noun · formal
arraignment
/əˈreɪnmənt/a·RAIN·ment
Band 7+speakingtask2
the first court appearance when charges are read and the defendant must enter a plea
Examples
“At the arraignment the charges were formally read aloud.”
“She was arraigned on charges of fraud.”
“The judge postponed the arraignment until next Monday.”
Band 8 sentence
“At the arraignment the prosecutor formally read the charges and the defendant entered a plea of not guilty.”
Collocations
- be arraigned before a judge
- arraignment hearing
- postpone/adjourn an arraignment
Word family
arraign verbarraigned adjective/past participlearraignment noun
Common mistakes
arrangement→arraignment
arraigned of→arraigned on / arraigned for
Say it for a higher band
5hearing→6court hearing→7+arraignment
Synonyms
initial hearing
Easily confused
arrangement
“The defendant stood before the judge for arraignment.”
Related words
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In Crime & Law
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