court-martial

[ kawrt-mahr-shuhl, -mahr-, kohrt- ]

noun

, plural courts-mar·tial, court-mar·tials.

1. a court consisting of military or naval personnel appointed by a commander to try charges of offenses by soldiers, sailors, etc., against military or naval law.
2. a trial by such a court.
3. a conviction by such a court:

   He lost his privileges because of his court-martial.

4. a session of such a court:

   He attended the court-martial this morning.

verb (used with object)

, court-mar·tialed, court-mar·tial·ing or (especially British) court-mar·tialled, court-mar·tial·ling.

1. to arraign and try by court-martial.

court martial

noun

1. a military court that tries persons subject to military law

verb

1. tr to try by court martial

Word History and Origins

Origin of court-martial¹

First recorded in 1565–75; earlier martial court

Example Sentences

Now facing criminal charges, Neubauer could be standing before a court-martial by mid-June.

From The Daily Beast

As his court-martial finally got under way, I was reading a book called Making War at Fort Hood.

From The Daily Beast

The claims were made in a letter that came to light during the court martial of a former member of the SAS.

From The Daily Beast

The militia were a body of drilled troops, conscripted by law, and subject to military discipline inclding court martial.

From The Daily Beast

Then they decide that such a court-martial would embarrass them.

From The Daily Beast

He was at once arrested, and on October 13th tried by court martial, condemned to death, and executed a few hours later.

From Project Gutenberg

The Court Martial would furnish volumes of opinions, but not a line of fact.

From Project Gutenberg

In the following year a dragoon was similarly sentenced by court-martial to be branded on the tongue.

From Project Gutenberg

Palliser made charges against Keppel, which led to a court-martial on the latter.

From Project Gutenberg

A court-martial was convened, and the leader and seven others out of the twenty-two were condemned and executed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• military court