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DICTIONARY OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

THIRD EDITION

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DICTIONARY OF POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

THIRD EDITION

P.H. Collin

A BLOOMSBURY REFERENCE BOOK

www.bloomsbury.com/reference

Originally published by Peter Collin Publishing

First published 1988 Second edition published 1997, 2001

Third edition published 2004

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 38 Soho Square, London W1D 3HB

Copyright © P.H. Collin 1988, 1997 This edition copyright © Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 2004

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the

prior written permission of the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 0 7475 7220 8

Editor Peter Holmes

eISBN-13: 978-1-4081-0207-7

Head of Political and Social Sciences Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge, UK

Text Production and Proofreading Katy McAdam, Heather Bateman, Emma Harris

All papers used by Bloomsbury Publishing are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in well-managed forests.

The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

Text processing and computer typesetting by Bloomsbury Printed and bound in Italy by Legoprint

Contents

Introduction Preface Pronunciation Guide The Dictionary Supplements

Legislative Procedure in the United Kingdom Legislative Procedure in the European Union Legislative Procedure in the United States of America United Kingdom Court Structure United States of America Court Structure The United Kingdom: Members of the Cabinet Prime Ministers of Great Britain Structure of a British Government Department:

The Department of Trade and Industry Kings and Queens of England The United States of America: Members of the Cabinet

Presidents of the United States of America

Introduction When we are constantly told that there is widespread disillusionment with the political system, it is gratifying to observe that it remains a subject of intense study. There is much to examine. Constitutional change is in the air. Politicians are seeking new ways to combat voter apathy. This third edition of the Dictionary comes at a highly relevant time.

The democratic structure of the United Kingdom has changed and is changing. Devolved legislatures and Assemblies are in place in Scotland and Wales. A devolved Assembly in Northern Ireland remains in abeyance until political dialogue is resumed. The devolution process is still evolving. The dividing line between what is devolved and what is reserved will inevitably be subject to ongoing debate. Questions will continue to be raised about the role of MPs at Westminster who represent parts of the United Kingdom which control their own domestic affairs.

Devolution does not necessarily stop at the borders of England. The English regions are expected to have the opportunity of deciding whether they too would prefer a new unit of devolved government. If agreed, this would have a knock-on effect on the existing structure of local government both in metropolitan and shire areas. What is already a non-uniform pattern of provision looks set to become more varied still.

The present Government has re-lit the blue touch paper of House of Lords reform, starting with the partial abolition of the hereditary peers in 1999. It has continued to burn slowly. In a democracy, there should arguably be no contest between the legitimacy of an elected and an appointed second chamber. However, in the United Kingdom the issue is clouded with unresolved questions over powers, systems of election and scope of prime ministerial patronage. Hybrid solutions abound, all with their champions. But when given an opportunity in early 2003, the House of Commons could not resolve the matter of Lords’ composition. The end of what was begun is not yet in sight.

The evolution of the European Union also has an impact on internal democratic structures. Whether it is through the pressure of European integration or the wider process of globalisation, there are complaints from people that more is happening which is outwith their control. National parliaments across Europe are stirring as they sense that they are losing ownership of legislation. The much talked about democratic deficit has yet to be addressed to the satisfaction of many parliamentarians and people.

It is perhaps the growing perception that ordinary people have less and less influence in important decisions affecting their lives, which has increased voter alienation and has affected participation in elections. This has prompted debate about ways to make elections more user friendly. E-voting and non-traditional polling stations are under active consideration, but the highest profile experiment to date has been the introduction of all postal ballot elections. Early evidence suggests that turn-out increases, but so allegedly does the risk of fraud. The jury

(in this case the Electoral Commission) is still out. If eventually information technology is fully harnessed to the electoral process, a distant prospect is held out of almost instant elections in which voters will have at their fingertips comprehensive information about parties and candidates. The ramifications for all concerned would be profound.

By a variety of means, contact between the elected and their electors may be increasing, but the quality as well as quantity of those exchanges needs to be addressed. For a democratic system to work properly there has to be dialogue. But can dialogue adequately be achieved by electronic means or paper surveys? Electors and elected need to debate together so that the comparative strengths of various propositions can be tested. Through better two-way communication, it is important to ensure that disappointment does not automatically lead to feelings of rejection. The true test of a democracy is how it deals with minorities. Everyone cannot be in the majority on every issue.

The media might be expected to provide the channels through which information and ideas can flow. Yet too often there is an emphasis on entertainment or controversy for its own sake in reporting parliamentary and political events. Opinion has priority over fact. Parliament is more often sketched than reported.

Members of the public are often candid in admitting that there is much they do not know. A great deal can be picked up from this Dictionary to improve people’s confidence in negotiating their way through the system.

But politics and Parliament can only be brought alive through debate, the injection of ideas, the clash of personality and a degree of passion. The political system is not a private club; it is a broad public network which anyone can enter. The more people do so, the healthier democracy will be whether at village, town, city, national and, even international levels. If this Dictionary encourages participation as well as study, it will be doubly welcome.

Rt Hon Sir Alan Haselhurst MP Chairman, Ways and Means and Deputy Speaker House of Commons

Preface This dictionary provides the user with the basic vocabulary used in the fields of government and politics, especially in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States, and also contains some more informal terms used in the media. The subject matter covers national legislatures, elections, local government, parliamentary and council procedure, international affairs and political parties and theories.

Each entry is explained in clear straightforward English. Examples are given to show how the words and phrases are used in normal contexts. Many words also have comments of a more general nature, giving encyclopedic information about procedures and institutions. At the back of the book there are supplements giving information about the political and legislative systems in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States.

Pronunciation Guide The following symbols have been used to show the pronunciation of the main words in the dictionary.

Stress is indicated by a main stress mark ( � ) and a secondary stress mark ( � ) . Note that these are only guides, as the stress of the word changes according to its position in the sentence.

Vowels Consonants

� back b buck ɑ� harm d dead ɒ stop ð other a type d� jump aυ how f fare aə hire � gold aυə hour h head ɔ� course j yellow ɔ annoy k cab e head l leave eə fair m mix e make n nil eυ go ŋ sing �� word p print i� keep r rest i happy s save ə about ʃ shop  fit t take ə near tʃ change u annual θ theft u� pool v value υ book w work υə tour x loch ' shut � measure

z zone

A AAFCAAFC abbreviation Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada abandonabandon /ə |�b�ndən/ verb to give up or not to continue something � to abandon a Bill, an action to give up trying to promote a Bill abdicateabdicate /��bdket/ verb to give up the position of king or queen of a country abdicationabdication /��bd |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of giving up the position of king or queen of a country abide byabide by /ə |�bad ba/ verb to obey something such as an order or a rule � The government promised to abide by the decision of the High Court. � The rebels did not abide by the terms of the agreement. abjurationabjuration /��bd�υə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of giving up something abjureabjure /əb |�d�υə/ verb 1. to give up something 2. US to swear not to bear allegiance to another country abodeabode /ə |�bəυd/ noun the place where someone lives (formal) � right of abode abolishabolish /ə |�bɒlʃ/ verb to put an end to an institution or practice � The Chancellor of the Exchequer refused to ask Parliament to abolish the tax on alcohol. � The Senate voted to abolish the death penalty. abolitionabolition /��bə|�lʃ(ə)n/ noun an act of putting an end to an institution or practice � to campaign for the aboli- tion of the death penalty � Anarchists advocate the abolition of the state. abrogateabrogate /��brə�et/ verb to over- turn a treaty or law abrogationabrogation /��brə|��eʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of overturning a treaty or law

absenceabsence /��bsəns/ noun the fact of not being where you usually are or where you are expected to be. � leave of absence � in the absence of when someone is not present � In the ab- sence of the chairman, his deputy took the chair. � apologies for absence the list of members of a committee or oth- er group who have apologised for not being able to attend a meeting, read out at the beginning of the meeting absentabsent /��bsənt/ adjective not present absenteeabsentee /��bsən|�ti�/ noun a per- son who does not attend a meeting or event when they are expected absentee ballotabsentee ballot /��bsen|�ti� �b�lət/ noun same as postal vote absolute governmentabsolute government /��bsəlu�t ���vəmənt/ noun government by a person or group of people who exer- cise total power and where the ordi- nary population has no vote and no say in the government of the state absolute majorityabsolute majority /��bsəlu�t mə| �d�ɒrti/ noun the situation of having more votes than all other candidates or parties combined � In the alternative vote system, if no candidate has an ab- solute majority at the first count, the second preferences are counted. absolute privilegeabsolute privilege /��bsəlu�t �prvld�/ noun a privilege which protects an MP speaking in the House of Commons from being sued for def- amation or libel absolutismabsolutism /��bsəlu�|�tz(ə)m/ noun the political theory that a gov- ernment should have total power absolutistabsolutist /��bsə|�lu�tst/ adjec- tive, noun a person who believes the government should have total power

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abstain 2 abstain

abstain /əb |�sten/ verb not to do something deliberately, especially not to vote � Sixty MPs abstained in the vote on capital punishment. abstention

abstention /əb |�stenʃən/ noun the act of deliberately not doing some- thing, especially voting � The motion was carried by 200 votes to 150, with 60 abstentions. abstract

abstract /��bstr�kt/ verb to make a summary of a document or speech abuse

abuse noun /ə |�bju�s/ 1. the wrong use of something � The Chancellor of the Exchequer has introduced a Bill to correct some of the abuses in the present tax system. � abuse of Parlia- ment something that is breaks accept- ed parliamentary rules of conduct � abuse of power the use of legal pow- ers in an illegal or harmful way � abuse of rules the use of rules to achieve a purpose which is open to criticism, e.g. the use of the right to in- troduce a motion into the House of Commons to prevent a debate from continuing 2. rude or insulting words 3. bad treatment of a person, often of a sexual nature (NOTE: no plural for (2) or (3)) � verb /ə |�bju�z/ 1. to use some- thing wrongly � It was claimed that the government whips had abused the rules of the House of Commons by preventing full discussion of the Pri- vate Members Bill. � to abuse your authority to use your authority in an illegal or harmful way 2. to say rude words to someone � He abused the po- lice before being taken to the cells. 3. to treat someone badly, often in a sex- ual way ACAS

