Law & Government

attorney C1

/əˈtɜɹni/ A lawyer; someone who advises people on legal matters and represents them in court. M S

sin C1

/sɪn/ An act that breaks a religious or moral law. M S

warrant C1

/ˈwɔɹənt/ An official document allowing police to search, seize, or arrest someone. M S

custody C1

/ˈkʌstədiː/ The legal right and duty to care for someone, especially a child. M S

accused C1

/əˈkjuzd/ The person charged with a crime in a court of law. M S

commissioner C1

/kəˈmɪʃənɚ/ An official who heads a government department or public body, such as a police force. M S

verdict C1

/ˈvɝ.dɪkt/ The decision a jury or judge makes about whether someone is guilty in a court case. M S

breach C1

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

plea C1

/pliː/ An urgent, emotional request for help. M S

congressman C1

/ˈkɑːŋ.ɡrəs.mən/ a male member of a congress, especially a member of the United States House of Representatives M S

conviction C1

/kənˈvɪk.ʃən/ A strong, firmly held belief or opinion. M S

enforcement C1

/ɪnˈfoɹsm(ə)nt/ The act of making people obey a law, rule, or agreement. M S

violation C1

/ˌvaɪ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/ An act that breaks a law, agreement, or right. M S

sultan C1

/ˈsʌltən/ a sovereign or ruler in certain Muslim countries, historically including the Ottoman Empire M S

lordship C1

/ˈlɔɹd.ʃɪp/ The state or condition of being a lord. M S

rebellion C1

/ɹɪˈbɛl.i.ən/ An organized, often armed, attempt to overthrow a government or ruler. M S

ruling C1

/ˈɹuːlɪŋ/ An official decision made by a court or someone in authority. M S

magistrate C1

/ˈmæd͡ʒ.ɪˌstɹeɪt/ An official who acts as a judge in a lower court, dealing with minor offences. M S

felony C1

/ˈfɛləni/ A serious criminal offense, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty in the most serious offenses. M S

petition C1

/pəˈtɪʃ.ən/ A formal written request, usually signed by many people, asking an authority to do something. M S

jurisdiction C1

/d͡ʒʊɹɪsˈdɪkʃən/ The official power to make legal decisions and apply the law. M S

amendment C1

/əˈmɛndmənt/ A change or addition made to a law, document, or formal proposal. M S

courtyard C1

/ˈkɔɹt.jɑɹd/ An area, open to the sky, partially or wholly surrounded by walls or buildings. M S

militia C1

/məˈlɪʃə/ A group of ordinary citizens trained as soldiers to fight in an emergency, rather than professional troops. M S

patent C1

/ˈpætənt/ An official right giving an inventor sole control over making and selling an invention for a set period. M S

mandatory C1

/ˈmæn.dəˌt(ɔ)ɹi/ Required by a rule or law; that must be done. M S

premier C1

/pɹɪˈmɪəɹ/ Best, most important, or highest in rank. M S

formality C1

/fɔːrˈmælɪti/ Something done only because it is required by custom or rule, without real importance. M S

dominant C1

/ˈdɑmənənt/ Most powerful, important, or noticeable. M S

representation C1

/ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/ The act of speaking or acting on behalf of a person or group. M S

uphold C1

/ˌʌpˈhəʊld/ To support or maintain a law, principle, or decision. M S

proceeding C1

/pɹəˈsiːdɪŋ/ A legal action or process carried out in a court. M S

franchise C1

/ˈfɹænt͡ʃaɪ̯z/ The right to sell a company's products or services in a particular area, or a business run under such a right. M S

monarch C1

/ˈmɑnɚk/ The ruler of an absolute monarchy or the head of state of a constitutional monarchy. M S

notary C1

/ˈnoʊ.t̬ɚ.i/ a public official authorized to witness signatures, administer oaths, and certify that documents are genuine M S

judicial C1

/d͡ʒuˈdɪʃəl/ Relating to courts of law, judges, or the legal system. M S

accordance C1

/əˈkoɹ.dəns/ Agreement with a rule, plan, or system, usually in the phrase 'in accordance with'. M S

submission C1

/səbˈmɪʃən/ The act of sending in something such as a piece of work or an application. M S

court-martial C1

/ˈkɔrtˌmɑr.ʃəl/ a military court, or a trial held by such a court, for members of the armed forces accused of breaking military law M S

congressional C1

/kəŋˈɡɹɛ.ʃə.nəl/ Relating to a congress, especially the United States Congress. M S

doctrine C1

/ˈdɑk.tɹɪn/ A set of beliefs taught by a religion, political group, or other organization. M S

mandate C1

/ˈmændeɪ̯t/ The authority to act, given to a government or leader by the people who voted for them. M S

censorship C1

/ˈsɛnsɚʃɪp/ The use of state or group power to control freedom of expression or press, such as passing laws to prevent undesirable media from being published or propagated. M S

allegation C1

/ˌæl.ɪˈɡæɪ.ʃən/ A claim, usually an accusation, that someone has done something wrong, made without proof. M S

loophole C1

/ˈluːphoʊl/ an ambiguity, omission, or exception in a law or rule that allows its purpose to be avoided M S

critique C1

/kɹɪˈtik/ A careful, detailed assessment of something's strengths and weaknesses. M S

bureaucratic C1

/ˌbjʊɹəˈkɹætɪk/ Relating to complicated official rules and procedures, often seen as slow or unnecessary. M S

