They were prosecuted for illicit liquor selling.是什么意思？

They were prosecuted for illicit liquor selling.

他们因私卖烈酒而被起诉.

they

pron. 他/她/它们，人们，大家，政府，当局，她们；

例句
The storms had abated by the time they rounded Cape Horn.
他们绕过合恩角时，暴风雨已经减弱。

were

be的过去时复数和第二人称单数形式，有时代替 was,用于条件从句、动词 wish 之后等；

例句
Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze.
店铺、房子和车辆全都陷于火海。

prosecuted

v. 检举、告发某人( prosecute的过去式和过去分词 )，对某人提起公诉，继续从事（某事物），担任控方律师；

例句
If you are prosecuted by the police, then it is essential that you take specialist legal advice.
如果你受到警方起诉，至关重要的是你要听取专业律师的意见。

for

prep. 为，为了，倾向于，关于，当作；conj. 因为，由于；

例句
I've come looking for a bit of advice.
我特来讨教。

illicit

adj. 法律不许可的，非法的，不正当的；

例句
The crime elicited an outcry against illicit drugs.
那起罪行引发了打击违禁药品的呼声。

liquor

n. 酒，烈性酒，含酒精饮料；vt. 浸泡，喝酒；

例句
I saw what the liquor was doing to her...
我发现烈酒对她伤害很大。

selling

n. 贩卖，出售；v. 卖，售，销( sell的现在分词 )，经销，推销，出卖；

例句
The selling broker is then required to assign a portion of the commission to the buyer broker...
卖方经纪人须随后将部分佣金分给买方经纪人。