ACAS /�ek�s/ abbreviation Adviso- ry Conciliation and Arbitration Serv- ice ACC

ACC /�e si� �si�/ abbreviation Asso- ciation of County Councils accede

accede /ək |�si�d/ verb 1. to sign an international treaty or agreement � In 1972 Britain acceded to the European Economic Community. 2. to take up an official position, especially as king or queen � accede to the throne 3. to ac- cept or agree with something � to ac-

cede to a request or demand to do what someone wants accessaccess /��kses/ noun 1. the oppor- tunity to use or do something � access to education and healthcare 2. the op- portunity to meet someone important � They have access to the Prime Min- ister and are said to influence the de- cisions he takes. � permission to ob- tain or see private or secret informa- tion � to have access to personal records � noun 1. a way of getting to a place � level access to the seating ar- eas � wheelchair access 2. the right of the owner of a piece of land to use a public road which is next to the land � She complained that she was being denied access to the main road. (NOTE: no plural) � verb 1. to get in- formation, e.g. to be able to obtain data from a computer � The staff in the Housing Department can access records on all properties and tenants. 2. to get to a place accessionaccession /ək |�seʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the act of signing an international treaty or agreement 2. the occasion of taking up an official position � accession to the throne the occasion of becoming King or Queen accession countryaccession country /ək |�seʃ(ə)n �k�ntri/ noun a country that will be- come or has recently become a Mem- ber State of the European Union Accession TreatiesAccession Treaties /ək |�seʃ(ə)n �tri�tiz/ plural noun the international agreements establishing the condi- tions under which countries become Member States of the European Union accommodation centreaccommodation centre /ə|�kɒmə | �deʃ(ə)n �sentə/ noun a place where people live while their request to enter and remain in a country is considered accountaccount /ə |�kaυnt/ noun 1. a de- scription of, or explanation for, some event or situation � The minister gave a full account to Parliament of the ac- cident. 2. a financial statement (NOTE: Often used in the plural.) � verb to give an explanation of some event or situation, especially a bad one � They will have to account to their constitu- ents for this failure. � to consider

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3 activist something carefully as part of doing something else � The Committee will take account of the report of the Royal Commission or will take the Royal Commission’s report into account when drafting the Bill. accountability

accountability /ə |�kaυntə |�blti/ noun the situation of being required to explain what has happened and take responsibility for it � the accountabil- ity of elected representatives to their electors � There have been demands for increased accountability for minis- ters. accountable

accountable /ə |�kaυntəb(ə)l/ ad- jective being required to explain what has happened and take responsibility for it � Ministers are accountable to Parliament. accredit

accredit /ə |�kredt/ verb to appoint somebody as an envoy or ambassador to represent their country abroad accredited

accredited /ə|�kredtd/ adjective 1. chosen and officially appointed to rep- resent an organisation � an accredited agent 2. chosen and appointed by one country to represent it in an official ca- pacity in another country � She is ac- credited as her country’s ambassador to the United Nations. acculturation

acculturation /ə |�k�ltjυ |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun the assimilation of parts of a dif- ferent culture acknowledge

acknowledge /ək |�nɒld�/ verb 1. to accept that something is true or nec- essary � We acknowledge there were mistakes made in the past and we must learn from them. 2. to confirm that something has been received, such as a letter � The office of the Ombudsman has acknowledged receipt of the letter. 3. to thank someone publicly or offi- cially for something they have done � I’d like to take this opportunity to ac- knowledge all the hard work that has gone into making this campaign such a success. 4. to recognise rights or au- thority officially � They refused to ac- knowledge the new regime. acknowledgement

acknowledgement /ək | �nɒld�mənt/ noun 1. acceptance that something is true or necessary � There

is almost universal acknowledgment of the need to take global warming se- riously. 2. a letter or card to say that something has been received � She wrote to her MP and received an ac- knowledgement immediately. 3. thanks for something that has been done � acknowledgement of her role in the achievement acquis communautaireacquis communautaire French words meaning ‘established commu- nity rights’: the contents of the various treaties agreed to by the Member States of the European Union, which have gradually built up a body of law under which the EU operates actact /�kt/ noun a law which has been approved by a law-making body. See Comment at bill (NOTE: In the United Kingdom, laws are approved by Par- liament and in the USA by Con- gress.)

COMMENT: Before an Act becomes law, it is presented to Parliament in the form of a Bill. See notes at BILL.

active citizenshipactive citizenship /��ktv �stzənʃp/ noun the full involve- ment of people in a variety of forms of politics, including voting, joining a party or pressure group, campaigning or standing for election � It is impor- tant for the survival of democracy that active citizenship should be encour- aged. activismactivism /��ktvz(ə)m/ noun ener- getic and sometimes aggressive sup- port for a social or political cause activistactivist /��ktvst/ noun 1. a person who is very active in pursuing social or political change, sometimes by ex- treme means 2. a person who works regularly for a political party, some- times a person who is in disagreement with the main policies of their party or whose views are more extreme than those held by the majority of their par- ty � The meeting was disrupted by an argument between the chairman and left-wing activists. � Party activists have urged the central committee to adopt a more radical approach to the problems of unemployment. Also called party activist

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Act of Parliament 4 Act of ParliamentAct of Parliament /��kt əv �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun a decision which has been approved by Parliament and has received the Royal Assent and so becomes law Act of UnionAct of Union /��kt əv �ju�njən/ noun the act of 1801, by which the parliaments of Great Britain and Ire- land were joined to form the United Kingdom Act of Union with Scotland

Act of Union with Scotland /��kt əv �ju�njən wð �skɒtlənd/ noun the parliamentary act of 1707 which joined England and Scotland together to form Great Britain actual possession

actual possession /��ktʃuəl pə | �zeʃ(ə)n/ noun the occupation and control of land and buildings actual value

actual value /��ktʃuəl �v�lju�/ noun the real value of something if sold on the open market actuarial tables

actuarial tables /��ktʃueəriəl �teb(ə)lz/ plural noun lists showing how long people are likely to live, used to calculate life assurance premi- ums additional member system

additional member system /ə | �dʃ(ə)nəl �membə �sstəm/ noun an electoral system used in elections for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh As- sembly and Greater London Assem- bly, where a proportion of the repre- sentatives are elected by the first-past- the-post system, and the others by a party list system, giving additional members to ensure the result is more proportional (NOTE: Note: the system operates in some countries with the constituency representatives elected by a majoritarian system) address

address /ə |�dres/ noun 1. a formal speech � In his address to the meeting, the mayor spoke of the problems fac- ing the town. � In his State of the Un- ion address, the president spoke of the problems of terrorism. � humble ad- dress � address of thanks a formal speech thanking someone such as a well-known person for doing some- thing such as officially opening a new building � the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament. � debate

on the address 2. the details of number, street and town where an of- fice is or where a person lives � verb 1. to speak to � The Leader of the Op- position was asked to address the meeting. 2. to speak about or deal with a particular subject or problem � He then addressed the question of govern- ment aid to universities. � to address yourself to something to deal with a particular problem � the government will have to address itself to problems of international trade 3. to write on an envelope the details of the number, street and town where an office is or a person lives � an incorrectly ad- dressed package ad hoc

ad hoc /��d �hɒk/ Latin phrase meaning ‘for this particular purpose’ � an ad hoc committee a temporary committee set up to study a particular problem. � standing committee ad hoc Select Committee

ad hoc Select Committee /��d hɒk s|�lekt kə |�mti/ noun a commit- tee of Congress set up to examine a special case or problem adjourn

adjourn /ə |�d�#�n/ verb to stop a meeting for a period or to postpone a legal hearing to a later date � They ad- journed the meeting or the meeting was adjourned. � The chairman ad- journed the tribunal until three o’clock. � The meeting adjourned at midday. � The appeal was adjourned while further evidence was being pro- duced. � the House stands ad- journed the sitting of the House of Commons is adjourned and will resume on the following day

‘…the Commons adjourned until Janu- ary 18 without taking a vote on the Gov- ernment’s resolution’ [Toronto Globe & Mail]

adjournment

adjournment /ə |�d�#�nmənt/ noun 1. an act of stopping a meeting for a period or postponing a legal hearing to a later date � The adjournment lasted two hours. 2. the act of ending a sitting of the House of Commons or Lords, or of the House of Representatives or Senate, which will meet again on the following day � motion for adjourn- ment of the debate a motion to ad-

