crime

noun | \ ˈkrīm \

1. : conduct that is prohibited and has a specific punishment (as incarceration or fine) prescribed by public law — compare delict, tort

2. : an offense against public law usually excluding a petty violation — see also felony, misdemeanor

   Note: Crimes in the common-law tradition were originally defined primarily by judicial decision. For the most part, common-law crimes are now codified. There is a general principle “nullum crimen sine lege,” that there can be no crime without a law. A crime generally consists of both conduct, known as the actus reus, and a concurrent state of mind, known as the mens rea.

3. : criminal activity