con·vic·tion   (kən-vĭk'shən)    n.   Law The judgment of a jury or judge that a person is guilty of a crime as charged. The state of being found or proved guilty: evidence that led to the suspect's conviction. The act or process of convincing. The state of being convinced. See Synonyms at certainty. The act or process of convincing. The state of being convinced. See Synonyms at certainty. A fixed or strong belief. See Synonyms at opinion. con·vic'tion·al adj.

Conviction

Con*vic"tion\, n. [L. convictio proof: cf. F. conviction conviction (in sense 3 & 4). See Convict, Convince.]

1. The act of convicting; the act of proving, finding, or adjudging, guilty of an offense.

The greater certainty of conviction and the greater certainty of punishment. --Hallam.

2. (Law) A judgment of condemnation entered by a court having jurisdiction; the act or process of finding guilty, or the state of being found guilty of any crime by a legal tribunal.

Conviction may accrue two ways. --Blackstone.

3. The act of convincing of error, or of compelling the admission of a truth; confutation.

For all his tedious talk is but vain boast, Or subtle shifts conviction to evade. --Milton.

4. The state of being convinced or convicted; strong persuasion or belief; especially, the state of being convicted of sin, or by one's conscience.

To call good evil, and evil good, against the conviction of their own consciences. --Swift.

And did you presently fall under the power of this conviction? --Bunyan.

Syn: Conviction; persuasion.

Usage: Conviction respects soley matters of belief or faith; persuasion respects matters of belief or practice. Conviction respects our most important duties; persuasion is frequently applied to matters of indifference. --Crabb. -- Conviction is the result of the [operation of the] understanding; persuasion, of the will. Conviction is a necessity of the mind, persuasion an acquiescence of the inclination. --C. J. Smith. -- Persuasion often induces men to act in opposition to their conviction of duty.

Main Entry: con·vic·tion
Function: noun
1 : the act or process of convicting; also : the final judgment entered after a finding of guilt conviction of murder> conviction> —compare ACQUITTAL
NOTE: Jurisdictions differ as to what constitutes conviction for various statutes (as habitual offender statutes). Conviction is rarely applied to civil cases.
2 : GUILT conviction —W. Railroad LaFave and J. H. Israel>

conviction

see courage of one's convictions.