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5 admit journ a debate which has the effect of killing the motion being debated � motion for the adjournment of the House motion to adjourn a sitting un- til the following day � adjournment sine die an adjournment without fix- ing a date for the next meeting, used in the US Congress to end a session � ad- journment to a day certain a motion to adjourn a sitting of Congress to an- other day adjournment debateadjournment debate /ə | �d�#�nmənt d|�bet/ noun a debate in the House of Commons on a motion to adjourn a sitting, used by backbench MPs to raise points of particular inter- est to themselves. Also called debate on the adjournment administeradminister /əd|�mnstə/ verb 1. to control, manage or govern something � The state is administered directly from the capital. 2. to be responsible for making sure something happens in the correct way � to administer jus- tice to carry out the law � to adminis- ter an oath to make someone swear an oath administrationadministration /əd |�mn | �streʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the organisation, control or management of a geograph- ical area or of a specific aspect of gov- ernment, especially by a bureaucracy or group of experts � There has been a lack of effective administration in the province since the riots. � The admin- istration of justice is in the hands of the government-appointed justices of the peace. � She took up a career in hospital administration. 2. especially in the USA, a particular government � It was one of the main policies of the last administration. � The Bush ad- ministration took office in 2001. administrativeadministrative /əd |�mnstrətv/ adjective concerned with the organi- sation, control or management of a ge- ographical area or with a specific as- pect of government administrative courtadministrative court /əd | �mnstrətv �kɔ�t/ noun in some countries such as France, a court or tri- bunal which decides in cases where government action is thought to have

affected and harmed the lives or prop- erty of citizens. Also called adminis- trative tribunal administrative law

administrative law /əd| �mnstrətv lɔ�/ noun the laws relat- ing to the running of government, and the relationship between the govern- ment and the citizens administrator

administrator /əd|�mnstretə/ noun a person who works for a gov- ernment, public body or business as a senior manager � The governor of the province has to be a good administra- tor. � The council has appointed too many administrators and not enough ordinary clerical staff. � The best ad- ministrators come from the civil serv- ice training school. AdmiraltyAdmiralty /��dm(ə)rəlti/ noun for- merly in the UK, the government of- fice which was in charge of the Navy Admiralty Board

Admiralty Board /��dmərəlti �bɔ�d/ noun a committee which is re- sponsible for the administration of the Royal Navy, forming part of the UK Ministry of Defence Admiralty law

Admiralty law /��dm(ə)rəlti lɔ�w/ noun the law relating to ships and sail- ors, and actions at sea admission

admission /əd |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the act of accepting someone into a group or organisation � admission into the European Union 2. permission to go into a place � Admission to the visi- tors’ gallery is restricted. 3. the act of making a statement agreeing that par- ticular facts are correct or saying that something really happened � The Op- position called for an admission of er- ror on the part of the Minister. admit

admit /əd|�mt/ verb 1. to allow someone to go in � The public is not being admitted at present. 2. to agree that an allegation or accusation is cor- rect or to say that something really happened � He admitted his mistake or his liability. � She admitted that the department was at fault. � He admit- ted having connections with the com- pany which had been awarded the contract. (NOTE: admitted – admit- ting.)

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adopt 6 adoptadopt /ə |�dɒpt/ verb 1. to agree to something or accept something so that it becomes law � The report of the sub- committee was received and the amendments adopted. � The meeting adopted the resolution. � The propos- als were adopted unanimously. � The council has adopted a policy of posi- tive discrimination. 2. to be adopted, to be chosen by a party as a candidate in an election � The Labour Party adopted more women as candidates for the General Election than ever be- fore. � to be adopted to be chosen by the party as a candidate for election to a parliamentary constituency adoptionadoption /ə |�dɒpʃən/ noun 1. the act of agreeing to something so that it be- comes legal or accepted � She moved the adoption of the resolution. 2. the act of choosing someone as a candi- date in an election adoption meetingadoption meeting /ə |�dɒpən �mi�tŋ/ noun the meeting at which a local party adopts someone as its can- didate for an election ad valoremad valorem /��d və|�lɔ�rəm/ Latin phrase meaning ‘according to value’

COMMENT: Most taxes are ‘ad valor- em’; VAT is calculated as a percent- age of the charge made, income tax is a percentage of income earned, etc.

ad valorem dutyad valorem duty /��d və |�lɔ�rəm �dju�ti/, ad valorem tax /��d və | �lɔ�rem t�ks/ noun a tax calculated according to the value of the goods be- ing taxed adventurismadventurism /əd |�vent�υrz(ə)m/ noun intervention by one government in the affairs of another adversarial politicsadversarial politics /��dv#�| �seəriəl �pɒltks/ noun a system of political activity where two sides op- pose each other vigorously. This is said to create the right conditions for effective scrutiny of the government, and for genuine debate. adversaryadversary /��dvəs(ə)ri/ noun a per- son or organisation who is the oppos- ing side in situation � a powerful polit- ical adversary adviceadvice /əd |�vas/ noun information or suggestions given by one person to

another on what has happened in the past or on what is the best course of action to follow in the future � to take advice to ask an expert to give infor- mation and help about a problem � We’ll need to take legal advice before agreeing. adviseadvise /əd |�vaz/ verb 1. to suggest to someone what should be done � to advise against something to suggest that something should not be done � The Minister advised against raising the matter in the House. � The consult- ants advised against the proposed de- velopment plan. 2. to tell someone what has happened or what will hap- pen soon � We are advised that the re- port will be published next week. adviseradviser /əd|�vazə/, advisor noun a person who suggests what should be done, by giving information on a spe- cific area where he or she is an expert advisoryadvisory /əd|�vaz(ə)ri/ adjective acting as a person who tells someone what to do or informs them about events � He is acting in an advisory capacity. � noun US an official warn- ing advisory boardadvisory board /əd |�vaz(ə)ri �bɔ�d/ noun a group of people who help others to decide what to do or keep them informed about what is happening advocacyadvocacy /��dvəkəsi/ noun active support for a cause or point of view advocateadvocate noun /��dvəkət/ some- one who actively supports a cause or point of view � an advocate of relax- ing the laws on cannabis � verb /��dvəket/ to speak or work to sup- port a cause or point of view � Anar- chists advocate the abolition of the state. Advocate GeneralAdvocate General /��dvəkət �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun 1. one of the two Law Officers for Scotland 2. in the European Court of Justice, the officer who presents a summary of a case to the judges to help them in coming to a decision affairaffair /ə|�feə/ noun 1. a situation or event � Is she involved in the copyright

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7 Agent-General affair? 2. something shocking that in- volves public figures � the arms smug- gling affair � the Watergate affair � plural noun activities and events relat- ed to the government of a country or countries � topics of current impor- tance in world affairs � foreign af- fairs affairs of state

affairs of state /ə |�feəz əv �stet/ plural noun government business affiliate

affiliate /ə |�fliet/ verb to associate with a group or organisation � The trade union was affiliated to the La- bour Party affiliation

affiliation /ə |�fli|�eʃ(ə)n/ noun asso- ciation with a group or organisation � the union has no political affiliation the union is not linked to any particu- lar political party affirm

affirm /ə |�f#�m/ verb 1. (of a MP) to promise allegiance to the monarch, when the Oath of Allegiance is con- sidered inappropriate on religious or other grounds � Some of the new MPs affirmed, instead of swearing the oath of allegiance. 2. to support or approve of something publicly � The report af- firms the contribution of many volun- tary groups working for racial harmo- ny. 3. to confirm that something is cor- rect affirmation

affirmation /��fə|�meʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a statement by an MP showing alle- giance to the monarch, when the Oath of Allegiance is considered inappro- priate on religious or other grounds 2. support or approval affirmative action

affirmative action /ə |�f#�mətv ��kʃən/ noun US a policy of prevent- ing the unfair treatment of specific groups in society who have a disad- vantage, or who have suffered unfair treatment in the past, such as people with disabilities, ethnic groups and women affirmative instrumentaffirmative instrument /ə | �f#�mətv �nstrυmənt/ noun a form of Statutory Instrument, or order made by a government minister on the au- thority of a previous act of parliament, which must be approved by both Houses of Parliament

African National Congress

African National Congress /��frkən �n�ʃ(ə)nəl �kɒŋ�res/ noun a South African political party that fought against apartheid and formed South Africa’s first multiracial, demo- cratically elected government in 1994. Abbr ANC African Union

African Union /��frkən �ju�njən/ noun an organisation of African states established for mutual cooperation, superseding the Organisation of Afri- can Unity in 2002 agency

agency /�ed�ənsi/ noun 1. a gov- ernment office or department which is to some extent independent � The Benefits Agency has responsibility for making welfare payments. (NOTE: In the United Kingdom, under reforms which started under the Thatcher government, a large number of are- as were transferred from the direct control of the Civil Service to agen- cies.) 2. an independent organisation that deals with social problems � a register of voluntary agencies in the field of mental health agenda

agenda /ə|�d�endə/ noun 1. a list of things to be discussed at a meeting � the committee agenda or the agenda of the committee meeting � After two hours we were still discussing the first item on the agenda. 2. a list of priori- ties � Education was at the top of the government’s agenda. agent

agent /�ed�ənt/ noun 1. a person who represents a company or another person 2. a party official who works to support a candidate in an election � The party has six full-time election agents. � The series of meetings was organised by the local agent for the Liberal Democrats. 3. a person who works for a branch of government. � secret agent Agent-General

Agent-General /�ed�(ə)nt �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the official repre- sentative of a provincial government of a Commonwealth country in anoth- er Commonwealth country � the Agent-General for Quebec in London (NOTE: The plural is agents-general or agent-generals.)

