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name names

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name names

to say who is doing something bad or illegal She swears she will never name names, even if she were offered a reward.

See also: name

name names

to tell people who is involved in a secret or illegal activity He wouldn't name names but has promised that the accusations will be fully investigated.

See also: name

name names

Specify persons by name, especially those who are accused of something. For example, More than one person was involved in the robbery, and his lawyer said he would get a shorter sentence if he named names . It is also put negatively, name no names, as in Some of our neighbors disobey the town's leash law, but I'm naming no names. The negative form was first recorded in 1792.

See also: name