cite (one) for (something)
1. To acknowledge or honor someone for admirable behavior. The mayor wants to cite those firefighters for saving all of the school children in the blaze. The president wants to cite those officers for intervening in the aftermath of the earthquake. Without their efforts, the death toll would have been far higher. The school board is going to cite our mom for her 45 years of service to the district.
2. To give someone a citation for a particular legal infraction. Sir, if you don't stop yelling, I'll have to cite you for disorderly conduct. Their financial practices are so convoluted that I'm not surprised the IRS cited them for fraud. That officer cited you for disturbing the peace?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
cite someone for something
1. to honor someone for doing something; to give someone a citation of honor for doing something good. The town council cited her for bravery. They cited Maria for her courageous act.
2. to charge or arraign someone for breaking a law; to issue a legal citation to someone for breaking a law. An officer cited the driver for driving too fast. The housing department cited the landlord for sanitary violations.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.