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agent provocateur 8 agent provocateuragent provocateur /���ɒn prə | �vɒkə|�t#�r/ French words meaning ‘an agent who provokes’: a person employed secretly by a government who provokes others to commit a crime, often by taking part in it per- sonally, in order to find out who is not reliable or in order to have his or her associates arrested age of consentage of consent /�ed� əv kən |�sent/ noun the age at which someone can legally agree to have sex age of majorityage of majority /�ed� əv mə | �d�ɒrti/ noun the age of legal respon- sibility, at which civil duties and rights such as voting or being on a jury are first undertaken aggressionaggression /ə |��reʃ(ə)n/ noun hos- tile action against another country, es- pecially without provocation � They accused the neighbouring states of ag- gression. � Numerous acts of aggres- sion have been reported to the United Nations. (NOTE: no plural. For the plu- ral, use acts of aggression) aggressoraggressor /ə |��resə/ noun a person or country which attacks another, es- pecially without provocation � The UN resolution condemns one of the superpowers as the aggressor. agitateagitate /��d�tet/ verb to encour- age people to take political action pos- sibly involving protesting, demon- strating or engaging in direct action � The party is agitating for social re- forms. agitationagitation /��d� |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun the action of encouraging people to pro- test and demonstrate � There has been widespread agitation in the capital and the northern provinces. (NOTE: no plural) agitatoragitator /��d�tetə/ noun a person who attempts to cause political unrest � Agitators from the right of the party have tried to disrupt the meetings of the council. AGMAGM /�e d�i� �em/ abbreviation An- nual General Meeting agrarianagrarian /ə |��reəriən/ adjective pro- moting the interests of farmers and en- couraging a fair system of land owner-

ship � noun someone who believes in the fair distribution of land and the re- distribution of land owned by rich people agrarianismagrarianism /ə |��reəriənz(ə)m/ noun a political movement or philoso- phy that promotes the interests of farmers, especially the redistribution of land owned by rich people or by government Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada /���rk�ltʃə ənd ��ri fu�d �k�nədə/ noun a department of the Canadian federal government that conducts research and develops poli- cies and programs to ensure the secu- rity of the country’s food system. Abbr AAFC Ahern

Ahern /ə |�h#�n/, Bertie (b. 1951) the leader of the Fianna Fáil party since 1994 and Taoiseach (prime minister) of the Republic of Ireland since 1997 aidaid /ed/ noun help, especially mon- ey, food or other gifts given to people living in difficult conditions � The government has set aside $20m for aid to under-developed countries. � The poorer countries depend on aid from richer nations. � The government will allocate 6% of the gross national product for overseas aid. AIDAID /�e a �di�/ abbreviation Agency for International Development aid agency

aid agency /�ed �ed�ənsi/ noun an independent organisation that sends financial or other help to a country which is experiencing difficult condi- tions or a catastrophic event such as a natural disaster or famine aideaide /ed/ noun an assistant to some- one such as a politician, who may also offer advice � a presidential aide aid worker

aid worker /�ed �w#�kə/ noun a person who works for an aid agency airspaceairspace /�eəspes/ noun the sky above an area of land or water over which a state claims control � British airspace AlbionAlbion /��lbiən/ noun Great Britain alderpersonalderperson /�ɔ�ldə |�p#�sən/ noun in the United States and Canada, a

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9 alternative vote member of the legislative body of some towns or cities alderwoman

alderwoman /�ɔ�ldə |�wυmən/ noun in the United States and Canada, a woman member of the legislative body of some towns or cities Al Fatah

Al Fatah /��l �f�tə/ noun a political group, part of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, that wants to establish an independent Palestinian state alien

alien /�eliən/ noun 1. mainly US a person living in a country of which he or she is not a citizen 2. (in the UK) a person who is not a citizen of the UK, not a citizen of a Commonwealth country and not a citizen of the Re- public of Ireland � adjective 1. mainly US from a different country or culture � alien workers 2. different from what is usual or familiar � an alien concept alienate

alienate /�eliənet/ verb to do something that makes someone stop being friendly towards you � The gov- ernment has alienated its main sup- porters. � The terrorist campaign has alienated the public. align

align /ə |�lan/ verb to give support publicly to a political group or party � to align yourself with another coun- try to follow a policy similar to that of another country � the three neighbour- ing states aligned themselves with the USA allegiance

allegiance /ə|�li�d�(ə)ns/ noun obe- dience to the State or the Head of State. � oath of allegiance alliance

alliance /ə |�laəns/ noun 1. a group of two or more countries, people or political parties, that are linked to- gether by a formal agreement 2. a for- mal relationship between two or more parties or countries � The country has built up a series of alliances with its larger neighbours. � ally Alliance

Alliance /ə|�laəns/ noun in New Zealand, a left-wing political party that has been in coalition government with the Labour Party since 1999 allied

allied /��lad/ adjective 1. relating to countries that have joined together to fight a common enemy � the allied

forces 2. associated or related � build- ing and allied trades allowanceallowance /ə|�laυəns/ noun 1. an amount of something which you are legally or officially allowed to have � a travel allowance � a baggage allow- ance � personal allowances 2. a payment made for a specific purpose � an allowance for unsociable hours � an expenses allowance all-party

all-party /�ɔ�l �pɑ�ti/ adjective in- cluding members of all political par- ties � the report of the all-party com- mittee on procedure � An all-party group visited the United Nations. all-party group

all-party group /�ɔ�l �pɑ�ti ��ru�p/ noun a group of MPs from different parties who have an interest in a par- ticular subject � the all-party group on telecommunications allyally /��la/ noun a country, person, political party or group which is linked to another in a friendly way so that they can support one another � As the invasion seemed likely, the Presi- dent called on his allies for help. � The committee has been run by the mayor and his allies in the Workers’ Party. � verb to link one country, political par- ty, group or person to another � to ally yourself with to become linked to someone or another party or country, for protection � He has allied himself to the left wing of the party. ALPALP abbreviation Australian Labor Party al-Qaedaal-Qaeda /��l �kadə/ noun an inter- national Islamic fundamentalist or- ganisation, founded by Osama bin Laden, which has been associated with several terrorist incidents, in- cluding the attack on the World Trade Center, New York (2001) alternative votealternative vote /ɔ�l |�t#�nətv vəυt/ noun a system of voting used in elections in some countries such as Australia, in which voters show their preferences on the ballot paper by marking candidates with the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. If a candidate does not get 50% of the first preference votes in the first round of counting, the votes

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Althing 10 for the candidates with the lowest number of votes are given to the can- didates shown as second preferences on their ballot papers in a number of further rounds until a single candidate gets 50%. Abbr AV AlthingAlthing /��lθŋ/ noun the law-mak- ing assembly in Iceland AMAM abbreviation Assembly Member AMAAMA abbreviation Association of Metropolitan Authorities ambassadorambassador /�m |�b�sədə/ noun a diplomat of the highest level, repre- senting his country in another country � the Spanish ambassador � our am- bassador in France � The government has recalled its ambassador for con- sultations.

‘…an ambassador is an honest man sent to lie abroad for his country’ [Sir Henry Wotton]

ambassador at largeambassador at large /�m | �b�sədə ət lɑ�d�/ noun an ambassa- dor whose role is not restricted to one specific country Ambassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary /�m |�b�sədə k |�strɔ�d(ə)n(ə)ri ən �plenpə | �tenʃəri/ noun the official title of an ambassador ambassadorialambassadorial /��mb�sə|�dɔ�riəl/ adjective referring to an ambassador � ambassadorial duties ambassador plenipotentiaryambassador plenipotentiary /�m |�b�sədə �plenpə |�tenʃəri/ noun an ambassador with full powers to ne- gotiate and sign treaties on behalf of his or her country amendamend /ə |�mend/ verb 1. to make changes to a document, plan or policy, in order to correct or improve it 2. to make an official change to a motion, Bill, Act or constitution amendmentamendment /ə|�mendmənt/ noun 1. a change made in a document, plan or policy � to make amendments to the minutes 2. a change proposed to a mo- tion or to a bill which is being dis- cussed in Parliament or Congress, or to an existing Act � The amendment was proposed and seconded and put to the vote. � The government whips per-

suaded her to withdraw her amend- ment. (NOTE: Amendments are usual- ly made in the Committee Stage and Report Stage of a bill going through the House of Commons. In the House of Lords they can also be made at Third Reading.) 3. US a new clause added to a written constitution, changing it in some way

‘…a constitutional amendment that would acknowledge the common- wealth’s right to override the states on matters of economic development’ [The Age (Melbourne)] COMMENT: The first ten amendments to the American Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights. The most important are the First Amendment (which provides for freedom of speech and thought), and the Fifth Amend- ment (which protects anyone from giv- ing evidence in court which might in- criminate himself or herself).

American Revolution

American Revolution /ə |�merkən �revə|�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the War of Inde- pendence (1775–83) by which the American colonies of Britain became independent and became the United States of America Amicus

Amicus /ə |�makəs/ noun the UK’s largest technical trade union, with more than 1.2 million members. It was formed in 2001 by the merging of AEEU (Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union) and MSF (Man- ufacturing, Science and Finance Un- ion). amnesty

amnesty /��mnəsti/ noun a pardon, often for political crimes, given by the state to several people at the same time � verb to grant a pardon to several people at the same time, often for po- litical crimes � They were amnestied by the president. Amnesty International

Amnesty International /��mnəsti �ntə|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ noun an international pressure group which works for human rights, and against the cruel treatment of prisoners anarchic

anarchic /ə|�nɑ�kk/, anarchical /ə | �nɑ�kkl/ adjective with no law or or- der � the anarchic state of the country districts after the coup

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11 anticipation anarchismanarchism /��nəkz(ə)m/ noun the belief that there is no need for a sys- tem of government in a society

COMMENT: Anarchism flourished in the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th century. Anarchists believe that there should be no government, no army, no civil service, no courts, no laws, and that people should be free to live without anyone to rule them.

