| Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Collocations are words that are often used together and are brilliant at providing natural sounding language for your speech and writing. Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). While commonly a mere euphemism for sexual intercourse (not necessarily unlawful), different jurisdictions have defined carnal knowledge (as well as sexual intercourse) as a specific sex act such as contact between a penis and vagina, some laws elaborating this to include even "slight penile penetration of female sex organs". All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month. Create an account and sign in to access this FREE content, With more seats made available, it should be a, The board is expected to meet today to consider a formal, He paid tribute to her in a very emotional. Carnal knowledge is sexual intercourse between a male and female in Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. It is legally significant in that it is a necessary legal characteristic or element of rape, child molestation, or consensual sexual relations with a girl below the age of consent ("statutory rape"). In our recent blogs about which words are most commonly looked for on the Collins dictionary website, we have tended to stress how the searches reflect the changes in society brought about by the various stages of the global Covid-19 epidemic. Delivered to your inbox! But if you ever in the most fleeting moment ever doubt that Ann-Margret can act you can forever put that to rest by watching this movie she is amazingly raw and unflinching as Bobbie The definition sometimes includes a set of sex acts that include sodomy, while some statut… Last 300 years. 'And Whereas upon Trials for the Crimes of Buggery and of Rape, and of carnally abusing Girls under the respective Ages hereinbefore mentioned, Offenders frequently escape by reason of the Difficulty of the Proof which has been required of the Completion of those several Crimes;' for Remedy thereof be it enacted, That it shall not be necessary, in any of those Cases, to prove the actual Emission of Seed to constitute carnal Knowledge, but that the carnal Knowledge shall be deemed complete upon Proof of Penetration only. Meaning of unlawful carnal knowledge. The crimes of carnally abusing girls referred to were those created by section 17 of the Act. Legal Definition of carnal knowledge. The term derives from carnal, meaning "of the flesh", and the Biblical usage of the verb know/knew, a euphemism for sexual conduct. We look at some of the ways in which the language is changing. All rights reserved. Usually, but not always, this does not involve penetration.[2]. What made you want to look up carnal knowledge? Carnal knowledge definition, sexual intercourse. Examples of this usage include the first part of the Bible, the Book of Genesis, which describes how Adam and Eve conceived their first child: And in Lot's plea to the people of Sodom to whom he offered his virgin daughters, in place of his guests: In criminal law, the term has had different meanings at different times and in different jurisdictions. State laws vary, but the age of consent is usually between 14 and 18. Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. This section was replaced by section 63 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. View usage for: Carnal knowledge is an archaic or legal euphemism for sexual intercourse. Get the USLegal Last Will Combo Legacy Package and protect your family today. In our recent blogs about which words are most commonly looked for on the Collins dictionary website, we have tended to stress how the searches reflect the changes in society brought about by the various stages of the global Covid-19 epidemic. Information and translations of carnal knowledge in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web.