conviction

Definitions

con- (thoroughly) + victus (conquered) + -ion (act/state). Two senses grow from one image. In your mind, a belief that has conquered all your doubts is a conviction. In court, conquering the case against the accused produces a conviction — a guilty verdict.

Why It Means This

The most surprising word in this family: it means both 'a deep belief' and 'a guilty verdict.' The link is the metaphor of conquering doubt. A personal conviction is a thought so strong it has overpowered every counter-argument inside you. A legal conviction is the state overpowering the accused's defense in court. Context decides: 'a man of strong convictions' (beliefs) vs 'a prior conviction' (criminal record).

Common Collocations

• 1.criminal conviction刑事定罪
• 2.conviction rate定罪率
• 3.deep conviction坚定信念
• 4.carry conviction有说服力

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She spoke with the conviction of someone who had lived it.

• 2.

  It was his first conviction for drunk driving.

• 3.

  Nothing could shake her deep moral convictions.