cross-examine

UK: /ˌkrɒsɪgˈzæmɪn/ US: (krôs′ig zam′in, kros′-)

Inflections of 'cross-examine' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

cross-examines

v 3rd person singular

cross-examining

v pres p

cross-examined

v past

cross-examined

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ˈcross-exˈam•ine,  v. [~ + object] , -ined, -in•ing. 

1. Law (in a court of law) to examine (a witness called and examined by the opposing side), esp. for the purpose of checking, clarifying, or showing to be false that witness's testimony.
2. to question closely or minutely:
   My parents cross-examined me when I got home late from the party.

cross--ex•am•i•na•tion, n. 

[uncountable] On cross-examination, the witness blurted out the truth.

[countable] conducted a cross-examination.

cross--ex•am•in•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cross-ex•am•ine  (krôs′ig zam′in, kros′-), v.t., -ined, -in•ing. 

1. to examine by questions intended to check a previous examination;
   examine closely or minutely.
2. Law to examine (a witness called by the opposing side), as for the purpose of discrediting the witness's testimony. Cf. direct-examine.

• 1655–65

cross′-ex•am′i•na′tion, n. 
cross′-ex•am′in•er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cross-examine verb (transitive)

1. to examine (a witness for the opposing side), as in attempting to discredit his or her testimony
2. to examine closely or relentlessly

ˈcross-exˌamiˈnation noun

ˌcross-exˈaminer noun