A legal standard for deciding the outcome of a criminal charge, requiring evidence that is sufficient to eliminate any doubts that a reasonable person might entertain about whether a claim is more likely to be true than not
[ bE-'änd ] (adverb.) before 12th century. Middle English, preposition & adverb, from Old English begeondan, from be- + geondan beyond, from geond yond; more at YOND.