innocent1 adjectiveinnocent2 noun
innocentin‧no‧cent1 /ˈɪnəsənt/ ●●○ W3 adjective 
WORD ORIGINinnocent1
Origin:
1300-1400 French, Latin, from nocens ‘evil’, present participle of nocere ‘to harm’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "I didn't kill him - I'm innocent!" Davies shouted.
- Bates allowed an innocent man to go to jail for his crime.
- Don't get her mixed up in your plan - she's just an innocent girl.
- He's so innocent that anyone can take advantage of him.
- I'm sorry. It was just an innocent mistake.
- Jett maintains that he is completely innocent of the charges against him.
- Nobody believes that she's innocent.
- Under criminal law people are presumed innocent until proved guilty.
- And could they be innocent?
- Dickinson sailed down in slow, sweeping curves, feeling strangely innocent.
- Harry Belafonte was Joe, an innocent young soldier.
- Masterfully, in that moment, Pennington shades Peter's love innocent rather than tawdry.
- Observations of the most innocent type.
- Perhaps it was by pure chance that the other woman had been there, and Matthew was entirely innocent.
- Police Officer Jack Wronski said two of the victims were known gang members; the other was an innocent bystander.
Longman Language Activatorinnocent
if someone is innocent of a crime, they did not do it - use this especially about someone that other people think is guilty: · "I didn't kill him - I'm innocent!" Davies shouted.· Bates allowed an innocent man to go to jail for his crime.innocent of: · Jett maintains that he is completely innocent of the charges against him.be presumed innocent (=legally treated as being innocent): · Under criminal law people are presumed innocent until proved guilty.
if someone is not guilty of a crime, they did not do it - use this especially when a court has officially decided that someone did not do a crime: · You don't have anything to be afraid of if you are not guilty.· The evidence will show that my client is absolutely not guilty, Your Honour.not guilty of: · She was convinced he wasn't guilty of the crime, no matter what anyone said.verdict of not guilty (=official judgement): · Within just a few minutes the jury of ranchers returned a verdict of not guilty.
not having done anything wrong, or not responsible for something bad that has happened: · None of us is completely blameless - we all knew something like this could happen.· The women had made every effort to lead blameless lives.· Last week a special prosecutor ruled that the three officials were blameless.
informal if you are in the clear , it cannot be officially proved that you have done something illegal or criminal: · If we all stick to the same story we'll be in the clear.stay/keep in the clear: · By keeping his name off all the documents, he'd managed to stay in the clear.put somebody in the clear: · The testimony of the two witnesses seemed to put Richardson in the clear.
to say publicly that you are innocent to say publicly and officially in a court of law, that you are innocent of a crime: · According to Maloney's lawyer, she will plead not guilty.plead not guilty to: · Barkin pleaded not guilty to the rape charges in municipal court Thursday.· After pleading not guilty to the charges of conspiracy, Davis was released on bail.
to say repeatedly that you are innocent, especially when other people think that you are guilty: · The men have protested their innocence for 25 years.· Schultz appeared in public again on Wednesday to protest her innocence and deny any wrong-doing.
when a law court decides that someone is innocent · We find the defendant not guilty, Your Honor.· Despite the large amount of evidence against him, the jury found Gibson not guilty.find sb not guilty of · The two women were found not guilty of drug-trafficking.· It took the jurors less than three hours to find Gessler not guilty of murder.
if someone is acquitted by a law court, they are officially told they are not guilty of a crime: · Few observers expect the jury to acquit Mr Hoskins.· His lawyer thought he had a good chance of being acquitted at the trial, if no further evidence was found.acquit somebody of something: · To her relief she was acquitted of all the charges laid against her.
if you are cleared of a crime, a court of law says that you are innocent, because it is impossible to legally prove that you are guilty: · After Pagones was cleared in court, he sued his accusers.clear somebody of something: · A jury cleared the company of all criminal charges in connection with the accident.· Marshall was given his job back after being cleared of accusations that he abused drugs.
not knowing very much about life, people, and the world · She's too young and inexperienced to go abroad on her own.· I'm not going to take orders from some foolish inexperienced young man.