anarchistanarchist /��nəkst/ noun 1. a per- son who believes that there should be no system of government 2. a person who tries to destroy a government by violent means, without planning to re- place it in any way � adjective refer- ring to anarchists and their aims anarchyanarchy /��nəki/ noun the absence of law and order, because a govern- ment has lost control or because there is no government � When the presi- dent was assassinated, the country fell into anarchy. ANCANC abbreviation African National Congress ancillaryancillary /�n |�sləri/ adjective pro- viding help or support � nursing and ancillary services annexannex /ə |�neks/ verb to incorporate territory into another country or state annexationannexation /��nek |�seʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of one state taking possession of a territory claimed by another, and claiming it as its own annexeannexe, annex noun a document added or attached to another � verb 1. to attach a document 2. (of a state) to take possession of a territory claimed by another and claim it as its own � The island was annexed by the neigh- bouring republic. (NOTE: [all senses] The US spelling is annex.) announceannounce /ə |�naυns/ verb to tell something to the public or to a group of people � The returning officer an- nounced the result of the election. � The Foreign Secretary announced that he would be going to Nigeria shortly. announcementannouncement /ə |�naυnsmənt/ noun 1. a public statement giving in- formation � An announcement about the date of the election is expected very soon. � to make an announce-

ment to give information about some- thing publicly � The Home Secretary will make an announcement later to- day. 2. the act of telling something publicly � The chairman of the council made an announcement about the de- velopment plans. Annual General Meeting

Annual General Meeting /��njuəl �d�en(ə)rəl �mi�tŋ/ noun a meeting of all the members of a socie- ty or shareholders of a company which takes place once a year to agree the ac- counts and decide general policy. Abbr AGM Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting /��njuəl �mi�tŋ/ noun a meeting of a local council, which takes place once a year, to ap- prove the accounts and elect a mayor among other things annulment of adjudication

annulment of adjudication /ə| �n�lmənt əv ə |�d�u�d |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun the cancelling of a legal order such as one making someone bankrupt another place

another place /ə|�n�ðə ples/ � place answer

answer /�ɑ�nsə/ noun a reply, letter or conversation coming after someone else has written or spoken � written answer a formal reply to a question put in writing to a Minister � verb 1. to speak or write after someone has spoken or written to you 2. to reply formally to an accusation answerable

answerable /�ɑ�ns(ə)rəb(ə)l/ ad- jective responsible for explaining why actions have been taken � He is an- swerable to Parliament for the con- duct of the Armed Forces. anti-

anti- /�nti/ prefix against � an anti- drug campaign � the anti-terrorist squad � Anti-government posters ap- peared in the streets. anticipation

anticipation /�n |�ts |�peʃ(ə)n/ noun doing something before it is due to be done or before something ex- pected happens (NOTE: It is out of or- der on grounds of anticipation for a motion to be mentioned or discussed in the House of Commons before the day on which it is scheduled for dis- cussion.)

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anti-trust 12 anti-trust

anti-trust /��nti �tr�st/ adjective at- tacking monopolies and encouraging competition � anti-trust laws or legis- lation AOB

AOB abbreviation any other business apartheid

apartheid /ə |�pɑ�thet/ noun the racist policy, operating until 1993 in South Africa, by which different racial groups were kept apart in most cir- cumstances, largely to benefit the white population apolitical

apolitical /�epə |�ltk(ə)l/ adjective not interested in politics, or not con- cerned with politics apologist

apologist /ə |�pɒləd�st/ noun some- one who publicly defends a doctrine or ideology a posteriori

a posteriori /�e pɒsteri |�ɔ�ri/ Latin phrase meaning ‘from what comes after.’ Compare a priori � a posteri- ori argument an argument based on observation apparat

apparat /��pər�t/ noun the large group of state employees who ran a Communist country apparatchik

apparatchik /��pə|�r�ttʃk/ noun 1. a government employee in a Com- munist country 2. a civil servant who follows rules too closely and works slowly (disapproving or humorous; used as criticism) (NOTE: The plural is apparatchiki or apparatchiks.) appeal

appeal /ə|�pi�l/ noun 1. a challenge to the ruling of the chairman of a meet- ing � Senator Brown made an appeal against the ruling of the President of the Senate. 2. the process of asking a government department to change a decision � The appeal against the planning decision will be heard next month. 3. the process of asking a high- er court to change a decision of a low- er court � an appeal to the House of Lords � verb to ask someone to change a decision � The company ap- pealed against the decision of the planning officers. � She has appealed to the Supreme Court. (NOTE: you ap- peal to a court or against a decision; an appeal is heard and allowed or dismissed)

Appeal CommitteeAppeal Committee /ə|�pi�l kə | �mti/ noun a committee set up by the House of Lords to consider petitions to appeal to the House of Lords from the Court of Appeal Appeal CourtAppeal Court /ə|�pi�l kɔ�t/ noun the civil or criminal court to which a per- son may go to ask for a decision made by a lower court to be changed, and the decisions of which are binding on the High Court and lower courts. Also called Court of Appeal, Court of Appeals

COMMENT: In English law, in the major- ity of cases decisions of lower courts and of the High Court can be ap- pealed to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal is divided into the Civil Division and the Criminal Division. The Civil Division hears appeals from the County Court and the High Court; the Criminal Division hears appeals from the Crown Court. From the Court of Appeal, appeal lies at present to the House of Lords. In 2004 parliament was debating legislation to replace the House of Lords with another final court of appeal to be called the Su- preme Court. Appeals from some Commonwealth countries may be heard from the highest court of these countries by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which is at present in effect made up of the same judges as the House of Lords.

appeaseappease /ə |�pi�z/ verb to make con- cessions to another person, group or country in order to avoid conflict appeasementappeasement /ə |�pi�zmənt/ noun the policy of avoiding conflict by making concessions appellateappellate /ə |�pelət/ adjective relat- ing to a legal or formal appeal � ap- pellate jurisdiction the jurisdiction of the House of Lords to hear appeals Appellate CommitteeAppellate Committee /ə |�pelət kə | �mti/ noun the committee of the House of Lords which considers ap- peals and reports on them to the House appendixappendix /ə |�pendks/ noun addi- tional text at the end of a document � The map showing the properties cov- ered by the proposal is attached as an Appendix. � See Appendix B for the list of county councils. (NOTE: The plural is appendices.)

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13 Aristotle appointappoint /ə |�pɔnt/ verb to choose someone for a job � The government has appointed a QC to head the in- quiry. � The council has appointed a race relations adviser. appointeeappointee /əpɔn |�ti�/ noun a person who is appointed to a job appointmentappointment /ə |�pɔntmənt/ noun 1. an arrangement to meet � by ap- pointment by arrangement in advance 2. the fact of being given a new job � his recent appointment as an EU Commissioner � by royal appoint- ment requested by a king or queen as a supplier of goods or services 3. a job � applied for a government appoint- ment apportionmentapportionment /ə |�pɔ�ʃ(ə)nmənt/ noun the distribution of seats in the US House of Representatives or a state legislature in proportion to the population of states or electoral dis- tricts appropriationappropriation /ə |�prəυpri|�eʃ(ə)n/ noun the granting of money for a par- ticular purpose, especially allocating money to be spent by a particular gov- ernment department appropriation billappropriation bill /ə|�prəυpri | �eʃ(ə)n bl/ noun in the US Congress, a bill which grants money to the gov- ernment to be used in a way which has been approved in an authorisation bill appropriations committeeappropriations committee /ə | �prəυpri|�eʃ(ə)nz kə|�mti/ noun es- pecially in the US Congress, a com- mittee which examines government spending a prioria priori /�e pra |�ɔ�ri/ Latin phrase meaning ‘from what came before.’ Compare a posteriori � a priori ar- gument reasoning based on principles or assumptions, not on real examples ArabismArabism /��rəbz(ə)m/ noun sup- port for Arab causes or viewpoints Arab LeagueArab League /��rəb li��/ noun a political and economic association of Arab states arbitratearbitrate /�ɑ�btret/ verb to settle a legal dispute between parties by refer- ring it to an outside person instead of going to court, e.g. in a building, ship-

ping or employment dispute � to arbi- trate in a dispute arbitrationarbitration /�ɑ�b |�treʃ(ə)n/ noun the settling of a dispute by an outside person, chosen by both sides � to sub- mit a dispute to arbitration � to refer a question to arbitration � to take a dis- pute to arbitration � to go to arbitra- tion arbitration agreementarbitration agreement /�ɑ�b| �treʃ(ə)n ə |��ri�mənt/ noun the agreement by two parties to allow an independent person to try to settle the dispute between them arbitration awardarbitration award /�ɑ�b |�treʃ(ə)n ə|�wɔ�d/ noun the ruling given by an independent person who has been asked to settle a dispute arbitration boardarbitration board /�ɑ�b |�treʃ(ə)n bɔ�d/, arbitration tribunal /�ɑ�b| �treʃ(ə)n tra |�bju�n(ə)l/ noun an in- dependent group of people involved in settling a legal dispute arbitratorarbitrator /�ɑ�btretə/ noun an in- dependent person who is chosen by both sides in a dispute to try to settle it � an industrial arbitrator � to accept or reject the arbitrator’s ruling archivesarchives /�ɑ�kavz/ plural noun his- torical records � 18th century archives of borough council meetings archivistarchivist /�ɑ�kvst/ noun a person who is responsible for the official records of a government department, local authority or other group aristocracyaristocracy /��r|�stɒkrəsi/ noun the class in society composed of fam- ilies who are landowners and who have inherited titles such as Lord or Duke aristocrataristocrat /��rstəkr�t/ noun a member of the aristocracy � Many aristocrats were killed during the rev- olution. aristocraticaristocratic /��rstə|�kr�tk/ ad- jective relating to the aristocracy � aristocratic families AristotleAristotle /��rstɒt(ə)l/ noun the Ancient Greek philosopher (384–322 BC) who began the study of political constitutions in his book The Politics (NOTE: Aristotle claimed that ‘man

