Meaning & use
charge sheet
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Meanings
nouncountablelegallaw
An official police document that lists the crimes a person is accused of.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a charge sheet' or 'charge sheets'. Often appears with 'on the charge sheet'.
Patterns
- on the charge sheet
- a charge sheet against someone
- list something on a charge sheet
The officer read out the charge sheet in court.
His name appears on the charge sheet for two robberies.
The lawyer asked to see the charge sheet before the hearing.
nouncountablefigurative
A written record of formal accusations or complaints against a person or organization.
Grammar: Used more broadly in business or politics for a list of criticisms; often 'a long charge sheet'.
Patterns
- a long charge sheet
- someone's charge sheet
- draw up a charge sheet
The company has a long charge sheet of environmental violations.
Critics presented a charge sheet of failures against the minister.
The report reads like a charge sheet against the previous management.
Word forms
| plural | charge sheets |
|---|
Common combinations
- on the charge sheet
- The theft was listed on the charge sheet.
- a charge sheet against someone
- There is a charge sheet against the suspect.
- read the charge sheet
- The judge read the charge sheet aloud.
- a long charge sheet
- The politician has a long charge sheet of broken promises.
Synonyms and how they differ
- indictment
- A formal accusation, usually in serious criminal cases; more formal than 'charge sheet' and often used in American law.
- complaint
- In legal use, a document that starts a case; less specific than 'charge sheet' and can also mean an everyday complaint.
- accusation
- A claim that someone did wrong; it can be spoken or written, while 'charge sheet' is always an official written record.
Word family
Commonly confused: charge sheet or chargesheet? charge sheet or rap sheet?
charge sheet vs chargesheet
Some people write it as one word, but the standard form is two words: 'charge sheet'.
charge sheet vs rap sheet
A 'rap sheet' is a record of past arrests and convictions, not the list of current charges.
Practice
The police officer wrote the suspect's name on the ______.
Choose one answer.
'Charge sheet' is the correct singular countable noun for the official list of charges. 'Charge sheets' is plural and would need a plural context; 'charging sheet' and 'charge paper' are not standard terms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “charge sheet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.