having very little experience of the world, especially because you are young so that you do not realize that some people might want to cause others harm: · He's so innocent that anyone can take advantage of him.· Don't get her mixed up in your plan - she's just an innocent girl.
having little experience of life, so that you believe that life is simple and are too ready to trust people: · I was so naive - I believed everything the military told me.· He held onto the naive belief that Marxism would solve all the world's problems.
having little knowledge or experience of clever, fashionable things, and showing this by the way you talk and behave: · When she arrived in the city, she was just an unsophisticated country girl.· I felt very ignorant and unsophisticated when I was with my brother and his university friends.
having very little experience of an activity or job: · Even when I was 21 I was so green, I had no idea that my best friend was on drugs.· Pike was a grizzled combat veteran in charge of fifteen green recruits.
someone who does not have much experience, and can easily be deceived: · Stop worrying about Lucia - she's no babe in the woods anymore.
WORD SETSaccess, nounacquit, verbacquittal, nounactionable, adjectiveact of God, nounadjourn, verbadminister, verbadmissible, adjectiveADR, nounadversarial, adjectiveadvocate, nounaffidavit, nounage, nounaggrieved, adjectiveagreement, nounannual return, anti-dumping, adjectiveantitrust, adjectiveAppeal Court, nounappear, verbappellate court, nounarraign, verbarticled clerk, articles of association, nounassignee, nounassizes, nounattachment, nounattest, verbattorney, nounattorney-at-law, nounattorney general, nounaverage clause, bailable, adjectivebailee, nounbailiff, nounbailment, nounban, nounbarrister, nounbeneficial owner, beneficiary, nounbequeath, verbbequest, nounbest efforts, adjectivebid-rigging, nounbill, nounbill of rights, nounblue law, nounbody corporate, bond, nounbook, verbbox, nounbreakdown clause, break fee, brief, nounbroker's lien, burden of proof, nounbusiness entity, buyer's risk, bylaw, nouncabotage, nouncadastre, nouncase, nouncase law, nouncash shell, nouncause, nouncause célèbre, nouncause of action, nouncaution, nouncaution, verbcertificate of incorporation, nouncertificate of protest, nouncertificate of search, nounchain of title, nounchallenge, nounchallenge, verbchancery, nounChapter 7, nouncharge, nouncharge, verbcharges register, chief justice, nouncircuit court, nouncite, verbcitizen's arrest, nouncivil, adjectivecivil law, nounclaim, nounclaimant, nounclass action, nounclause, nounclean, adjectivecloud on title, nouncollusion, nouncommerce clause, committal, nouncommon law, nouncommunity property, nounCommunity Reinvestment Act, nouncommutation, nounCompanies House, nouncompanies registry, company limited by guarantee, nouncompany limited by shares, nouncompany officer, competence, nouncompetent, adjectivecomplainant, nouncompletion, nouncompletion date, compliance officer, compulsory purchase, nounconditional discharge, nouncondition precedent, nouncondition subsequent, nounconduct money, confidentiality clause, confirmation hearing, conflict of laws, nounconjugal, adjectiveconsensus ad idem, nounconsent decree, consenting adult, nounconservator, nounconstituted, adjectiveconstitution, nounconstitutional, adjectiveconstitutionality, nouncontempt, nouncontest, verbcontingency fee, contract of insurance, nouncontract of purchase, nouncontract of service, nouncontravene, verbcontravention, nouncontributory negligence, nounconvey, verbconveyance, nounconveyancing, nounconvict, verbconviction, nouncopyright, nounco-respondent, nouncosignatory, nouncounsel, nouncounty court, nouncourthouse, nouncourt-martial, nouncourt-martial, verbCourt of Appeal, nounCourt of Appeals, nouncourt of inquiry, nouncourt of law, nounCourt of Queen's Bench, nouncourt order, nouncourt reporter, nouncourtroom, nouncramdown, nouncriminal, adjectivecriminal