這些術(shù)語(yǔ)均有指控某人犯罪的含義。accuse指刑事指控， 為通用詞，可表示正式或非正式，官方或個(gè)人指控[1]，如：to accuse sb. of murder (指控某人犯謀殺罪）。charge—般指向法院提起的正式指控，如：to charge sb. with murder (指控某人犯謀殺罪）；此外，它還可表示譴責(zé)某人違背某些行為準(zhǔn)則等[2]。 impeach為“彈劾”，多指因公共官員犯了叛逆罪或其他嚴(yán)重罪行而對(duì)其提起的指控[3];在英國(guó)，此種指控多由下議院提起， 由上議院審理。incriminate用于刑事犯罪，可指直接控告罪犯， 如：He was incriminated in the conspiracy (他被指控參與共謀）; 也可指某人因不利證詞而受牽連，而后一用法更為常見(jiàn)，如to incriminate oneself (自證其罪）。indict主要用于刑事犯罪，且多用于對(duì)罪行較為嚴(yán)重的罪犯的正式指控，在美國(guó)，尤指由大陪審團(tuán)直接通過(guò)indictment而提起的控訴[4]，如性質(zhì)較輕的summary offences則不用該單詞表示起訴或指控。

[1] "To charge with a crime..” Cf. Daphne Dukelow, The Dictionary of Canadian Law, at p. 8，Thomson Professional Publishing Canada (1991), “To charge (a person) judicially or publicly with an offense，to make an accusation against. ” Cf. Bryan A. Garner, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 22, West Group (1999).

[2] "To take proceeding or lay an information against a person believed to have committed an offense. " Cf. Daphne Dukelow, The Dictionary of Canadian Law, at p. 150, A Carswell Publication (1991). “To accuse sb. formally of having committed a crime. " Cf. P. H. Collin, English-Chinese Bilingual Law Dictionary, 2nd edition, at. p. 85, Peter Collin Publishing,世界圖書出版社（1998).

[3]“To charge with a crime or misconduct, specifically, to charge a (public official) before a competent tribunal (as the US Senate) with misconduct in office. ” Cf. Linda Picard Wood, J. D. , Merriam Webster's Dictionary of Law, at p. 235, Merriam-Webster, Incorporated ,Springfield, Massachusetts (1996)

[4]“To charge (a person) with a crime be formal legal process, esp. by grand-jury presentation. ” Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 776, West Group (1999).