Law & Government

jury B2

/ˈd͡ʒʊɹi/ A group of people chosen to listen to a court case and decide whether someone is guilty. M S

sue B2

/sjuː/ To take legal action against someone in a court of law. M S

federal B2

/ˈfɛdəɹəl/ Relating to the central national government, as opposed to state or local government. M S

deputy B2

/ˈdɛpjəti/ A person whose rank is just below the leader and who can act for them. M S

testify B2

/ˈtɛstɪfaɪ/ To give evidence in a court of law, usually under oath. M S

obey B2

/oʊˈbeɪ/ To do what a person, rule, or law tells you to do. M S

testimony B2

/ˈtɛstɪmoʊni/ A formal statement made by a witness in a court of law. M S

commission B2

/kəˈmɪʃən/ An official group of people chosen to do a particular job or investigate something. M S

paperwork B2

/ˈpeɪ.pɚˌwɝk/ The routine writing and handling of documents, forms, and reports. M S

oath B2

/ˈoʊθ/ A serious, formal promise to do something or to tell the truth. M S

cabinet B2

/ˈkæb.ɪ.nɪt/ A piece of furniture with shelves or drawers for storing or showing things. M S

fame B2

/feɪm/ The state of being well known to many people. M S

penalty B2

/ˈpɛn.əl.ti/ A punishment given for breaking a rule or law. M S

lobby B2

/ˈlɑ.bi/ A large entrance area or waiting room inside a building. M S

parliament B2

/ˈpɑɹ.lə.mənt/ The group of elected people who make a country's laws. M S

plead B2

/pliːd/ To ask for something in a very emotional and urgent way. M S

voting B2

/ˈvoʊtɪŋ/ The act or process of casting a vote in an election or decision. M S

submit B2

/səbˈmɪt/ To give or send something to someone in authority for them to consider. M S

federation B2

/ˌfed.əˈreɪ.ʃən/ a political union whose constituent states or regions retain some internal self-government M S

exhibit B2

/ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/ To show something publicly, especially in a museum or gallery. M S

exposure B2

/ɪkˈspoʊ.ʒɚ/ The state of being affected by something, such as a substance or influence. M S

lawsuit B2

/ˈlɔˌs(j)ut/ A legal case that one person or group brings against another in a court of law. M S

recognition B2

/ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃ(ə)n/ The act of knowing someone or something because you have seen them before. M S

obligation B2

/ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ Something you must do because of a law, promise, or moral duty. M S

irresponsible B2

/ˌɪɹ.əˈspɑn.sə.bəl/ Not thinking about or caring about the results of your actions M S

freeman B2

/ˈfɹiː.mən/ a person who is not a serf or a slave M S

chancellor B2

/ˈt͡ʃænsələ/ A senior government official, often in charge of finance or law. M S

dismiss B2

/dɪsˈmɪs/ To decide that something or someone is not worth considering or taking seriously. M S

contempt B2

/kənˈtɛmpt/ A strong feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect. M S

unity B2

/ˈjunɪti/ The state of being joined together as one; agreement and harmony. M S

defy B2

/dɪˈfaɪ/ To refuse to obey a person, rule, or law. M S

accusation B2

/ək.jʊˈze.ʃən/ A statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal. M S

condemn B2

/kənˈdɛm/ to say strongly that something is wrong or that you disapprove of it M S

impose B2

/ɪmˈpoʊz/ To officially force a rule, tax, or punishment on people. M S

prosecute B2

/ˈpɹɒsɪkjuːt/ To officially accuse someone of a crime and try them in court. M S

immortality B2

/ˌɪmɔːɹˈtæləti/ The state of being able to live forever. M S

ownership B2

/ˈoʊnɚʃɪp/ The fact of owning something; legal possession. M S

competent B2

/ˈkɒmpətənt/ Having enough skill, knowledge, or ability to do something well. M S

bankruptcy B2

/ˈbæŋkˌɹʌp(t).si/ The legal state of being unable to pay your debts. M S

regent B2

/ˈriː.dʒənt/ a person who governs temporarily for a monarch who is absent, underage, or unable to rule M S

violate B2

/ˈvaɪəˌleɪt/ To break a law, rule, agreement, or promise. M S

nomination B2

/ˌnɑmɪˈneɪʃən/ The act of officially suggesting someone for a job, position, or award. M S

obedient B2

/əˈbidiənt/ Willing to do what you are told by someone in authority. M S

commonwealth B2

/ˈkɑmənˌwɛlθ/ A group of countries or states that share a common government or interests. M S

informer B2

/ˌɪnˈfɔrmɝ/ A person who tells authorities about improper or illegal activity. M S

registry B2

/ˈredʒ.ɪ.stri/ an official list or database in which names, events, property, or other information are recorded M S

administrative B2

/ədˈmɪn.əˌstɹeɪ.tɪv/ Relating to the management or organization of a business, institution, or system. M S

overthrow B2

/ˌoʊvɚˈθɹoʊ/ To remove a government or leader from power, especially by force. M S

