Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - victim

~ n 1 someone who has been attacked, robbed, or murdered  (In most sexual offences the attacker is known to the victim. | rape/murder etc victim)  (Most homicide victims are under 30.) 2 someone who suffers because they are affected by a bad situation or by an illness  (a victim of circumstances | famine/earthquake/flood victims)  (a massive aid program for the famine victims | polio/cholera/AIDS victim)  (Many cholera victims were being left to die.) 3 something that is badly affected or destroyed by a situation or action  (fall victim to (=become a victim of something))  (Vital public services have fallen victim to budget cuts.) 4 be a victim of its own success to be badly affected by some unexpected results of being very successful  (The once-peaceful village has attracted so many tourists that it has become a victim of its own success.) 5 sacrificial victim a person or animal that is killed and offered as a sacrifice1 (3) (=gift) to a god 6 fashion/style victim informal someone who always wears the newest fashions whether it suits them or not