#938. Accusation. -- N. accusation, charge, imputation, slur, inculpation, exprobration[obs], delation; crimination; incrimination, accrimination[obs], recrimination; tu quoque argument[Lat]; invective &c. 932.
denunciation, denouncement; libel, challenge, citation, arraignment; impeachment, appeachment[obs]; indictment, bill of indictment, true bill; lawsuit &c. 969; condemnation &c. 971.
gravamen of a charge, head and front of one's offending, argumentum ad hominem[Lat]; scandal &c. (detraction) 934; scandalum magnatum[Lat].
accuser, prosecutor, plaintiff; relator, informer; appellant.
accused, defendant, prisoner, perpetrator, panel, respondent; litigant.
V. accuse, charge, tax, impute, twit, taunt with, reproach.
brand with reproach; stigmatize, slur; cast a stone at, cast a slur on; incriminate, criminate; inculpate, implicate; call to account &c. (censure) 932; take to blame, take to task; put in the black book.
inform against, indict, denounce, arraign; impeach, appeach[obs]; have up, show up, pull up; challenge, cite, lodge a complaint; prosecute, bring an action against &c. 969; blow upon.
charge with, saddle with; lay to one's door, lay charge; lay the blame on, bring home to; cast in one's teeth, throw in one's teeth; cast the first stone at.
have a rod in pickle for, keep a rod in pickle for; have a crow to pluck with.
trump up a charge.
Adj. accusing &c.v.; accusatory, accusative; imputative, denunciatory; recriminatory, criminatory[obs].
accused &c.v.; suspected; under suspicion, under a cloud, under surveillance; in custody, in detention; in the lockup, in the watch house, in the house of detention.
accusable, imputable; indefensible, inexcusable; unpardonable, unjustifiable; vicious &c. 845.
Int. look at home; tu quoque &c. (retaliation) 718[Lat].
Phr. "the breath of accusation kills an innocent name" [Shelley]; "thou can'st not say I did it" [Macbeth].