sentence

/ˈsɛntəns/
verb
  1. To declare the punishment of a person found guilty of a crime.
    • The judge sentenced him to community service.
    • She was sentenced to three years of probation.
    • The court will sentence the defendant next week.
noun
  1. A group of words that expresses a complete thought, typically containing a subject and a verb, and ending with a period, exclamation mark, or question mark.
    • Please write a complete sentence, not just a phrase.
    • A sentence must begin with a capital letter.
    • The first sentence of the book is very famous.
  2. The punishment given by a court to a person found guilty of a crime.
    • He received a suspended sentence for his first offense.
    • The judge handed down a sentence of five years in prison.
    • The criminal is serving a life sentence.