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arm 14 was a political animal’, meaning that living in political society was natural for human beings.) arm

arm /ɑ�m/ verb to provide with weap- ons armaments

armaments /�ɑ�məmənts/ plural noun heavy weapons armedarmed /ɑ�md/ adjective provided with weapons � It’s now common to see armed guards at airports. armed conflict

armed conflict /�ɑ�md kən |�flkt/ noun war armed forces

armed forces /�ɑ�md �fɔ�sz/ plural noun the army, navy and air force armed neutralityarmed neutrality /�ɑ�md nju�| �tr�ləti/ noun the condition of a country which is not directly involved in a war between other countries, but is ready to defend itself in case it can- not avoid becoming involved armisticearmistice /�ɑ�msts/ noun the agreement to stop fighting at the end of a war armouryarmoury /�ɑ�məri/ noun the arms of a country � a country’s nuclear ar- moury (NOTE: The US spelling is ar- mory.) arms controlarms control /�ɑ�mz kən|�trəυl/ noun the control of the sale of weap- ons by one country to another arms race

arms race /�ɑ�mz res/ noun com- petition between countries to buy more and better weapons army

army /�ɑ�mi/ noun the part of a coun- try’s armed forces which fights mainly on land articlearticle /�ɑ�tk(ə)l/ noun 1. a section of a legal agreement � See article 8 of the constitution. 2. � articles of asso- ciation, articles of incorporation US a document which regulates the way in which a company’s affairs are man- aged ASEANASEAN abbreviation Association of Southeast Asian Nations AsquithAsquith /��skwθ/, Herbert Henry (1852–1928) His 1908–16 govern- ment introduced retirement pensions and national insurance, and passed the Parliament Act (1911) that restricted

the power of the House of Lords to veto bills assemblyassembly /ə |�sembli/ noun 1. a group of elected people who have the power to pass laws 2. a group of elect- ed or appointed people who come to- gether to discuss political issues and make decisions, especially for a spe- cific region � the assembly of the Or- ganization of American States � the General Assembly of the United Na- tions the meeting of all the members of the United Nations to discuss inter- national problems, where each mem- ber state has one vote 3. the action of coming together in a group for a meet- ing � the right of assembly assemblymanassemblyman /ə |�semblimən/ noun in some countries, a member of a group of people who come together to discuss political problems or pass laws assembly memberassembly member /ə |�sembli �membə/, Assembly Member noun a member of an elected or appointed group of people who come together to discuss political problems or pass laws � a Welsh Assembly Member � Member of the Welsh Assembly Assembly of DeputiesAssembly of Deputies /ə |�sembli əv �depjυtiz/ noun the lower house of the legislature in Romania Assembly of the RepublicAssembly of the Republic /ə | �sembli əv θə r|�p�blk/ noun the leg- islature in Portugal assemblywomanassemblywoman /ə |�sembli | �wυmən/ noun in some countries, a woman who is a member of a group of people who come together to discuss political problems or pass laws assistantassistant /ə|�sst(ə)nt/ noun a per- son who helps someone else, especial- ly a superior employee � The assistant librarian is away on holiday. associate of the Crown Officeassociate of the Crown Office /ə |�səυsiet əv ð kraυn �ɒfs/ noun an official who is responsible for the ad- ministrative work of a court Association of First Division Civil ServantsAssociation of First Division Civil Servants /ə |�səυsieʃ(ə)n əv �f#�st d|�v�(ə)n �sv(ə)l �s#�vənts/ noun a trade union representing the

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15 Atty. Gen. most important British civil servants. Also called First Division Associa- tion. Abbr FDA. � Civil and Public Services Association, Public Services, Tax and Commerce Un- ion ASSRASSR abbreviation Autonomous So- viet Socialist Republic assumptionassumption /ə |�s�mpʃən/ noun 1. something that is believed to be true without proof � The assumption that such people have a genuine choice of schools for their children is false. � on the assumption that taking some- thing as generally accepted � Such cases have usually been decided on the assumption that it is better for young children to live with their moth- er. 2. the process of beginning to take responsibility for something � as- sumption of office the time when someone starts a job � On his assump- tion of office, the premier arrested sev- eral of the ministers in the former gov- ernment. asylumasylum /ə|�saləm/ noun the right of someone to stay in a country that is not their own when their own country has treated them badly for political rea- sons � to ask for (political) asylum to ask to be allowed to remain in a for- eign country because it would be dan- gerous to return to the home country for political reasons asylum seekerasylum seeker /ə |�saləm �si�kə/ noun someone who has left their own country because they are in danger for political reasons and asks to be al- lowed to stay in another country � bo- gus asylum seeker someone who comes to and asks to stay in another country because economic conditions are better rather than because of bad treatment at home. � economic mi- grant AtlanticismAtlanticism /ət|�l�ntsz(ə)m/ noun a belief that western Europe and the United States can gain political and economic benefits from coopera- tion, especially in military matters attachéattaché /ə|�t�ʃe/ noun a senior offi- cial in an embassy � a military attaché � a cultural attaché � The government

ordered the commercial attaché to re- turn home. attackattack /ə |�t�k/ verb 1. to try to hurt or harm someone � The security guard was attacked by three men carrying guns. 2. to criticise someone or some- thing � MPs attacked the government for not spending enough money on the police. � noun 1. the act of trying to hurt or harm someone � There has been an increase in attacks on police or in terrorist attacks on planes. 2. criticism � The newspaper published an attack on the government. attack dogattack dog /ə |�t�k dɒ�/ noun an ag- gressive supporter or spokesperson for a politician or political party attainderattainder /ə |�tendə/ noun formerly, the method used to convict people of treason by an act of parliament rather than holding a trial AttleeAttlee /��tli/, Clement, 1st Earl At- tlee (1883–1967) His postwar govern- ment (1945–51) was the first majority Labour government and it introduced the welfare state and granted inde- pendence to India (1947) attorney generalattorney general /ə |�t#�ni �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the chief law offic- er of the Australian Commonwealth or one of its states or territories Attorney-GeneralAttorney-General /ə |�t#�ni �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun 1. in the United Kingdom, one of the Law Officers, a Member of Parliament and member of the government, who advises govern- ment departments on legal problems and decides if major criminal offences should be tried 2. in a US state or in the federal government, the head of le- gal affairs (NOTE: In the US Federal Government, the Attorney-General is in charge of the Justice Depart- ment.)

COMMENT: In the US Federal Govern- ment, the Attorney-General is in charge of the Department of Justice.

attributableattributable /ə |�trbjυtəb(ə)l/ ad- jective able to be reported as an offi- cial statement of government policy with the source of the report named Atty. Gen.Atty. Gen. abbreviation Attorney General

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audience 16 audience

audience /�ɔ�diəns/ noun an inter- view or discussion with an important person � The Prime Minister has a weekly audience of the Queen. Audit Commission

Audit Commission /�ɔ�dt kə | �mʃ(ə)n/ noun an independent body in the UK which examines the ac- counts of local authorities and checks for possible fraud and corruption auditor-general

auditor-general /�ɔ�dtə �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun an officer of the Australian government who makes sure government expenditure is ap- proved by law Australian ballot

Australian ballot /ɒ|�streliən �b�lət/ noun same as secret ballot Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory /ɒ | �streliən �k�pt(ə)l �terətri/ noun the region round the capital, Canberra, which is not part of any of the states. Abbr ACT Australian Democrats

Australian Democrats /ɒ | �streliən �deməkr�ts/ noun in Aus- tralia, a political party that has held power in the Australian upper house for most of the time since 1977 Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party /ɒ | �streliən �lebə �pɑ�ti/ noun in Aus- tralia, the principal political party of the left and one of the two main polit- ical parties. Abbr ALP autarchy

autarchy /�ɔ�tɑ�ki/ noun the situa- tion where a state has total power over itself, and rules itself without outside interference autarky

autarky /�ɔ�tɑ�ki/ noun the situation where a state can provide all it needs without outside help authorisation bill

authorisation bill /�ɔ�θəra |�zeʃn bl/ noun US in the US Congress, a bill which permits the spending of money on a project. It may also limit the amount of money which can be spent. authoritarian

authoritarian /ɔ�|�θɒr |�teəriən/ ad- jective exercising strict control � au- thoritarian regime a government which rules its people strictly and does not allow anyone to oppose its decisions

authoritarianismauthoritarianism /ɔ�|�θɒr |�teəriən | �z(ə)m/ noun the theory that a gov- ernment must rule its people strictly authorityauthority /ɔ�|�θɒrti/ noun 1. the of- ficial power given to someone to do something, the legal right to do some- thing � He has no authority to act on our behalf. � She was acting on the authority of the Borough Treasurer. � On whose authority were these com- puters ordered? 2. the person or book which has the best information � She is an authority on the benefit system. � Erskine May is the authority on par- liamentary procedure. 3. � the au- thorities the government or people who have legal power over something � The authorities are trying to put down the riots. � The prison authori- ties have complained about the lack of funding. autocracyautocracy /ɔ�|�tɒkrəsi/ noun 1. rule by a dictator 2. a country ruled by a dictator autocratautocrat /�ɔ�təkr�t/ noun (often as criticism) a dictator, a ruler with total personal power over the people he or she rules autocraticautocratic /�ɔ�tə |�kr�tk/ adjective ruled by a dictator � The regime be- came too autocratic and was over- thrown by a military coup. autocraticallyautocratically /�ɔ�tə |�kr�tk(ə)li/ adverb like a dictator autonomousautonomous /ɔ� |�tɒnəməs/ adjec- tive a region which governs itself within a larger political unit � an au- tonomous regional government � The federation is formed of several auton- omous republics. autonomyautonomy /ɔ�|�tɒnəmi/ noun the power of a region to govern itself within a larger political unit � The sep- aratists are demanding full autonomy for their state. � The government has granted the region a limited autono- my. AVAV abbreviation alternative vote axisaxis /��kss/ noun an association be- tween several people, organisations, or countries that is regarded as a cen- tre of power or influence

