crime and punishment: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Literary, Academic
Quick answer
What does “crime and punishment” mean?
The title of Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1866 novel, or the general concept linking a criminal act and the penalty imposed for it by society.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The title of Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1866 novel, or the general concept linking a criminal act and the penalty imposed for it by society.
A phrase often used to refer to the subject of jurisprudence dealing with criminal law, the consequences of illegal actions, or any cause-and-effect situation involving a transgression and its repercussions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. US usage may more frequently appear in discussions of criminal justice policy.
Connotations
Strongly associated with Dostoevsky's novel and its themes of guilt, morality, and redemption.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects, primarily in literary, academic, and legal contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “crime and punishment” in a Sentence
[Subject] examines the complex link between crime and punishment.[Prepositional Phrase] In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment,...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crime and punishment” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The module will crime-and-punishment the key theories. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- The course crime-and-punishments various historical periods. (rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- He argued crime-and-punishmently about the need for reform. (rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- A crime-and-punishment themed seminar
American English
- A crime-and-punishment-style narrative
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not typically used.
Academic
Central in literature, philosophy, law, and sociology courses discussing morality, justice, and legal systems.
Everyday
Used when discussing the novel or general concepts of justice.
Technical
Used in legal and criminological texts to describe the foundational purpose of criminal law.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crime and punishment”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “crime and punishment”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crime and punishment”
- Using a singular verb with the phrase as a subject (e.g., 'Crime and Punishment is a complex topic' is correct, treating it as a single concept).
- Misspelling 'punishment'.
- Capitalizing all words only when referring specifically to the novel's title.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Only when referring specifically to the title of Dostoevsky's novel. When discussing the general concept, it is not capitalised (e.g., 'theories of crime and punishment').
It would be unusual and overly dramatic. The phrase carries formal, literary, or legal weight and is not typically used for minor, everyday discipline.
No, there is no standard verb derived from 'crime and punishment'. It functions almost exclusively as a noun phrase.
Primarily due to the monumental influence of Dostoevsky's 1866 novel, which is considered one of the greatest works of world literature and a foundational text of existentialism.
The title of Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1866 novel, or the general concept linking a criminal act and the penalty imposed for it by society.
Crime and punishment is usually formal, literary, academic in register.
Crime and punishment: in British English it is pronounced /kraɪm ən ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /kraɪm ən ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The scales of crime and punishment must be balanced.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember the title by its initials: C&P, like a law firm dealing with criminals.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A BALANCE (crime weighs one side, punishment the other).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the phrase 'crime and punishment' LEAST likely to be used professionally?