Self-Defense
Criminal Types · Crime Vocabulary
Exercise 1: Who Are They?
Read each description and choose the correct criminal type.
1.The man deliberately set fire to the warehouse to claim the insurance money.
2.She secretly paid a government official to approve her company's contract.
3.He was married to two women at the same time, living in different cities.
4.Over five years, she quietly transferred thousands from her employer's accounts into her own.
5.He attacked the victim without warning, leaving them with serious injuries.
6.He placed explosive devices in public areas to cause widespread panic.
7.She was hired to kill a high-profile political figure.
8.He worked undercover for a foreign government, gathering classified information.
Exercise 2: Name the Crime
Choose the crime that best matches each scenario.
1.He crossed into a private estate without permission, setting off the alarm.
2.The newspaper published false claims about the politician that damaged his reputation.
3.Employees were regularly stealing small amounts of office supplies over several months.
4.During the riots, groups broke into shops and took goods without paying.
5.He was convicted of killing someone without planning it — it happened in the heat of the moment.
6.She was accused of verbally spreading lies about her neighbour to others in the street.
7.The driver hit a cyclist, panicked, and drove away without stopping.
8.Rangers caught the man hunting elephants illegally in the protected reserve.
Exercise 3: Match the Criminal to the Crime
Click a criminal on the left, then click the corresponding crime noun on the right.
Criminal
Crime
Exercise 4: Match the Word to Its Meaning
Click a word on the left, then click its meaning on the right.
Word
Meaning
N
E
R
D
Word Origin
Naturally Eccentric, Remarkably Different
Word Origin
Naturally Eccentric, Remarkably Different
| Word / Phrase | Category | Origin & Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Arson | etymology | From Old French arsun, from Latin ardere — 'to burn'. The deliberate act of setting fire to property. |
| Assassination | etymology | From Arabic ḥashshāshīn — 'hashish users'. A medieval sect said to commit political murders, later associated with the act itself. |
| Bigamy | etymology | From Late Latin bigamus, from Greek bi- (two) + gamos (marriage). The crime of marrying someone while already legally married. |
| Bombing | etymology | From Italian bomba, likely from Latin bombus — 'a booming sound'. An imitative word for an explosion. |
| Bribery | etymology | From Old French bribe — 'a lump of bread given to a beggar'. Evolved into any gift used to corrupt or gain favour. |
| Assault | etymology | From Old French assaut, from Latin ad- (to) + saltus (a leap) — 'to leap at'. A physical or threatened attack on someone. |
| Embezzlement | etymology | From Anglo-French embesiler — 'to cause to disappear'. Theft of funds by a person entrusted to manage them. |
| Espionage | etymology | From French espionnage, from Old Italian spione — 'spy'. The practice of secretly gathering classified information. |
| Trespassing | etymology | From Old French trespasser — 'to pass across', from Latin trans- (across) + passare (to pass). Entering someone's property without permission. |
| Libel | etymology | From Latin libellus — 'little book'. Originally referred to written defamatory pamphlets. Defamation in written or published form. |
| Slander | etymology | From Old French esclandre, from Latin scandalum — 'stumbling block, cause of offence'. Spoken defamation. |
| Pilfering | etymology | Possibly from Old French pelfrer — 'to plunder', or pelf — stolen goods. Petty, repeated theft of small items. |
| Looting | etymology | From Hindi lūṭ — 'plunder'. Entered English during British colonial rule in India. Theft on a large scale, typically during disorder. |
| Manslaughter | etymology | Old English man + Old Norse slátr — 'butchered meat'. Killing a person unlawfully but without premeditation — unlike murder. |
| Poaching | etymology | From Old French pocher — 'to thrust into a bag'. Illegally hunting, fishing, or taking animals from land you don't own. |
| Hooliganism | etymology | Possibly from the Irish surname Hooligan, associated with street gangs in 1890s London. Disorderly, violent, or destructive behaviour in public. |
| Treason | etymology | From Old French traïson, from Latin traditio — 'handing over, betrayal'. The crime of betraying one's country or ruler. |
| Hit and run | grammar | A compound noun built from two verbs used as adjectives. Describes a collision where the driver flees without stopping — also used figuratively for any quick, damaging action. |
| Empower | etymology | From Latin potere — 'to be able', via Old French. The prefix em- means 'to put into a state of'. To give someone authority or confidence to act. |
| Seize | etymology | From Old French saisir — 'to take possession of', of Germanic origin. To grab or take hold of something quickly and forcefully. |
| Provoke | etymology | From Latin provocare — pro- (forth) + vocare (to call). Literally 'to call forth' — to deliberately stir up anger or a reaction. |
| Mandatory | etymology | From Late Latin mandatorius, from mandatum — 'a command'. Required by law or authority; not optional. |
| Take the law into your own hands | idiom | To punish someone yourself without involving the police or courts. Implies impatience with or distrust of the legal system. |
| Get away with | idiom | To escape punishment or consequences for a wrongdoing. "He got away with the robbery" — he was never caught or prosecuted. |