The tree of life, the crime of our first father's fall.
Spenser.
Capital crime, a crime punishable with death.
Syn. -- Sin; vice; iniquity; wrong. -- Crime, Sin,Vice. Sin is the generic term, embracing wickedness of every kind, but specifically denoting an offense as committed against God. Crime is strictly a violation of law either human or divine; but in present usage the term is commonly applied to actions contrary to the laws of the State. Vice is more distinctively that which springs from the inordinate indulgence of the natural appetites, which are in themselves innocent. Thus intemperance, unchastity, duplicity, etc., are vices; while murder, forgery, etc., which spring from the indulgence of selfish passions, are crimes.
Crime"ful (kr?m"f?l), a. Criminal; wicked; contrary to law, right, or dury. [Obs.] Shak.
Crime"less, a. Free from crime; innocent. Shak.
Crim"i*nal (kr?m"?-nal), a. [L. criminalis, fr. crimen: cf. F. criminel. See Crime.] 1. Guilty of crime or sin.
The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God.
Rogers.
2. Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness.
Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves.
Addison.