- decriminalize
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To change the laws so something is no longer a crime. Opposite of criminalize.Syn: legalize
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decriminalize
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decriminalize — de·crim·i·nal·ize /dē kri mən əl ˌīz/ vt ized, iz·ing: to remove or reduce the criminal classification or status of de·crim·i·nal·iza·tion /dē ˌkri mən əl ə zā shən/ n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 … Law dictionary
decriminalize — 1963, to reform a criminal, back formation from DECRIMINALIZATION (Cf. decriminalization). Meaning to make legal something that formerly had been illegal was in use by 1970 (there are isolated instances back to 1867). Related: Decriminalized;… … Etymology dictionary
decriminalize — (Amer.) v. make something legal (i.e. marijuana), decriminalise … English contemporary dictionary
decriminalize — [v] legalize allow, declare lawful, legitimize, make legal, permit, regulate, sanction; concepts 298,317 … New thesaurus
decriminalize — (also decriminalise) ► VERB ▪ cease to treat (something) as illegal. DERIVATIVES decriminalization noun … English terms dictionary
decriminalize — ☆ decriminalize [dē krim′ə nəl īz΄, dē′krim′ə nəl īz΄ ] vt. decriminalized, decriminalizing to eliminate or reduce the legal penalties for (a specified crime) decriminalization n … English World dictionary
decriminalize — UK [diːˈkrɪmɪnəlaɪz] / US [dɪˈkrɪmɪn(ə)lˌaɪz] verb [transitive] Word forms decriminalize : present tense I/you/we/they decriminalize he/she/it decriminalizes present participle decriminalizing past tense decriminalized past participle… … English dictionary
decriminalize — transitive verb Date: 1969 to remove or reduce the criminal classification or status of; especially to repeal a strict ban on while keeping under some form of regulation < decriminalize the possession of marijuana > • decriminalization noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
decriminalize — decriminalization, n. /dee krim euh nl uyz /, v.t., decriminalized, decriminalizing. to eliminate criminal penalties for or remove legal restrictions against: to decriminalize marijuana. Also, esp. Brit., decriminalise. [1965 70, Amer.; DE +… … Universalium
decriminalize — verb Decriminalize is used with these nouns as the object: ↑marijuana, ↑prostitution … Collocations dictionary
decriminalize — de|crim|in|a|lize also decriminalise BrE [di:ˈkrımınəlaız] v [T] to state officially that something is not illegal any more ▪ the campaign to decriminalize cannabis >decriminalization [di:ˌkrımınəlaıˈzeıʃən US lə ] n [U] … Dictionary of contemporary English