injury, criminalize, verbcriminal law, nouncross-examine, verbCrown Court, nouncurfew, nouncustodial, adjectiveD.A., noundata protection, death sentence, noundeath warrant, noundeclaration of association, noundecree, noundecree absolute, noundecree nisi, noundecriminalize, verbdeed, noundeed of conveyance, noundefalcation, noundefend, verbdefendant, noundeficiency judgment, noundeficiency judgment, de jure, adjectivedeposition, noundeputy, nounderivative lease, desertion, noundiminished responsibility, noundiplomatic immunity, noundirectors register, disabled quota, disbar, verbdischarge of contract, noundisclaim, verbdisclaimer, noundiscretionary, adjectivedisinherit, verbdismiss, verbdispense, verbdisposition, noundispossess, verbdissent, noundissolution, noundistrain, verbdistrict attorney, noundistrict court, noundivorce, noundivorce, verbdivorced, adjectivedocket, noundonee, noundouble jeopardy, noundraftsman, noundrink-driving, noundrunk driving, noundue process, nounduress, nouneasement, nounedict, nouneffective, adjectiveeminent domain, nounempower, verbenabling, adjectiveenabling clause, enact, verbendowment, nounenforced, adjectiveenjoin, verbescape clause, escrow, nounescrow agent, estate, nounestoppel, nounevidence, nounexamination, nounexamination-in-chief, nounexamine, verbexculpate, verbexecute, verbexecutor, nounexecutrix, nounexhibit, nounexpectations, nounex post facto law, nounexpropriate, verbextradite, verbextrajudicial, adjectivefair dealing, false representation, nounfee absolute, nounfiduciary, nounfiduciary, adjectivefinding, nounfirm name, nounfixtures and fittings, nounforce majeure, nounforeman, nounforewoman, nounfreeholder, nounfree pardon, nounfrustration of contract, fugitive, nounfugitive, adjectivegagging order, gag order, noungarnishee, verbgarnishee, noungeneral counsel, noungeneral practice, noungive, verbgrand jury, noungrantee, noungrantor, noungreen paper, noungross misconduct, ground rent, nounguarantee, verbguarantor, nounguaranty, nounguillotine, verbguilt, noungun control, nounhabeas corpus, nounHague Rules, nounhear, verbhearing, nounheir, nounheir apparent, nounhereafter, adverbhereditament, nounhereinafter, adverbhereof, adverbhereto, adverbheritable, adjectiveHigh Court, nounHighway Code, nounhirer, nounhuman right, nounimplied term, inadmissible, adjectiveinalienable, adjectiveincriminate, verbindemnify, verbindemnity, nounindict, verbindictable, adjectiveindictment, nounindustrial tribunal, nouninitiative, nouninjunction, nounin loco parentis, adverbinnocence, nouninnocent, adjectiveinoperative, adjectiveinquest, nouninsanity, nouninstruct, verbintellectual property, nounintent, nouninterdict, nouninterlocutory injunction, invoke, verbJane Doe, nounjob quota, joint and several liability, JP, nounjudge, nounjudge, verbjudicial, adjectivejuridical, adjectivejurisdiction, nounjurisprudence, nounjurist, nounjuror, nounjury, nounjury box, nounjury service, nounjustice, nounJustice of the Peace, nounjustifiable homicide, nounjuvenile, adjectivekangaroo court, nounKing's Counsel, nounlaw firm, nounlawyer, nounlease, nounleasehold, adjectiveleaseholder, nounlegatee, nounlegator, nounlessee, nounlessor, nounletters of administration, nounliable, adjectivelicensee, nounlien, nounlienee, nounlienor, nounlimited liability, nounliquidated damages, litigant, nounlitigate, verblitigation, nounlitigator, nounlitigious, adjectiveliving will, nounloophole, nounmagisterial, adjectivemagistracy, nounmagistrate, nounMagistrates' Court, nounmaintenance, nounmajority, nounmalfeasance, nounmalpractice, nounmarriage certificate, nounmarriage licence, nounmarriage lines, nounmaterial, adjectivematerial fact, nounmemorandum, nounmiscarriage of justice, nounmisdirect, verbmisfeasance, nounmisstatement, nounmistrial, nounM'lord, nounM'lud, nounmoiety, nounmonies, nounmoot court, nounmoratorium, nounmovable, nounno-fault, adjectivenolo