sentence
Definitions
A grammatical unit expressing a complete thought, beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full stop
句子（表达完整意思的语法单位）
The punishment a court assigns to a convicted person
判决，刑罚
To formally declare the punishment a court imposes on someone
（法庭）宣判，判处
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedsent (feel, perceive) + -ence (state). Latin sententia meant "an opinion, a way of feeling." A judge's "opinion" hardened into the official ruling — hence the legal sense, a sentence. In grammar, a sentence is a complete formed thought, an expressed opinion. One word, two worlds — both built on "a formed feeling/opinion."
Root sent still carries 33 more wordsWhy It Means This
Why does one word mean both a grammatical clause and a prison term? Both descend from Latin sententia, "an opinion." In a courtroom, the judge's opinion IS the ruling, so sentence came to mean the punishment handed down. In grammar, a sentence is a complete unit of thought — an opinion put into words. The shared core is "a fully formed judgment, expressed."
Common Collocations
- 1.serve a sentence服刑
- 2.death sentence死刑
- 3.topic sentence主题句
- 4.pass sentence宣判
- 5.life sentence无期徒刑
Example Sentences
- 1.
Each paragraph should open with a clear topic sentence.
- 2.
The judge handed down a ten-year sentence for the robbery.
- 3.
He was sentenced to community service instead of jail.