implicate

present singular third person implicates · participle present implicating · participle past implicated · past implicated

1. transitiveusuallyTo show to be connected or involved in an unfavorable or criminal way.

   The evidence implicates involvement of top management in the scheme.

   3 more examples

   But it is of no use talking now; the servants will soon be stirring, and it would be rather awkward to be found here." "For you, perhaps, madam," sneered Sir George. "Rather for yourself," replied she, with the greatest composure; "you might be implicated in the charge of murder."

   1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Assignation”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 256

   I shall cancel, without further provocation, the next lecture engagement that is implicated with a peep o' day train.

   1879, Robert J[ones] Burdette, Hawk-Eyes, New York, N.Y.: G. W. Carleton & Co., Publishers, page 137

   Mostly, the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.

   2013 June 29, “A punch in the gut”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, London: The Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 27 Jul 2023, pages 72–73

2. nonstandardtransitiveTo imply, to have as a necessary consequence or accompaniment.

   What did Nixon's visit to China implicate for Russia?

3. human sciencesTo imply without entailing; to have as an implicature.
4. archaicTo fold or twist together, intertwine, interlace, entangle, entwine.

   Synonyms: ensnarl, involve, ravel, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entangle, foul

plural implicates

1. human sciencesThe thing implied.

comparative more implicate · superlative most implicate

1. alsofigurativelyrareIntertwined, enfolded, twisted together; wrapped up (with), entangled, involved (in).
   1. alsoespeciallyfigurativelyrareused in implicate order
2. obsoleteInvolved, intricate.