1 : a natural prolongation or projection from a part of an organism either animal or plant
2 : (law) the determination of a person's innocence or guilt by due process of law
3 : (psychology) the performance of some composite cognitive activity; an operation that affects mental contents
4 : a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
5 : a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong
