Reading Theme:
Sentence: Grammar Unit & Legal Punishment (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：grammatical unit (sentence)
sentence
/ˈsentəns/
n.
A group of words that forms a complete thought, usually containing a subject and a verb. It’s the basic building block of writing and speech.
grammatical unit
➕
/ɡrəˈmætɪkəl ˈjuːnɪt/
n.
A set of words that expresses a complete idea, typically containing a subject and a verb, and ends with a punctuation mark.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'sententia' (opinion, feeling), derived from 'sentire' (to feel).
💡 Mnemonic
A judge's 'sentence' gives an opinion; a grammatical 'sentence' expresses a complete thought.
📖 Example
Her teacher praised her for writing such a clear and descriptive sentence.
Her educator commended her for penning a lucid and vivid sentence.
🔗 Collocations
complex sentence – A sentence containing one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
simple sentence – A sentence with one independent clause and no dependent clauses
sentence structure – The arrangement of words and clauses in a sentence
🔄 Synonyms
utterance (n.) – A spoken or written statement, often a complete thought
expression (n.) – A phrase or group of words conveying an idea
statement (n.) – A definite or clear expression of something in speech or writing
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
sentential (adj.) – Relating to a sentence
sentencing (n.) – The act of forming or using sentences
sentence (v.) – To pronounce a sentence or express an opinion
📖 Cultural Story
Originally meant 'opinion' in Latin, shifted to 'judicial decision' in legal contexts, then to 'grammatical unit' in 15th-century grammar studies.
Meaning 2：judicial punishment (sentence)
sentence
/ˈsentəns/
n.
The punishment that a judge gives to someone who has been found guilty of a crime in a court of law.
judicial punishment
➕
/dʒuˈdɪʃəl ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/
n.
The penalty imposed by a court on a person convicted of a crime, which may include imprisonment, fines, or other sanctions.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The judge handed down a five-year prison sentence to the man convicted of fraud.
The magistrate issued a five-year prison term to the individual found guilty of fraud.
🔗 Collocations
prison sentence – A punishment requiring confinement in prison
death sentence – A punishment of execution for a crime
life sentence – A prison term lasting for the remainder of a person's life
🔄 Synonyms
penalty (n.) – A punishment imposed for breaking a law or rule
punishment (n.) – The infliction of a penalty for an offense
condemnation (n.) – The act of sentencing someone to a punishment
🚫 Antonyms
acquittal (n.) – A judgment that a person is not guilty of a crime
pardon (n.) – The release from the legal consequences of a crime
exoneration (n.) – The formal removal of blame or guilt
🌱 Derivatives
sentenced (adj.) – Having received a judicial punishment
sentencing (n.) – The process of determining a punishment in court
resentence (v.) – To impose a new sentence on someone
Wordbook
Your data is saved in this browser