Law & Government

causation C2

/kɔˈzeɪ.ʃən/ The act or agency by which an effect is produced. M S

archon C2

/ˈɑɹ.kɑn/ one of the chief magistrates of ancient Athens M S

ordain C2

/ɔɹˈdeɪn/ To officially make someone a priest, minister, or other religious leader M S

excusable C2

/ɪksˈkjuːzəbəl/ Possible to excuse; worthy of being excused. M S

functionary C2

/ˈfʌŋ(k).ʃəˌnɛ.ri/ an official, especially one in a government or large organization, who performs prescribed duties M S

easement C2

/ˈiːz.mənt/ law: a right to cross or use another person's land for a specified purpose without owning it M S

testator C2

/ˈtɛˌsteɪtər/ law: a person who has made a legally valid will M S

deviance C2

/ˈdiːvɪəns/ Actions or behaviors that violate formal and informal cultural norms such as laws and customs. M S

turnkey C2

/ˈtɜː(ɹ)nˌkiː/ a complete product that is ready to be deployed immediately, without further customization M S

freehold C2

/ˈfriːˌhoʊld/ ownership of land or a building for an indefinite period, rather than for a fixed lease term M S

unreality C2

/ˌənriːˈæləti/ The state of being unreal. M S

recidivist C2

/ɹɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/ One who falls back into prior habits, especially criminal habits. M S

sequestration C2

/ˌsɛkwəˈstreɪʃən/ law: the seizure, isolation, or placing in custody of property by legal authority M S

droit C2

/dɹɔɪt/ a legal right, entitlement, or lawful claim M S

selectman C2

/səˈlɛktmən/ a member of an elected board that serves as the chief administrative authority of a New England town M S

protrusion C2

/pɹəˈtɹuːʒən/ Something that sticks out from a surface; a bulge. M S

comitatus C2

/ˌkɑmɪˈteɪtəs/ historical: a band of warriors or nobles bound by loyalty to a ruler or military leader M S

interdict C2

/ˈɪntɚdɪkt/ To forbid (an action or thing) by formal or legal sanction. M S

conveyancing C2

/kənˈveɪənsɪŋ/ the legal work of preparing documents and completing the transfer of property from one owner to another M S

enunciation C2

/ɪˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/ The act of enunciating, announcing, proclaiming, or making known; open attestation; declaration. M S

indemnify C2

/ɪnˈdɛm.nɪ.faɪ/ To secure against loss or damage; to insure. M S

alternation C2

/ˈɔl.tɚˌneɪ.ʃən/ successive change from one thing or state to another and back again M S

repudiation C2

/rɪˌpjuːdiˈeɪʃən/ the act of rejecting, disowning, or refusing to accept something as valid M S

presentment C2

/prɪˈzɛntmənt/ an appearance, representation, or image presented to the mind M S

pleasantry C2

/ˈplɛzəntɹi/ A playful remark; a jest. M S

intestate C2

/ɪnˈtɛsteɪt/ having died without leaving a legally valid will M S

lawgiver C2

/ˈlɔˌɡɪv.ɚ/ One who provides laws to a society. M S

usurpation C2

/ˌjuː.sɚˈpeɪ.ʃən/ the wrongful seizure and exercise of power, office, authority, or a right M S

legalistic C2

/ˌliːɡəˈlɪstɪk/ excessively concerned with the strict and literal application of laws or rules, often at the expense of their purpose M S

preferment C2

/pɹɪˈfəːmənt/ the act of preferring M S

unenforceable C2

/ˌʌn.ɪnˈfɔːr.sə.bəl/ of a law, rule, or policy, impossible or impracticable to make people obey M S

tyrannous C2

/ˈtɪɹənəs/ using authority in a cruel, oppressive, unjust, or arbitrary way; characteristic of a tyrant M S