enforce B2

/ɪnˈfoɹs/ To make sure a law, rule, or agreement is obeyed. M S

juror B2

/ˈd͡ʒʊɹɚ/ A member of a jury in a court of law. M S

legislation B2

/ˌlɛd͡ʒɪˈsleɪʃən/ A law or set of laws made by a government. M S

unauthorized B2

/əˈnɔθɝˌaɪzd/ Done or made without official permission. M S

prefect B2

/ˈpɹiːfɛkt/ An older school pupil given authority over other students. M S

righteousness B2

/ˈɹaɪt͡ʃəsnəs/ The quality of being morally good and doing what is right. M S

prescribe B2

/pɹɪˈskɹaɪb/ To officially tell a patient to use a particular medicine or treatment. M S

rebellious B2

/ɹəˈbɛliəs/ Refusing to obey rules or those in authority. M S

relaxation B2

/rᵻˌlækˈseɪ.ʃən/ The state of resting and being free from work, stress, or worry. M S

neatly B2

/ˈniːtli/ with neatness M S

writ B2

/ɹɪt/ Authority, power to enforce compliance. M S

unofficial B2

/ʌn.əˈfɪʃ.əl/ Not announced or confirmed by an authority; not yet official M S

bureaucracy B2

/bjʊˈɹɑ.kɹə.si/ A system of government or management run through many departments and strict official rules. M S

compulsory B2

/kəmˈpʌlsəɹi/ that must be done because of a rule or law M S

vapor B2

/ˈveɪpɚ/ Cloudy diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes suspended in the air. M S

assert B2

/əˈsɝt/ To state firmly that something is true. M S

fiscal B2

/ˈfɪskəl/ Relating to government money, taxes, and public spending. M S

borough B2

/ˈbɝː.oʊ/ a town or district that is an administrative unit, especially in the United Kingdom M S

deem B2

/dim/ To consider or judge something to be a certain way. M S

provision B2

/pɹəˈvɪʒ.ən/ A condition or rule in a law or contract. M S

regency B2

/ˈriːdʒənsi/ government by a regent on behalf of a monarch who is absent, underage, or unable to rule M S

voter B2

/ˈvoʊtɚ/ A person who votes or has the right to vote in an election. M S

socialize B2

/ˈsoʊʃəlaɪz/ To spend time with other people in a friendly, relaxed way. M S

blackness B2

/ˈblæknəs/ The state or quality of being black in colour. M S

proletariat B2

/ˌpɹoʊ.lɪˈtɛɚ.i.ət/ Wage earners collectively; people who own no capital and depend on their labour for survival; the working class, especially when seen as engaged in a class struggle with the bourgeoisie (“the capital-owning class”). M S

township B2

/ˈtaʊnˌʃɪp/ an administrative division of a county or other larger local-government area M S

overturn B2

/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɜː(ɹ)n/ To officially change or cancel a decision, especially a legal one. M S

competence B2

/ˈkɑm.pə.təns/ The ability to do something well, with the necessary skill or knowledge. M S

advisable B2

/ədˈvaɪzəbəl/ Worthy of being recommended; desirable. M S

inaugural B2

/ɪˈnɔɡjərəl/ marking the beginning or first occurrence of an activity, series, or institution M S

prohibit B2

/pɹoʊˈhɪbɪt/ To officially forbid something, often by law or rule. M S

certify B2

/ˈsɝ.tɪ.faɪ/ To state officially that something has met a required standard. M S

infringement B2

/ɪnˈfɹɪnd͡ʒmənt/ An act of breaking a law, rule, or agreement. M S

unclaimed B2

/ˌʌnˈkleɪmd/ not collected, requested, or taken by the person entitled to something M S

dissident B2

/ˈdɪsədɪnt/ A person who publicly disagrees with and opposes their government or its policies. M S

assessor B2

/əˈsɛsɚ/ a person whose job is to evaluate a person's work, ability, or compliance with a standard M S

criterion B2

/kɹɪˈtɪəɹi.ən/ A standard or rule used to judge or compare things. M S

impeach B2

/ɪmˈpiːt͡ʃ/ charge (a public official) with an offense or misdemeanor committed while in office M S

eligibility B2

/ˌel.ə.dʒəˈbɪl.ə.t̬i/ the state of meeting the conditions required to take part in, receive, or be chosen for something M S

disinherit B2

/ˌdɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt/ to prevent someone from receiving property or money that they would otherwise inherit, especially by changing a will M S

guideline B2

/ˈɡaɪdˌlaɪn/ A general rule or piece of advice that tells you how something should be done. M S

legislator B2

/ˈlɛd͡ʒɪˌsleɪtɚ/ A person who makes or votes on laws, especially a member of a parliament or congress. M S

peerage B2

/ˈpɪr.ɪdʒ/ the rank, title, or dignity of a British peer M S

penalize B2

/ˈpɛnəˌlaɪz/ To punish someone for breaking a rule or law. M S

naturalization B2

/ˌnætʃ(ə)rələˈzeɪʃən/ the legal process by which a non-citizen acquires citizenship of a country M S

infringe B2

/ɪnˈfɹɪnd͡ʒ/ To break or violate a law, agreement, or someone's rights. M S

lawmaker B2

/ˈlɔˌmeɪkɝ/ A person who creates or passes laws, such as a member of parliament or congress. M S

polity B2

/ˈpɑ.lə.ti/ An organized society or state with its own form of government. M S