contendere, nounnonfeasance, nounnon-negotiable, adjectivenotary, nounnuisance, nounnullify, verbnullity, nounoath, nounopen-and-shut case, nounopen verdict, nounoperative mistake, nounordinance, nounoriginating application, originating summons, outlaw, nounout-of-court settlement, nounoyez, interjectionpalimony, nounpanel, nounparalegal, nounpardon, verbpardon, nounparty, nounpass, verbpassage, nounpatent, nounpatent, adjectivepaternity, nounpaternity suit, nounpatrimony, nounpenal code, nounpenalty, nounperformance contract, perjury, nounpersonal injury, personal representative, personalty, nounpetition, nounpetition, verbpetitioner, nounplaintiff, nounplanning permission, nounplea bargaining, nounpleadings, nounpledgee, nounpolice, verbpositive discrimination, nounpower of attorney, nounprecedent, nounprejudice, verbpreservation order, nounpresume, verbprice-fixing, nounprima facie, adjectiveprimary residence, prime tenant, primogeniture, nounprivate law, nounprivileged, adjectiveprivity, nounprobate, nounprobate, verbprobation, nounprobationer, nounprobation officer, nounpro bono, adjectiveprocedural, adjectiveproceeding, nounproceedings, nounprohibit, verbprohibition, nounprohibitive, adjectivepromulgate, verbpronounce, verbproposition, nounproscribe, verbprosecute, verbprosecution, nounprosecutor, nounprotective custody, nounprove, verbprovision, nounprovisional licence, nounproximate cause, nounpublic defender, nounpublic prosecutor, nounpublic service vehicle, punishable, adjectiveQC, nounquarter sessions, nounquash, verbQueen's Counsel, nounreal property, nounrecess, nounrecess, verbrecognition, nounrecognizance, nounrecorder, nounreeve, nounregulation, nounremand, verbremand, nounrepeal, verbrescind, verbrespondent, nounrestoration, nounrestore, verbretainer, nounretrial, nounretroactive, adjectiveretrospective, adjectiveretry, verbreversion, nounrevocation, nounrevoke, verbRex, nounright of appeal, nounroad tax, nounroot of title, royalty payment, rule, verbruling, nounsaid, adjectivesalami slicing, nounSarbanes-Oxley Act, nounscheme of arrangement, nounsentence, nounsentence, verbsequester, verbsession, nounsettlement date, settlement terms, shall, modal verbshell company, sheriff, nounsheriff court, nounshow trial, nounsitting tenant, nounsmall claims court, nounsolicitor, nounsolicitor general, nounSOX, nounspecial licence, nounspecific performance, speed limit, nounstakeholder, nounstate attorney, nounstate court, nounstated case, statute, nounstatute law, nounstatute of limitations, nounstatutory, adjectivestatutory report, stay, nounstay of execution, nounstipendiary magistrate, nounstoppage in transit, nounsub judice, adverbsubmission, nounsuborn, verbsubpoena, nounsubpoena, verbsue, verbsuit, nounsumming up, nounsumming-up, nounsummons, nounsummons, verbSupreme Court, nounsurety, nounsuspended sentence, nounswear, verbtechnicality, nountenant at sufferance, nountenant at will, nountenant for years, nountenant in common, nountenure, nountestament, nountestator, nountest case, nountest certificate, nountestify, verbtestimony, nounthereinafter, adverbthird party, nounthrough, prepositionticket, nounticket, verbtitle, nountitle deed, nountitle holder, nountort, nountradename, nounTrading Standards, treasure trove, nountrespass, verbtrespass, nountrial, nountrust for sale, nounultra vires, adjectiveunderwriting power, undue influence, noununlicensed, adjectiveuphold, verbverdict, nounvindicate, verbvisa, nounvoucher, nounward, nounwarrant, nounwhereas, conjunctionwill, nounwill, verbwinding up, nounwitness, nounwitness, verbwitness box, nounwrit, nounwrongful termination,
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
The court found him innocent and he was released.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Several innocent bystanders were killed by the blast. Don’t play the innocent (=pretend you do not know about something) with me – we both know what happened. Henderson pled guilty to burglary. Their nephew was missing, presumed dead.