narrowness C2

/ˈnɛroʊnəs/ a restriction of range or scope M S

imbroglio C2

/ɪmˈbɹoʊljoʊ/ A complicated situation; an entanglement. M S

gabelle C2

/ɡəˈbɛl/ historical: a tax, especially the compulsory salt tax imposed in pre-Revolutionary France M S

legatee C2

/ˌlɛɡəˈti/ law: a person or organization that receives a legacy under a will M S

pragmatically C2

/prægˈmætɪkəli/ in a realistic manner M S

deterministic C2

/dɪˌtɝ.mɪˈnɪs.tɪk/ Having at most one instruction associated with any given internal state. M S

enshrine C2

/ɪnˈʃraɪn/ to establish and protect a principle or right in a law, constitution, or institution M S

sternness C2

/ˈstɝːnnəs/ the quality of being grim, severe, or foreboding M S

enthrone C2

/ɪnˈθroʊn/ to install a monarch or senior religious leader formally on a throne as a sign of office M S

rejoinder C2

/ɹɪˈd͡ʒɔɪndɚ/ a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one) M S

diffidence C2

/ˈdɪfɪdəns/ The state of being diffident, timid or shy; reticence or self-effacement. M S

usufruct C2

/ˈjuzəˌfɹəkt/ the legal right to use another person's property and receive its benefits or profits without destroying or substantially damaging it M S

scofflaw C2

/ˈskɔfˌlɔ/ One who habitually violates minor laws or fails to answer trivial court summonses (such as parking tickets). M S

monarchical C2

/məˈnɑːkɪk(ə)l/ having the characteristics of or befitting or worthy of a monarch M S

unequally C2

/ʌnˈiːkwəli/ Not equally, unevenly, sometimes unfairly. M S

testamentary C2

/ˌtɛstəˈmɛntɚi/ of, expressed in, or relating to a legal will or testament M S

discoverable C2

/dɪˈskʌvɝəbəl/ capable of being ascertained or found out M S

ascendency C2

/əˈsɛndənsi/ the state that exists when one person or group has power over another M S

pleader C2

/ˈpliːdɚ/ formal or historical: a lawyer or advocate who pleads cases in court M S

attestation C2

/ˌæt.ɛˈsteɪ.ʃən/ the act of witnessing, certifying, or formally declaring that something is true or authentic M S

politesse C2

/pɑləˈtɛs/ Civility, politeness, courtesy or gallantry; genteel politeness or an instance of this. M S

misappropriate C2

/ˌmɪs.əˈpɹoʊ.pɹi.eɪt/ To embezzle. M S

survivorship C2

/sərˈvaɪvərˌʃɪp/ law and finance: the right of a surviving joint owner or beneficiary to receive property or benefits after another person's death M S

primogeniture C2

/ˌprʌɪmə(ʊ)ˈdʒɛnɪtʃə/ The principle that the eldest child has an exclusive right of inheritance. M S

outlawry C2

/ˈaʊtˌlɔri/ historical law: the formal placing of a person outside the law and its protection M S

absolutist C2

/ˈæb.səˌlu.tɪst/ a person who supports absolute political authority or treats a principle as allowing no exceptions M S

guardedly C2

/ˈgɑːrdɪdli/ in a cautious and reserved manner M S

mortmain C2

/ˈmɔɹt.meɪn/ the permanent and inalienable ownership of land or other property by a corporation, historically especially a church M S

quaestor C2

/ˈkwistɚ/ an ancient Roman magistrate chiefly responsible for public revenue, accounts, and financial administration M S

baronetcy C2

/ˈbærənətsi/ the hereditary rank, dignity, or title of a baronet M S

abrogation C2

/ˌæbrəˈɡeɪʃən/ the formal repeal, abolition, or annulment of a law, agreement, right, or custom M S

condign C2

/kənˈdaɪn/ Fitting, appropriate, deserved, especially denoting punishment. M S

subornation C2

/ˌsʌbɔrˈneɪʃən/ the act of inducing someone to commit perjury or another unlawful act M S

