Finding someone guilty in court or presenting evidence so persuasive that it proves someone did something wrong.
From Latin 'convincere' meaning 'to overcome' or 'to prove wrong,' combining 'con-' (with/together) and 'vincere' (to conquer). The legal sense developed in English during the medieval period when courts formalized guilt determinations.
The same root 'vincere' gives us 'victory,' 'invincible,' and even 'convince'—they all share the idea of 'conquering' or 'overcoming,' which is exactly what happens when evidence defeats a defendant's innocence claim.
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