ACCUSE, CHARGE

ACCUSE, CHARGE

If you accuse someone of doing something wrong, you say that they did it. For example, someone can be accused of being dishonest, or of a fault like laziness. If someone has done something that is against the law, they can be accused of a crime and put on trial in a court of law.

1. He himself was accused of incompetence.
2. And then you would start crying and accusing us of not caring if you died.
3. They were in great distress because they had been wrongfully accused of theft.
4. He is accused of killing ten young women.

When the police charge someone or charge them with committing a crime, they formally accuse them of it. The police charge a person with a crime when they have evidence that the person was responsible for it. You can also charge someone with things like not doing their duty or lying. You do not use ‘charge’ when referring to minor faults.

5. Colonel Burr was arrested by order of President Thomas Jefferson and charged with treason.
6. He was arrested and charged with committing a variety of offences.
7. He was declared not responsible for the criminal acts with which he had been charged.
8. Mr Horta charged the premier with being politically weak.