syndic C2

/ˈsɪndɪk/ an official or agent appointed to manage the affairs of a corporation, university, municipality, or similar body M S

gerrymander C2

/ˈd͡ʒɛɹ.iˌmæn.dəɹ/ an act of gerrymandering, or dividing a voting area so as to give your own party an unfair advantage M S

chieftainship C2

/ˈtʃiːftənˌʃɪp/ the position, authority, or period of rule of a chieftain M S

corvée C2

/kɔːrˈveɪ/ historical: unpaid labor that a feudal tenant was required to perform for a lord, often in place of rent or tax M S

superintendency C2

/ˌsuːpərɪnˈtɛndənsi/ the act or responsibility of supervising, directing, or administering an organization or activity M S

simultaneity C2

/ˌsaɪməltəˈniɪti/ happening or existing or done at the same time M S

princedom C2

/ˈprɪnsdəm/ a territory or state ruled by a prince M S

attaint C2

/əˈteɪnt/ historical law: to condemn a person for treason or felony by attainder, extinguishing civil rights and often forfeiting property M S

predecease C2

/ˌpriː.dɪˈsiːs/ to die before another person M S

ejectment C2

/ɪˈdʒekt.mənt/ the legal process of removing a person from possession of land or other property M S

indefeasible C2

/ˌɪn.dɪˈfiː.zə.bəl/ especially in law, not capable of being annulled, defeated, or made void M S

oligarchical C2

/ˌɑlɪˈɡɑrkɪkəl/ relating to, controlled by, or characteristic of an oligarchy M S

reimpose C2

/ˌriː.ɪmˈpoʊz/ to impose a rule, tax, restriction, penalty, or burden again after it has been removed or has ceased to apply M S

mandamus C2

/mænˈdeɪməs/ law: a court order compelling a public official, lower court, agency, or other body to perform a duty required by law M S

purveyance C2

/pɚˈveɪəns/ historical British law: the Crown's right to requisition provisions, transport, or other goods and services for royal use at fixed prices M S

solitariness C2

/sɑːləˈtɛriːnɪs/ The state of being alone or apart from others. M S

bema C2

/ˈbimə/ a raised platform in ancient Greece used by speakers, officials, or judges addressing an assembly or court M S

regality C2

/rɪˈɡæləti/ historical Scots law: territorial jurisdiction of a royal character granted by the Crown to a lord, or the territory subject to it M S

assignable C2

/əˈsaɪnəbl̩/ Capable of being assigned (all senses). M S

cogency C2

/ˈkəʊd͡ʒənsi/ The state of being cogent; the characteristic or quality of being reasonable and persuasive. M S

distinctness C2

/ˌdɪˈstɪŋkt.nəs/ The property or degree of being distinct. M S

externality C2

/ɛkstɚˈnælɪti/ The state of being external or externalized. M S

octroi C2

/ˈɑːk.trɔɪ/ a tax formerly levied on goods brought into a town or city, especially in France M S

adulterine C2

/əˈdʌltəraɪn/ historical: illegal, unauthorized, or spurious M S

apanage C2

/ˈæpənɪdʒ/ a grant of land, revenue, or privilege made by a sovereign to a dependent member of a ruling family M S

divisibility C2

/dɪˈvɪzɪbɪlɪti/ the quality of being divisible M S

gerousia C2

/dʒəˈruːʒiə/ in ancient Greece, a council of elders; specifically, the Spartan senate formed by twenty-eight elders and the two kings M S

zamindari C2

/zəˈminˌdəɹi/ in British India, a system of landholding and revenue collection in which zamindars collected payments from cultivators for the state M S

allodial C2

/əˈloʊdiəl/ law: held in absolute ownership, without feudal duties or a superior landlord M S

intestacy C2

/ɪnˈtɛstəsi/ the legal condition of dying without a valid will, or of having property not disposed of by a valid will M S

injuria C2

/ɪnˈdʒʊə.ri.ə/ a wrongful injury or invasion of another person's legal rights M S