The Hindu Editorial (Murder most foul) – Jan 20, 2025

To read this article, click  “The Hindu”.

This preview is provided here with permission.

Courtesy: The Hindu

The Hindu Editorial (​​Murder most foul) – Jan 20, 2025:

1. murder most foul (phrase) – a phrase that comes from Shakespeare’s most popular play Hamlet. “Murder most foul” literally means a murder that is immoral in intention and very unpleasant in nature. It also means a murder is the most unpleasant/immoral of all crimes.
2. foul (adjective) – evil, wicked, sinful, immoral, wrongful.
3. state (noun) – government.
4. authorities (noun) – officer, office-holder, representative, bureaucrat, functionary, administrator, executive, official, officialdom, the people in charge.
5. conviction (noun) – sentence, judgement, verdict.
6. systemic (adjective) – relating to a system; systematic, organized, systematized, methodical, methodic, structured.
7. Sessions Court (noun) – In India, the apex court within the district dealing with criminal cases is named as “sessions court” as per the Code Of Criminal Procedure (CrPc). While the court dealing with civil cases as per the Code Of Civil Procedure is called “district court”.
8. guilty (adjective) – at fault, culpable, accountable/responsible for misconduct.
9. find guilty (phrase) – declare guilty, convict, sentence.
10. state-run (adjective) – maintained by state government.
11. the accused (noun) – the suspected person.
12. put forward (phrasal verb) – propose, present, offer, submit, suggest, recommend, introduce.
13. held past participle of hold (verb) – (of a court) rule, decide.
14. Sections 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (noun) – it deals with “Punishment for rape”.
15. Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (noun) – it deals with “Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim”.
16. Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (noun) – it says “whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine”.
17. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023 (noun) – An Act to consolidate and amend the provisions relating to offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. It is the official criminal code in India and it replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It came into effect on 1 July 2024 after being passed by the parliament in December 2023.
18. Indian Penal Code (IPC) (noun) – The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The draft was passed into law on 6 October 1860. The Code came into operation on 1 January 1862. The Indian Penal Code of 1860, subdivided into 23 chapters, comprises 511 sections. IPC deals with crimes and punishments.
19. life term (noun) – an imprisonment that lasts until die.
20. life sentence (noun) – a punishment for a criminal of imprisonment for life; prison term, prison sentence, jail sentence, penal sentence.
21. imprisonment (noun) – incarceration, captivity, custody, arrest, restraint, confinement, internment, detention.
22. terms (noun) – conditions, particulars, details.
23. observation (noun) – pronouncement, statement, declaration, remark, comment, opinion, reflection.
24. turn/put the spotlight on (phrase) – to focus on someone or something; bring attention to someone or something; highlight, accentuate, underscore, underline.
25. civil society (noun) – civil society refers to space for collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors. It refers to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations. Civil society – sometimes called the “third sector” (after government and commerce) – has the power to influence the actions of elected policy-makers and businesses.
26. allege (verb) – claim, state, argue, assert, charge, accuse.
27. handiwork (noun) – action, work. 
28. charge  (noun) – allegation, accusation, indictment.
29. tampering (noun) – altering, damaging, changing; interfering/meddling.
30. witness/evidence tampering (noun) – the act of obstructing justice by improperly interacting with a witness before or after trial.
31. first information report (FIR) (noun) – a written document prepared by the police when they receive information  about the commission of a cognizable offence.
32. bail (noun) – conditional, temporary release of an arrested/imprisoned person when a specified amount of security is deposited or pledged (as cash or property) to ensure his/her appearance in court when required.
33. charge sheet (noun) – an official document on which a police officer enters details of the charge against a person.
34. as is (phrase) – in the present condition.
35. policing (noun) – the enforcement of rules/regulations; overseeing, monitoring, inspection.
36. come to the fore (phrase) – to become obvious, to become visible, to become noticeable  (to public attention); come in a position of importance; (come) to a prominent position
37. inordinate (adjective) – unfair, disproportionate, excessive, immoderate, undue, unreasonable, unjustifiable.
38. lapse (noun) – failure, mistake, blunder, oversight.
39. sought past tense of seek (verb) – ask for, request, appeal, demand.
40. culprit (noun) – criminal, offender, wrongdoer, lawbreaker, perpetrator.
41. nab (verb) – arrest, catch, capture, apprehend, take into custody.
42. sentiment (noun) – feeling, opinion, point of view.
43. echo (verb) – repeat, say again, reiterate, restate, mimic, imitate.
44. activist (noun) – a person who supports a political change or cause; (or societal change/cause).
45. hearing (noun) – court case, lawsuit, trial, inquiry, legal proceedings, proceedings, legal action.
46. suo motu (phrase) – Latin term means “on its own motion”. It is used where a government agency acts on its own knowledge.
47. uproar (noun) – commotion, disruption, disturbance, disorder, furore, fuss, hullabaloo, brouhaha, racket, ruckus, tumult, turmoil, clamour.
48. wake up to (phrasal verb) – to become aware of something; to realize something.
49. appalling (adjective) – shocking, horrific, horrible, terrible, awful, disgusting,, frightening, terrifying, alarming, scary.
50. lack (noun) – absence, unavailability, non-existence.
51. stretch thin (phrase) – don’t have enough time/money to do what one wants (or) to try to do a lot of different things at the same time.
52. rife  (adjective) – widespread, general, common, extensive, prevalent, ubiquitous, omnipresent, everywhere, present everywhere
53. slew (noun) – a large number of, lot, range.
54. measure (noun) – course of action, action, procedure, step.
55. onus (noun) – responsibility, commitment, liability, accountability, obligation. 
56. follow through (phrasal verb) – continue with, carry/keep on with, keep going with, stay with; bring to completion/end, complete.

Note : 

1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation, example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc. from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.

2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context.  

3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.

The Hindu Editorial (​​Murder most foul) – Jan 20, 2025: