arraign

From Old French araisnier (“to address, to verify”) (whence modern arraisonner (“to verify cargo, to arraign”)), from raison (“reason”).

• IPA^(key): /əˈɹeɪn/
• Rhymes: -eɪn

arraign (third-person singular simple present arraigns, present participle arraigning, simple past and past participle arraigned)

1. To officially charge someone in a court of law.

   He was arraigned in Washington, D.C., on the 25th of that month on charges of treason.

2. To call to account, or accuse, before the bar of reason, taste, or any other tribunal.
   • Dryden

     They will not arraign you for want of knowledge.

   • I. Taylor

     It is not arrogance, but timidity, of which the Christian body should now be arraigned by the world.

arraign (plural arraigns)

1. Arraignment.

   the clerk of the arraigns

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Blackstone to this entry?)

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Macaulay to this entry?)