or ethnic group, or race

Ex: Preventing genocide and atrocities is a critical goal of international human rights efforts .
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phishing
phishing
[noun]

a cybercrime in which someone tricks another into revealing their personal or financial information such as their passwords or bank account numbers and then using this information to steal money from them

Ex: The bank issued a warning about a new phishing campaign targeting customers through fake emails claiming to be from the bank 's security team .
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scammer
scammer
[noun]

a person who deceives people to get their money

Ex: The company implemented stricter verification processes to prevent scammers from accessing customer accounts .
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swindler
swindler
[noun]

a person who deceives or cheats people out of money

Ex: Victims of the online dating swindler reported their losses to the authorities .
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ransom
ransom
[noun]

an amount of money demanded or paid for the release of a person who is in captivity

Ex: Hostage negotiations are delicate processes aimed at securing the safe release of captives without paying ransom.
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riot
riot
[noun]

a situation when a group of people behave violently, particularly as a protest

Ex: Several arrests were made during the riot as protesters clashed with law enforcement .
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fine
fine
[noun]

an amount of money that must be paid as a legal punishment

Ex: The judge imposed a fine on the company for environmental violations .
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to bug
to bug
[Verb]

to hide a small microphone in a place or device in order to secretly listen to or record someone's conversations

Ex: Private investigators were hired to bug the office , hoping to uncover any corporate espionage .
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alibi
alibi
[noun]

proof that indicates a person was somewhere other than the place where a crime took place and therefore could not have committed it

Ex: Her alibi of attending a family gathering was corroborated by multiple family members .
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accomplice

someone who helps another to commit a crime or do a wrongdoing

Ex: The investigators uncovered evidence linking him to the crime , establishing his role as an accomplice.
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conspirator

a person involved in a conspiracy

Ex: The investigation uncovered communications between the conspirators discussing their illegal activities .
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assassin
assassin
[noun]

someone who murders an important person for money or religious or political reasons

Ex: The FBI launched a manhunt to capture the notorious assassin responsible for several high-profile killings .
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bandit
bandit
[noun]

a robber who attacks travelers and is a member of a group of robbers

Ex: The bandit gang was notorious for their daring heists and escapes from law enforcement .
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gangster
gangster
[noun]

a member of a group of criminals

Ex: Gangsters often use intimidation and violence to maintain control over their territory .
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juvenile delinquent

a young person who commits a crime

Ex: Societal factors, such as poverty and lack of parental guidance, can contribute to juvenile delinquency.
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imprisonment

the act of placing someone in prison or jail as a lawful penalty

Ex: Imprisonment serves as a deterrent to criminal behavior .
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inmate
inmate
[noun]

a person who is held in a prison or correctional facility

Ex: Visitation hours were restricted due to safety concerns for both inmates and visitors .
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convict
convict
[noun]

a person found guilty of a crime and sent to prison

Ex: The convict's family visited him regularly , offering support and encouragement .
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capital punishment

the killing of a criminal as punishment

Ex: Capital punishment is reserved for crimes deemed most severe under the law , such as murder .
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confession

a formal statement made by a person admitting that they are guilty of a crime

Ex: The confession was pivotal in solving the cold case that had baffled investigators for years .
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to inspect

to carefully examine something to check its condition or make sure it meets standards

Ex: The supervisor inspects the machinery to detect any signs of wear or malfunction .
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corrupt
corrupt
[Adjective]

using one's power or authority to do illegal things for personal gain or financial benefit

Ex: The corrupt police officers extorted money from citizens by threatening false charges .
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execution
execution
[noun]

the act of punishing a criminal by death

Ex: The execution of political prisoners drew international condemnation from human rights organizations .
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to raid
to raid
[Verb]

(of police) to unexpectedly visit a person or place to arrest suspects or find illegal goods

Ex: The SWAT team was called in to raid the residence of a known criminal with a history of violence .
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fingerprint

a mark made by the unique pattern of lines on the tip of a person's finger, can be used to find out who has committed a crime

Ex: Fingerprint evidence played a crucial role in convicting the perpetrator of the murder.
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forensic
forensic
[Adjective]

related to the use of scientific techniques when trying to know more about a crime

Ex: The detective relied on forensic evidence to solve the case .
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probation
probation
[noun]

a legal arrangement in which a convicted offender is released under specific conditions instead of serving time in prison

Ex: Probation officers monitor compliance with court orders.
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record
record
[noun]

official information that indicates a person has committed a crime

Ex: She was concerned that her minor offense would appear on her permanent record.
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goon
goon
[noun]

a criminal hired to harm or threaten people

Ex: The goon lurked in the shadows , waiting for the signal to carry out his employer 's orders .
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death squad

a group of armed people who illegally kill supporters of an opposing political party or criminals

Ex: International pressure mounted as reports surfaced of a suspected death squad targeting journalists and activists in the region .
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henchman
henchman
[noun]

someone who faithfully supports a person in power and is willing to do things for them that are illegal or violent

Ex: The police investigation uncovered a network of henchmen involved in smuggling , extortion , and other illegal activities on behalf of a notorious gang leader .
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hired gun
hired gun
[noun]

a professional assassin, typically armed and employed to commit murder

Ex: Authorities tracked down the hired gun after the shooting .
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gun for hire

an individual who does immoral or violent things for money

Ex: The documentary exposed the underworld of mercenaries and gun for hire operations , revealing the chilling realities of contract killings .
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gunslinger

a person who is skilled at shooting a gun and is hired to kill someone, used particularly in the past in the American Wild West

Ex: In Western films , the gunslinger is often portrayed as a lone figure navigating the lawless frontier with his trusty revolver at his side .
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breaking and entering

the crime of using force to illegally enter a building

Ex: Police responded to a call reporting suspicious activity and discovered evidence of breaking and entering at the vacant house.
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to finger
to finger
[Verb]

to identify or point out someone as the person responsible for committing a crime or wrongdoing, often to law enforcement or other authorities

Ex: The informant was willing to finger the drug lord to the authorities in exchange for immunity .
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