Aggravated

What does Aggravated mean in American Law?

The definition of Aggravated in the law of the United States, as defined by the lexicographer Arthur Leff in his legal dictionary is:

When used in law, e.g., in a criminal statute, the term means something like “a nastier kind of,” e.g., “aggravated arson” may describe arson involving threat to human life; “aggravated assault” may be assault with intent to kill; “aggravated” larceny may be armed larceny from the person of the victim, i.e., armed robbery. But many other things may also be the aggravating feature, e.g., “aggravated assault” in some jurisdictions includes assault to commit rape, and “aggravated larceny” may also refer to burglary from a dwelling house. And a previous conviction of the same offense may “aggravate” a subsequent occurrence. All one knows is that when “aggravated” is added to the name of a crime it means that it is thought to be worse and to deserve a harsher penalty.

In ordinary speech, aggravated can be used to mean “made worse,” but it is also commonly and imprecisely used to mean “irritated” or “annoyed,” as in “His whining aggravated me,” and “Who needs that kind of aggravation?”

Meaning of Aggravated

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