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17 Azapo AxisAxis /��kss/ noun the military and political alliance of Germany, Italy, and, later, Japan that fought the Allies in World War II ayatollahayatollah /�aə|�tɒlə/ noun a Muslim leader, especially in Iran ayeaye /a/ noun in the House of Com- mons, a vote for a motion. � content �

the Aye lobby, the Ayes lobby a room in the House of Commons, through which MPs pass if they are voting for a motion � the Ayes have it an an- nouncement that a motion has been passed Azapo

Azapo /ə|�z�pəυ/ noun a Socialist political movement in South Africa

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B Baath

Baath /bɑ�θ/ noun a Socialist party in several Arab countries, including Iraq and Syria Baathism

Baathism /�bɑ�θz(ə)m/ noun the beliefs of the Baath party, combining the elements of pan-Arabism, state control, anti-Semitism and the cult of an authoritarian ruler. Baathism was found in Iraq until the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and still ex- ists in Syria. back

back /b�k/ verb to support someone or something � to back a bill to sup- port a Bill in Parliament back bench

back bench /�b�k �bentʃ/ adjective referring to the seats behind the front row in the House of Commons and the MPs who occupy them � backbench MPs backbencher

backbencher /�b�k|�bentʃə/ noun an ordinary Member of Parliament who does not sit on the front seats in the House of Commons, and is not a government minister or an Opposition shadow minister. Also called back- bench MP back benches

back benches /�b�k �bentʃz/ plu- ral noun the rows of seats in the House of Commons, behind the front row, where the Members of Parliament who are not government ministers and not Opposition shadow ministers sit back channel

back channel /�b�k �tʃ�n(ə)l/ noun a way of passing sensitive infor- mation in politics or diplomacy that avoids the usual procedures � They de- nied the existence of back-channel contacts between the two countries � They uncovered an apparent back channel (or attempted back channel) using a businessman who had a rela-

tionship with a minister in their gov- ernment. background

background /�b�k�raυnd/ noun 1. past work or experience or family con- nections � Can you tell us something of the candidate’s family background? 2. past details � She explained the background to the claim. � The House asked for details of the background to the case. � I know the contractual sit- uation as it stands now, but can you fill in the background details? backwoodsman

backwoodsman /�b�kwυdzmən/ noun formerly, a hereditary peer in the House of Lords who lived in the coun- try, appeared only rarely in the House and was regarded as having reaction- ary or eccentric opinions (informal) balance of payments

balance of payments /�b�ləns əv �pemənts/ noun the international fi- nancial position of a country, meas- ured according to the level of imports and exports balance of power

balance of power /�b�ləns əv �paυə/ noun 1. a situation where two powerful states, or groups of states, are equal in power � The superpowers have achieved a balance of power for the last twenty years. � The rise of the military government has threatened the balance of power in the region. 2. � to hold the balance of power (of a small group) to be in a position where no group has a majority and so effec- tively able to hold power by acting with another small group � The bal- ance of power is held by the small Democratic Party. � Although the Lib- erals only have two seats on the coun- cil, they hold the balance of power be- cause the other two parties have twen- ty seats each.

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19 bankruptcy Balkanisation

Balkanisation /�bɔ�lkəna | �zeʃ(ə)n/ noun the division of an area into small political units that are often opposed to each other ballot

ballot /�b�lət/ noun 1. an election where people vote for someone by marking a cross on a paper with a list of names 2. an act of choosing some- one by putting names in a box and then taking one name out at random � In the House of Commons, private members Bills are placed in order of precedence by ballot. � verb 1. to take a vote by ballot � The company is bal- loting for the post of president. 2. to choose by ballot � MPs balloted for Private Member’s Bills. ballot box

ballot box /�b�lət bɒks/ noun the box into which voting papers are put ballot paper

ballot paper /�b�lət �pepə/ noun a paper on which the voter marks a cross to show for whom he or she wants to vote ballot-rigging

ballot-rigging /�b�lət �r�ŋ/ noun 1. an illegal attempt to manipulate the votes in an election so that a specific candidate or party wins � The elector- al commission accused the govern- ment party of ballot-rigging. 2. an ille- gal attempt to miscount or lose voting papers, so that a particular candidate or party wins bamboo curtain

bamboo curtain /b�m |�bu� �k#�t(ə)n/ noun the imaginary barrier that isolated China on ideological grounds from Western countries after the Communist revolution of 1949 un- til 1979 banana republic

banana republic /bə|�nɑ�nə r | �p�blk/ noun a small country with an economy that depends on the export of a single product bandwagon effect

bandwagon effect /�b�ndw��ən  |�fekt/ noun an increase in votes in a election for a political party or candi- date who has been ahead in the opin- ion polls. Compare boomerang ef- fect banishment

banishment /�b�nʃmənt/ noun the fact of being ordered to leave a country or region

bank base rate

bank base rate /�b�ŋk �bes �ret/ noun the basic rate of interest which a bank charges bank charter

bank charter /�b�ŋk �tʃɑ�tə/ noun the official government document al- lowing a banking company to be set up bank holiday

bank holiday /�b�ŋk �hɒlde/ noun in the UK, a day which is a pub- lic holiday when the banks are closed (NOTE: The American term is nation- al holiday.) Bank of England

Bank of England /�b�ŋk əv �ŋlənd/ noun the central British bank, owned by the state, which, together with the Treasury, regulates the na- tion’s finances, and which since 1997 has almost complete independence to set interest rates

COMMENT: The Bank of England is- sues banknotes (which carry the sig- natures of its officials). It is the lender of last resort to commercial banks and puts into effect the general financial policies of the government. The Gov- ernor of the Bank of England is ap- pointed by the government.

bankrupt

bankrupt /�b�ŋkr�pt/ adjective, noun referring to people that a court has decided are incapable of paying their debts and whose business is tak- en away from them � a bankrupt prop- erty developer � He was adjudicated or declared bankrupt. � She went bankrupt after two years in business. � noun someone who is bankrupt � cer- tificated bankrupt a bankrupt who has been discharged from bankruptcy with a certificate to show he or she was not at fault � discharged bank- rupt a person who has been released from being bankrupt � undischarged bankrupt a person who has been de- clared bankrupt and has not been re- leased from that state � verb to make someone become bankrupt � The re- cession bankrupted my father.

COMMENT: A person who is bankrupt cannot serve as a Member of Parlia- ment, a Justice of the Peace, or a di- rector of a limited company, and can- not sign a contract or borrow money.

bankruptcy

bankruptcy /�b�ŋkr�ptsi/ noun the state of being bankrupt � The re-

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bankruptcy notice 20 cession has caused thousands of bank- ruptcies. bankruptcy notice

bankruptcy notice /�b�ŋkr�ptsi �nəυts/ noun a notice warning some- one that they will be declared incapa- ble of paying their debts and have their business taken away from them if they fail to pay money owed banner

banner /�b�nə/ noun a piece of ma- terial on which a slogan or a political or other statement is written and dis- played or carried in a protest � The demonstrators carried banners with the words ‘Power to the People’. bar

bar /bɑ�/ noun 1. the profession of a barrister, or lawyer qualified to speak in a higher court � to be called to the bar to pass examinations and fulfil certain requirements to become a bar- rister 2. all barristers or lawyers qual- ified to speak in the higher courts � the Bar 1. the profession of barrister 2. all barristers � the Bar of the House 1. a line across the floor of the House of Commons, behind which people who are not members can stand to present petitions or to be questioned � He appeared in person at the Bar of the House. 2. a rail across the floor of the House of Lords, be- hind which people who are not peers can stand

COMMENT: At the State Opening of Parliament MPs go to the House of Lords and stand behind the Bar of the House to hear the Queen’s Speech.

baron

baron /�b�rən/, Baron noun 1. a person of the lowest rank of nobility in the British House of Lords, or a life peer 2. also Baron a nobleman of var- ious ranks in some European countries

COMMENT: Life peers and peeresses are barons and baronesses; barons are directly addressed as ‘Lord’ fol- lowed by their family name. In some European countries, Baron is used as a form of address: so, Baron Smith is addressed as ‘Lord Smith’, but Baron Schmidt is addressed as ‘Baron Schmidt’.

baroness

baroness /�b�rənəs/ noun 1. the wife of a person of the lowest rank of nobility in the British House of Lords, a woman of the lowest rank of nobility

in the British House of Lords, or a life peeress 2. a noblewoman or the wife of a nobleman of various ranks in some European countries

COMMENT: A baroness would usually be directly addressed as ‘Lady’ fol- lowed by her family name, though she may be referred to as ‘Baroness’: Bar- oness Thatcher

baronetbaronet /�b�rənət/ noun in the UK , someone who has the title Sir and whose right to this title can be passed from father to son

COMMENT: Baronets are addressed as ‘Sir’, followed by the Christian name and family name; their wives are ad- dressed as ‘Lady’ followed by the fam- ily name (so Sir John Smith’s wife is directly addressed as ‘Lady Smith’); the title passes to the heir, but does not qualify the holder for a seat in the House of Lords. Baronets can be Members of Parliament.