The court found him innocent and he was released. Several innocent bystanders were killed by the blast.· ‘It was so late,’ she continued with an innocent expression, ‘I had to stay the night.’
Don’t play the innocent (=pretend you do not know about something) with me – we both know what happened. Henderson pled guilty to burglary. Their nephew was missing, presumed dead.· The law states that you are innocent until proved guilty.
(=seeming unlikely to cause any problems)· Even seemingly innocuous questions can get an employer into trouble.
· Children are the innocent victims of war.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· The six cakes sat there, apparently innocent and, oddly enough, still appetizing.· A person during hypnosis is so involved in fantasy and imagination that an apparently innocent question can actually create new memories.
· She was completely innocent, but how could she prove it?· The police switched to regarding her as completely innocent and she became the star witness.· He was completely innocent, but it was his fault.· He says he is completely innocent.
· De Michelis said that he was entirely innocent of any malpractice.· In practically all other versions, she is on the surface entirely innocent.· Madeleine was entirely innocent and had no idea of the strength of his physical need of her.· Perhaps it was by pure chance that the other woman had been there, and Matthew was entirely innocent.· It was quite a litany of aggression, even though on at least one count she was entirely innocent!· He was taken to Cowley Police Station and released after two hours when Police realised his role was entirely innocent.
· It was a perfectly innocent rather charming suggestion on the part of Hindley Foster.· Of course the investigation may discover a perfectly innocent explanation.· The more ingenious, those who had mastered paper planes at school, made paper hats from perfectly innocent newspapers.
· That day in the garden ... you were so innocent, so gentle, so untouched by war and betrayal.· He was so sweet when he slept, so helpless, so innocent.· Had she really been so innocent that she'd forgotten how passionately he could kiss?· This little old lady is not so innocent as she seems.· They were so innocent, so vulnerable, so eager to behave decently.· He looked so innocent and worried when he stopped me.· The automaton no longer looked so innocent.
· There could be a totally innocent reason why some one arrived with no documents.· Conspiracy buffs would have us believe that Ray is totally innocent, that he had nothing to do with the crime.· He lacked many of the plainer necessities of life, and of ambition he was totally innocent.· I am convinced that only my genuinely clear conscience let me convince the adults around me that I was totally innocent.
NOUN· And Coren, dressing up as Moses and leading 200 innocent bystanders into the Promised Land.· Police Officer Jack Wronski said two of the victims were known gang members; the other was an innocent bystander.· No police widows, no innocent bystanders hurt.· Because the innocent bystander wandering into frame is, predictably, the delicious Riva herself.
· For the sake of that innocent child, whom you wanted to destroy.· Call her an innocent child, a tormented animal, or a nurturing moon-deity.· And now he was lurching about his flat with innocent children asleep in their beds, and he had lied to Helga.· She awoke with the innocent children asleep around her, she who had lost her innocence.· Blind obedience would have resulted in the death of an innocent child.· Five of those innocent children knocked down an old woman of 79.· How depressing to see a potential threat to money treated more seriously than a clear and present threat to innocent children.
· They were simple innocent girls who had not been loved.· This beautiful and innocent girl on the other side of the world insisted that I call her Sally.· Them perverts, they pick on the nice innocent girls.· Many of us in this village gave blood for the innocent girls.· There's an innocent man in prison and an innocent girl missing from home.
· Many innocent lives have already been lost because of people like him.· My order to attack undoubtedly saved a lot of other innocent lives but it still doesn't give me peace of mind.
· Secondly, how could Ministers knowingly allow innocent men to go to jail?· The defense contends that linking those dots properly reveals a picture of Simpson as an innocent man wrongly accused.· In what way is it a humanitarian act to kill, maim and wound innocent men, women and children?· Yet today my ignorance could have caused an innocent man to be sent to the gallows.· In the elegant way of innocent men, he accepted his gift graciously.· You have taken away innocent men.
