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Criminal vs Profligate - What's the difference?

criminal | profligate | Related terms |

Criminal is a related term of profligate.


As adjectives the difference between criminal and profligate

is that criminal is being against the law; forbidden by law while profligate is (obsolete) overthrown, ruined.

As nouns the difference between criminal and profligate

is that criminal is a person who is guilty of a crime, notably breaking the law while profligate is an abandoned person; one openly and shamelessly vicious; a dissolute person.

As a verb profligate is

(obsolete) to drive away; to overcome.

criminal

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Being against the law; forbidden by law.
  • * Addison
  • Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves.
  • Guilty of breaking the law.
  • * Rogers
  • The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God.
  • Of or relating to crime or penal law.
  • * Hallam
  • The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject were in some cases liable to criminal process.
    His long criminal record suggests that he is a dangerous man.
  • (figuratively) Abhorrent or very undesirable, even if allowed by law.
  • ''Printing such asinine opinions without rebuttal is criminal , even when not libel!

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "criminal" is often applied: law, justice, court, procedure, prosecution, intent, case, record, act, action, behavior, code, offence, liability, investigation, conduct, defense, trial, history, responsibility, lawyer, tribunal, appeal, process, background, mind, conspiracy, evidence, gang, organization, underworld, jurisprudence, offender, jury, police, past, group, punishment, attorney, violence, report, career, psychology.

    Synonyms

    * illegal

    Derived terms

    * criminal conversation * criminalisation * criminalist * criminalistics * criminality * criminalize * criminal law * criminal-law * criminally * criminal negligence * criminalness * criminal-offence * criminal offence * criminal procedure * criminal record

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who is guilty of a crime, notably breaking the law.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
  • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=3 citation , passage=‘[…] There's every Staffordshire crime-piece ever made in this cabinet, and that's unique. The Van Hoyer Museum in New York hasn't that very rare second version of Maria Marten's Red Barn over there, nor the little Frederick George Manning—he was the criminal Dickens saw hanged on the roof of the gaol in Horsemonger Lane, by the way—’}}

    Synonyms

    * lawbreaker * offender * perpetrator * See also

    profligate

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Overthrown, ruined.
  • * Hudibras
  • The foe is profligate , and run.
  • Inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly.
  • * 2013 , Ben Smith, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24503988]", BBC Sport , 19 October 2013:
  • Jay Rodriguez headed over and Dani Osvaldo might have done better with only David De Gea to beat and, as Southampton bordered on the profligate , United were far more ruthless.
  • Immoral; abandoned to vice.
  • * Roscommon
  • a race more profligate than we
  • * Dryden
  • Made prostitute and profligate muse.

    Synonyms

    * (inclined to waste resources or behave extravagantly) extravagant, wasteful, prodigal * immoral, licentious * See also

    Derived terms

    * profligateness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An abandoned person; one openly and shamelessly vicious; a dissolute person.
  • An overly wasteful or extravagant individual.
  • Synonyms

    * (overly wasteful or extravagant individual) wastrel * See also and

    Verb

    (profligat)
  • (obsolete) To drive away; to overcome.
  • * 1840 , Alexander Walker, Woman Physiologically Considered as to Mind, Morals, Marriage, Matrimonial Slavery, Infidelity and Divorce , page 157:
  • Such a stipulation would remove one powerful temptation to profligate pennyless seducers, of whom there are too many prowling in the higher circles ;

    Synonyms

    * overcome