felony: 重罪

美国众议院多数党领袖、众议院共和党二号人物迪莱28日被得克萨斯州一个地方陪审团指控在竞选筹资过程中犯有阴谋罪，这使得他被迫宣布暂时停职。他是美国一个多世纪以来首位遭指控的众议院领导人。请看报道：

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was indicted by a Texas grand jury Wednesday on a charge of conspiring to violate political fundraising laws, forcing him to temporarily step aside from his GOP post. DeLay, 58, was indicted on a single felony count of conspiring with two political associates.

文中的felony意思是"重罪"，如谋杀，抢劫等。如：Murder is a felony.（谋杀是一种重罪。）；guity of felony （重罪罪名成立）。此外，与之相关的felon一词指的是“重罪犯”，即“犯了重罪的人”。