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Webster 1913 Edition


Conviction

Con-vic′tion

(kŏn-vĭk′shŭn)
,
Noun.
[L.
convictio
proof: cf. F.
conviction
conviction (in sense 3 & 4). See
Convict
,
Convince
.]
1.
The act of convicting; the act of proving, finding, or adjudging, guilty of an offense.
The greater certainty of
conviction
and the greater certainty of punishment.
Hallam.
2.
(Law)
A judgment of condemnation entered by a court having jurisdiction; the act or process of finding guilty, or the state of being found guilty of any crime by a legal tribunal.
Conviction
may accrue two ways.
Blackstone.
3.
The act of convincing of error, or of compelling the admission of a truth; confutation.
For all his tedious talk is but vain boast,
Or subtle shifts
conviction
to evade.
Milton.
4.
The state of being convinced or convicted; strong persuasion or belief; especially, the state of being convicted of sin, or by one’s conscience.
To call good evil, and evil good, against the
conviction
of their own consciences.
Swift.
Syn. –
Conviction
;
persuasion
.
– Conviction respects soley matters of belief or faith; persuasion respects matters of belief or practice. Conviction respects our most important duties; persuasion is frequently applied to matters of indifference.
Crabb.
– Conviction is the result of the [operation of the] understanding; persuasion, of the will. Conviction is a necessity of the mind, persuasion an acquiescence of the inclination.
C. J. Smith.
– Persuasion often induces men to act in opposition to their conviction of duty.

Webster 1828 Edition


Conviction

CONVICTION

,
Noun.
1.
The act of proving, finding or determining to be guilty of an offense charged against a person before a legal tribunal; as by confession, by the verdict of a jury, or by the sentence of other tribunal, as in the summary convictions before commissioners of the revenue.
2.
The act of convincing, or compelling one to admit the truth of a charge; the act of convincing of sin or sinfulness; the sate of being convinced or convicted by conscience; the state of being sensible of guilt; as, the convictions of a sinner may be temporary, or lasting and efficacious. By conviction, a sinner is brought to repentance. Men often sin against the conviction of their own consciences.
3.
The act of convincing of error; confutation; the act of compelling one to acknowledge his error, or the truth of what is alledged; as, the conviction of a heretic may induce him to abandon his errors.