shambles C1

/ˈʃæmbəlz/ A state of great disorder, mess, or confusion. M S

adjourn C1

/əˈd͡ʒɝn/ to suspend or end a meeting or official session, often until a stated later time M S

compliance C1

/kəmˈplaɪ.əns/ The act of obeying a rule, law, or official standard. M S

admiralty C1

/ˈædmərəlti/ historical: the British government department and its officers formerly responsible for naval affairs M S

invisibility C1

/ˌɪnˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/ the quality of not being perceivable by the eye M S

parliamentary C1

/ˌpɑɹləˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/ Relating to or made by a parliament. M S

referendum C1

/ˌɹɛfəˈɹɛndəm/ A direct vote by the public on a single political question or proposed law. M S

conform C1

/kənˈfɔɹm/ To behave according to accepted rules, standards or customs. M S

watchdog C1

/ˈwɑːtʃdɔːɡ/ a person or organization that keeps watch over others or monitors an institution or industry to prevent danger, illegality, abuse, waste, or unfairness M S

citation C1

/ˌsaɪˈteɪʃən/ A short note that credits the source of information or a quotation. M S

abolish C1

/əˈbɑl.ɪʃ/ to officially end a law, system, or practice M S

advisory C1

/ædˈvaɪz(ə)ɹi/ Having the role of giving advice rather than making decisions. M S

decorum C1

/ɖɪˈkorəm/ Appropriate social behavior. M S

legitimacy C1

/lɪˈdʒɪtəməsi/ the quality of being lawful, valid, or justified M S

dutiful C1

/ˈduːtiːfəl/ Doing what you are supposed to do out of a sense of duty and respect. M S

justifiable C1

/ˈdʒʌstəˌfaɪəbəl/ capable of being justified M S

boyhood C1

/ˈbɔɪˌhʊd/ The state or condition of being a boy. M S

enact C1

/ɪˈnækt/ To make a proposal into an official law. M S

alienation C1

/ˌeɪli.əˈneɪʃən/ (law) the voluntary and absolute transfer of title and possession of real property from one person to another M S

renown C1

/ɹɪˈnaʊn/ The state of being widely known and admired; fame. M S

empower C1

/ɪmˈpaʊə(ɹ)/ To give someone the confidence, strength, or ability to control their own life and decisions. M S

entitlement C1

/ənˈtaɪtəlmənt/ right granted by law or contract (especially a right to benefits) M S

insubordinate C1

/ˌɪnsəˈbɔrdəˌneɪt/ Refusing to obey orders or accept authority. M S

mortally C1

/ˈmɔrtəli/ in such a manner that death ensues, also in reference to hatred, jealousy, or fear M S

debtor C1

/ˈdɛt.ɚ/ A person or firm that owes money; one in debt; one who owes a debt. M S

overrule C1

/ˌoʊ.vɚˈɹul/ to use superior authority to reject or set aside a decision, ruling, or objection M S

extremity C1

/ɪkˈstɹɛməti/ the greatest or utmost degree M S

gladness C1

/ˈɡlædnəs/ The state of being glad; joy. M S

stiffness C1

/ˈstɪfnəs/ firm resoluteness in purpose or opinion or action M S

petitioner C1

/pəˈtɪʃənɚ/ Someone who presents a petition to some person in authority. M S

dignitary C1

/ˈdɪɡ.nəˌter.i/ a person who holds a high rank or important public office M S

ratify C1

/ˈræt.ə.faɪ/ to give formal approval to an agreement, treaty, or decision so that it becomes officially valid M S

allege C1

/əˈlɛd͡ʒ/ To claim that someone has done something wrong, usually without proof yet. M S

governorship C1

/ˈɡʌvɚnɚˌʃɪp/ the office, position, or authority of a governor M S

dutifully C1

/ˈduːtiːfəli/ In a way that shows you are doing your duty, often willingly and without complaint. M S

transact C1

/ˌtɹænˈzækt/ conduct business M S

despotism C1

/ˈdɛspətɪzəm/ Government by a despot or despots: rule by a singular authority, either a single person or a tight-knit group, which rules with absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way. M S

unchangeable C1

/ʌnˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒəbəl/ not changeable or subject to change M S

illegality C1

/ˌɪl.iːˈɡæl.ə.ti/ the state or quality of being contrary to law M S

credential C1

/kɹɪˈdɛnʃəl/ A qualification, achievement, or document that proves someone's status, skill, or right to do something. M S

swiftness C1

/ˈswɪftnɪs/ The state of being swift. M S

unkindness C1

/ʌnˈkaɪndnəs/ The collective noun for ravens M S

smallness C1

/ˈsmɔlnəs/ the property of having relatively little strength or vigor M S

trustworthiness C1

/ˈtɹʌst.wɜɹ.ði.nɛs/ The state or quality of being trustworthy or reliable. M S

adjudication C1

/əˌdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃən/ the formal process of settling a dispute or deciding a legal case M S

dispossess C1

/ˌdɪs.pəˈzes/ to deprive a person or community of land, a home, or other property, especially by force or legal action M S

prevarication C1

/pɹɪˌvæɹ.ɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ Evasion of the truth. M S

hereinafter C1

/ˈhɪɹɪnˈæftɚ/ in a later part of this document, statement, or text M S

indenture C1

/ɪnˈdɛn.ʃɝ/ a formal contract binding a person to work for another for a fixed period, especially as an apprentice or servant M S