· There are just two qualifications to this last point, i.e. which apply where the innocent party immediately accepts the repudiation.· Even innocent parties were excluded from court until 1887.· The duty to mitigate does not apply where the innocent party refuses to accept the anticipatory breach as a repudiation.· As is often the case, the principal odium falls on an innocent party.· They feel that as innocent parties they are being cheated.· Section 5 renders an agreement made with an unauthorised person unenforceable at the option of the innocent party.· In the case of the innocent parties they must have known each other for at least two years.
· Adult gangs did fight, but not with innocent people or bystanders.· For example, it offers important protections to innocent people whose spouse or former spouse has failed to pay taxes.· But the intentional mass murder of innocent people is not.· He harmed many innocent people -- children, young people.· He has received death threats after cheating hundreds of innocent people.· Those supposedly innocent people out there getting clubbed-among them was a cold-eyed assassin, maybe a ring of cold-eyed assassins.· One person's disobedience can have awful social consequences for many other innocent people.· All she could think about was all of those innocent people dying.
· They surely couldn't prove an innocent person guilty.· Some friends felt that Alvin had returned a harder, less innocent person.· I would agree that a hypnotist could not, for example, make me attack an innocent person.· Bush says he's confident that no innocent person has been put to death during his tenure.· They confirmed that Black was an innocent person who walked into his own cottage on lawful business that Saturday afternoon.· That really was quite an event to shoot an innocent person in New York City.
· The crawling and wriggling carcasses had been the innocent victims of the chaos taking possession of their world.· I can not see her as an innocent victim of a nasty and dissolute hippie.· She had been such an innocent victim from the start it seemed only fair to help her all they could now.· Do not assume they are necessarily innocent victims.· He is believed to be an innocent victim of a clean-up campaign which included the demolition of buildings.· However, Melancia maintained that he was the innocent victim of a politically motivated smear campaign.· Murderers, rapists and muggers are innocent victims of society, their parents and traumatic early experience.· For Lisa to cast herself as an innocent victim was maddening enough.
· The media's search for the monster has been completed and the future safely of innocent women can be celebrated.
WORD FAMILYnouninnocenceinnocentadjectiveinnocentadverbinnocently
1not guilty of a crime OPP guilty: Nobody would believe that I was innocent.innocent of He’s innocent of murder. The court found him innocent and he was released.2innocent victims/bystanders/people etc people who get hurt or killed in a war or crime although they are not directly involved in it: Many innocent civilians are among the casualties.3done or said without intending to harm or offend anyone: He was startled by their angry reaction to his innocent remark.4not having much experience of the bad things in the world, so that you are easily deceived SYN naive: I was thirteen years old and very innocent.—innocently adverbinnocent1 adjectiveinnocent2 noun
innocentinnocent2 noun [countable] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- He's such an innocent; anyone can take advantage of him.
- Both John and Donner, in different ways, are innocents, Donner surprisingly and dangerously so.
- Moral patients are, for the most part, innocents.
- She is a girl of about 12, and she faces the camera with the calm composure of an innocent.
- These guys are holy innocents, in love with their worlds and their words.
- Unfortunately the innocents get hurt, never the criminals behind the scenes.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Several innocent bystanders were killed by the blast. Don’t play the innocent (=pretend you do not know about something) with me – we both know what happened. Henderson pled guilty to burglary. Their nephew was missing, presumed dead.
Several innocent bystanders were killed by the blast.· ‘It was so late,’ she continued with an innocent expression, ‘I had to stay the night.’
Don’t play the innocent (=pretend you do not know about something) with me – we both know what happened. Henderson pled guilty to burglary. Their nephew was missing, presumed dead.· The law states that you are innocent until proved guilty.
(=seeming unlikely to cause any problems)· Even seemingly innocuous questions can get an employer into trouble.
· Children are the innocent victims of war.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB· Now a jury in Albany, New York, has found the four policemen innocent of any criminal wrongdoing.
WORD FAMILYnouninnocenceinnocentadjectiveinnocentadverbinnocently
someone who does not have much experience of the bad things in life