turn king's evidence

A form of turn queen's evidence — Of a person accused of a crime, to give evidence against one's accomplices in the hope of receiving a lighter punishment. Used when the monarch is female.

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Meanings

verbturn king's evidence (third-person singular simple present turns king's evidence, present participle turning king's evidence, simple past and past participle turned king's evidence)

present singular third person turns king's evidence · participle present turning king's evidence · participle past turned king's evidence · past turned king's evidence

  1. UKalternativelawAlternative form of turn queen's evidence (used when the monarch is male)
Cite this entry
APA

turn king's evidence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turn%20king's%20evidence

MLA

“turn king's evidence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turn%20king's%20evidence. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “turn king's evidence,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turn%20king's%20evidence.

Source: turn king's evidence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.