indict | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

8 entries found.

formerly also endict, c. 1300, enditen, inditen, "bring formal charges against (someone); accuse of a crime," from Anglo-French enditer "accuse, indict, find chargeable with a criminal offense" (late 13c.), Old French enditier, enditer "to dictate, write, compose; (legally) indict," from Vulgar Latin *indictare "to declare, accuse, proclaim in writing," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + Latin dictare "to declare, dictate," frequentative of dicere "to say, speak" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

Retained its French pronunciation after the spelling was re-Latinized c. 1600. Later 14c. non-legal senses "write, compose (a poem, etc.); dictate" have gone with the older form, endite, indite (q.v.). The sense is perhaps partly confused with Latin indicare "to point out." In classical Latin, indictus meant "not said, unsaid" (from in- "not"). Related: Indictable; indicted; indicting.

indictable (adj.)

mid-15c., enditable, "capable of being indicted, liable to indictment," from indict + -able. From 1721 of actions, "that may be punished by indictment."

indictment (n.)

formerly also endictment, c. 1300, endytement "action of accusing," from Anglo-French and Old French enditement, from enditer "accuse, indict" (see indict). Meaning "formal legal document containing a charge proved before a grand jury" is from c. 1500. Latin spelling restored 17c.

indite (v.)

formerly also endite, late 14c., "put down in writing," from Old French enditer, enditier "dictate, write; draw up, draft; (legally) indict," from Vulgar Latin *indictare, from Latin in- "in, into, on, upon" (from PIE root *en "in") + dictare "to declare," frequentative of dicere "to say, speak" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly"). The same word as indict but retaining a French form. Related: Indited; inditing.

accuse (v.)

c. 1300, "charge (with an offense, fault, error, etc.), impugn, blame," from Old French acuser "to accuse, indict, reproach, blame" (13c., Modern French accuser), earlier "announce, report, disclose" (12c.), or directly from Latin accusare "to call to account, make complaint against, reproach, blame; bring to trial, prosecute, arraign indict," from ad causa, from ad "with regard to" (see ad-) + causa "a cause; a lawsuit" (see cause (n.)). "Accuse commonly, though not invariably, expresses something more formal and grave than charge" [Century Dictionary, 1902]. Related: Accused; accusing; accusingly.

peach (v.)

"to inform against, betray one's accomplices," 1560s (earlier pechen, "to accuse, indict, bring to trial," c. 1400), a shortening of appeach, empeach, obsolete variants of impeach. For form, compare peal (v.), also Middle English pelour "an accuser," from appellour. Related: Peached; peaching; peacher.

indictive (adj.)

"proclaimed," 1650s, from Late Latin indictivus "proclaimed," from Latin indicere "to declare publicly, proclaim, announce," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicere "to speak, say, tell" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

indiction (n.)

late 14c., "period of fifteen years," a chronological unit of the Roman calendar that continued in use through the Middle Ages, from Latin indictionem (nominative indictio), literally "declaration, appointment," noun of action from past participle stem of indicere "to declare publicly, proclaim, announce," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + dicere "to speak, say, tell" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

Fixed by Constantine and reckoned from Sept. 1, 312. Originally for taxation purposes, it was "a common and convenient means for dating ordinary transactions" [Century Dictionary]. The name refers to the "proclamation," at the beginning of each period, of the valuation upon which real property would be taxed.

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