1. (n.) The act or process of prosecuting, or of endeavoring to gain or accomplish something; pursuit by efforts of body or mind; as, the prosecution of a scheme, plan, design, or undertaking; the prosecution of war.

2. (n.) The institution and carrying on of a suit in a court of law or equity, to obtain some right, or to redress and punish some wrong; the carrying on of a judicial proceeding in behalf of a complaining party, as distinguished from defense.

3. (n.) The institution, or commencement, and continuance of a criminal suit; the process of exhibiting formal charges against an offender before a legal tribunal, and pursuing them to final judgment on behalf of the state or government, as by indictment or information.

4. (n.) The party by whom criminal proceedings are instituted.

accusal accusation accusing action allegation allegement arraignment bill of particulars blame bringing of charges bringing to book carrying out case cause cause in court charge chase complaint completion count delation denouncement denunciation discharge dogging effectuation enforcement execution follow follow-up following fulfillment hue and cry hunting impeachment implication imputation indictment information innuendo insinuation judicial process lawsuit laying of charges legal action legal case legal proceedings legal process legal remedy litigation observance plaint proceedings pursuance pursuing pursuit quest reproach searching seeking shadowing stalking suit suit at law taxing tracking tracking down trailing transaction true bill unspoken accusation veiled accusation