1. if the state authorities prosecute someone, they officially say that person must be judged by a court of law for a particular crime:
• Shoplifters (= people who steal things from shops ) will be prosecuted.
prosecute somebody for something
• Johnson is being prosecuted for an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act.
2. if a lawyer prosecutes a case, he or she tries to prove that the person charged with a crime is guilty:
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prosecute UK US /ˈprɒsɪkjuːt/ verb [I or T] LAW
► to officially accuse someone in a court of law of committing a crime: »
Trespassers will be prosecuted.
prosecute sb for sth »In this area, 26 people have been prosecuted for mortgage fraud in the past three years.
► if a lawyer prosecutes a case, they try to prove that a person accused of committing a crime is guilty: prosecute a case/lawsuit »
The leader of the Justice Department team prosecuted a landmark lawsuit against tobacco companies.
Financial and business terms. 2012.