baronetcybaronetcy /�b�rə |�netsi/ noun a title which can be passed from father to son but does not qualify the holder for a seat in the House of Lords baronybarony /�b�rəni/ noun the title of a person of the lowest rank of nobility in the British House of Lords barricadebarricade /�b�r|�ked/ noun an in- formal barrier set up to block a street or passageway, especially by protes- tors � verb to block a street or pas- sageway BarrosoBarroso /bə|�rəυsəυ/, Jose Manuel Durao (b. 1956) the president of the European Commission (2004–) basic industrybasic industry /�besk �ndəstri/ noun an industry on which a country’s economy depends basic rate taxbasic rate tax /�besk ret �t�ks/ noun the lowest rate of income tax basicsbasics /�besks/ plural noun 1. the most important facts about something 2. the most essential things such as food and heating � Their weekly in- come barely covers the basics. � to get back to basics 1. to start dis- cussing the basic facts again 2. to re- turn to traditional values basisbasis /�bess/ noun 1. the point or number from which calculations are made � We have calculated the costs

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21 bilateral on the basis of a 6% price increase. 2. the general terms of agreement or gen- eral principles on which something is decided � We have three people work- ing on a freelance basis. � on a short- term or long-term basis for a short or long period � He has been appointed on a short-term basis. battlebus

battlebus /�b�t(ə)lb�s/ noun a bus used by a candidate in an election campaign to tour the constituency or country (informal) beat

beat /bi�t/ verb to defeat someone in an election � The main Opposition party was beaten into third place in the election. belli

belli � casus belli belligerency

belligerency /bə|�ld�ərənsi/ noun the state of being at war or of threaten- ing to start a war belligerent

belligerent /bə |�ld�ərənt/ adjective aggressive or at war with another country � two belligerent states � The UN will try to achieve a ceasefire be- tween the belligerent parties. � noun a country at war with another country � The UN tried to set up a meeting where the belligerents could discuss an exchange of prisoners. bench

bench /bentʃ/ noun a long seat for several people, as found in the Houses of Parliament. � back benches, front benches, Opposition front bench benefitbenefit /�benft/ noun 1. money or advantage gained from something 2. a regular payment made to someone un- der a national or private insurance scheme � She receives £50 a week as unemployment benefit. � The sickness benefit is paid monthly. � The insur- ance office sends out benefit cheques each week. benefit claim

benefit claim /�benft klem/ noun a request for a benefit to be paid benefit tourism

benefit tourism /�benft �tυərz(ə)m/ noun the practice of moving from a poor country to a rich- er country to receive its health and so- cial benefits Benelux

Benelux /�benl�ks/ noun Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg

Bentham

Bentham /�benθəm/, Jeremy (1748–1832) English philosopher most famous as the founder of Utili- tarianism (NOTE: [all senses] Bentham’s Utilitarian principle that laws should be made so as to achieve the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people has been interpreted in many ways and is often misunderstood.) betray

betray /b|�tre/ verb � He betrayed the secret to the enemy. � to betray your country to give away your coun- try’s secrets to an enemy betting duty

betting duty /�betŋ �dju�ti/, bet- ting tax /�betŋ t�ks/ noun a tax raised from gambling on horses and dogs Bharatiya Janata Party

Bharatiya Janata Party noun an Indian political party that advocates Hindu nationalism. Abbr BJP bicameral

bicameral /�ba|�k�mərəl/ adjective of a legislature or law-making body, having two chambers or houses � The United Kingdom has a bicameral sys- tem composed of the House of Com- mons and House of Lords. � The Unit- ed States has a bicameral legislative assembly, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate. bicameralism

bicameralism /�ba|�k�mərəl| �z(ə)m/ noun a system of government where there are two houses in the leg- islature or law-making body (NOTE: The two chambers are usually re- ferred to as the Upper and Lower Houses; systems with only one chamber are called unicameral.) Big Ben

Big Ben /�b� �ben/ noun a large bell which strikes the hours in the Clock Tower of the British Houses of Parlia- ment big government

big government /�b� ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun government re- garded disapprovingly as spending too much and attempting to control too many aspects of people’s lives bilateral

bilateral /ba |�l�t(ə)rəl/ adjective (of an activity or agreement) involv- ing two parties or countries � The min- ister signed a bilateral trade agree-

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bilaterally 22 ment. � multilateral, trilateral, uni- lateral

‘…the Federal Government will try to negotiate with the US to find a bilateral solution for the dispute’ [Toronto Globe & Mail]

bilaterally

bilaterally /�ba|�l�tər(ə)li/ adverb by the action of two parties or coun- tries � The agreement was reached bi- laterally. bill

bill /bl/ noun 1. the draft or first ver- sion of a new law which will be dis- cussed in Parliament � The house is discussing the Noise Prevention Bill. � The Finance Bill had its second read- ing yesterday. � Private Member’s Bill, Private Bill, Public Bill 2. a written paper which is a promise to pay money � bill of exchange a docu- ment which orders one person to pay another person a sum of money 3. a charge to be paid for work done � The bill for cleaning up the beaches will be very large. � verb to present a bill to someone so that it can be paid

COMMENT: A Bill passes through the following stages in Parliament: First Reading, Second Reading, Com- mittee Stage, Report Stage and Third Reading. The Bill goes through these stages first in the House of Commons and then in the House of Lords. When all the stages have been passed the Bill is given the Royal As- sent and becomes law as an Act of Parliament. In the USA, a Bill is intro- duced either in the House or in the Senate. Any number of Senators may jointly sponsor a single bill in the Sen- ate; in the House of Representatives, a maximum of 25 members may joint- ly sponsor a bill. After its introduction, a bill is referred to a committee which examines it in public hearings, then passes it back for general debate in the full House. The Bill is debated sec- tion by section in Second Reading and after being passed by both House and Senate is engrossed and sent to the President for signature (or veto).

bill of attainder

bill of attainder /�bl əv ə|�tendə/ noun formerly, a way of punishing people legally without holding a trial, especially in cases of treason, by pass- ing a law in parliament to convict and sentence them

bill of indictment

bill of indictment /�bl əv n | �datmənt/ noun US 1. a draft of an indictment which is examined by the court, and when signed becomes an indictment 2. a list of charges given to a grand jury, asking them to indict the accused bill of rights

bill of rights /�bl əv �rats/ noun a list of basic human rights guaranteed in the law of a specific country Bill of RightsBill of Rights /�bl əv �rats/ noun 1. an Act passed in 1689, restating the rights of Parliament and people after the Revolution of 1688 2. the first ten amendments of the constitution of the United States which refer to the rights and privileges of the individual binationalbinational /ba |�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjec- tive between two countries binding precedentbinding precedent /�bandŋ �presd(ə)nt/ noun the decision of a higher court which has to be followed by a judge in a lower court biological warfare

biological warfare /�baə lɒd�k(ə)l �wɔ�feə/ noun the use of biological material to cause disease during war bioterrorism

bioterrorism /�baəυ |�terərz(ə)m/ noun terrorist attacks involving the use of biological or chemical weapons bipartisan

bipartisan /�bapɑ�t|�z�n/ adjec- tive accepted by the opposition as well as by the government � a bipartisan approach to the problem of municipal finance � a bipartisan foreign policy a foreign policy agreed between the Government and Opposition bipartitebipartite /ba |�pɑ�tat/ adjective with two sides taking part � bipartite talks BircherBircher /�b#�tʃə/ noun a member of the John Birch Society, a right-wing political organisation in the United States whose main purpose is fighting Communism Bishops’ Bench

Bishops’ Bench /bʃəps �bentʃ/ noun the seats in the House of Lords where the archbishops and bishops who are members of the House of Lords sit. The seats have arms unlike the other seats. � Lords Spiritual

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23 block vote bisque

bisque /bi�sk/ noun the absence of an MP from the British House of Commons which is allowed by a whip BJPBJP abbreviation Bharatiya Janata Party black economy

black economy /�bl�k |�kɒnəmi/ noun work which is paid for in cash or goods but not declared to the tax au- thorities black list

black list /�bl�k lst/ noun a list of persons, organisations or things which are not approved of � the council is drawing up a black list of suppliers Black Panther

Black Panther /�bl�k �p�nθə/ noun a member of a militant African American political organisation op- posed to white domination that was active in the United States especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s Black Power

Black Power /�bl�k �paυə/ noun a movement formed by Black people in the United States to encourage social equality and pride in their racial iden- tity Black Rod

Black Rod /�bl�k �rɒd/ noun a member of the Queen’s staff in the British Houses of Parliament, who performs ceremonial functions, par- ticularly at the State Opening of Par- liament. Also called Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod

COMMENT: Like the Sergeant at Arms in the Commons, Black Rod is respon- sible for keeping order in the House of Lords. His best-known duty is to go from the Lords to summon the Com- mons to attend the opening of Parlia- ment and hear the Queen’s Speech.

Black Sash

Black Sash /�bl�k �s�ʃ/ noun orig- inally an organisation of white women campaigners against apartheid in South Africa, now a multiracial organ- isation which promotes civil rights BlairBlair /bleə/, Tony (b. 1953) He was elected Labour Party leader in 1994, became prime minister in 1997 and was the first Labour leader to be re- elected, in 2001 Blairism

Blairism /�bleərz(ə)m/ noun the political policies and style of govern- ment of Tony Blair, especially moder- ate and gradual social reform, prudent

financial management, and tight con- trol over the presentation of policy blameblame /blem/ verb to say that some- one has done something wrong or is responsible for a mistake � The coun- cil chairman blamed the opposition for not supporting the amendment. � The lack of fire equipment was blamed by the coroner for the deaths. � The spokesman blamed the closure of the hospital on the lack of government funds. blocbloc /blɒk/ noun a group of countries who co-operate as a result of having the same political views � a power bloc � the former Eastern bloc blockblock /blɒk/ verb to stop something taking place � He used his casting vote to block the motion. � The planning committee blocked the plan to build a motorway through the middle of the town. � to block a Bill to prevent a Bill being discussed at a sitting of the House of Commons, by objecting to it formally blockadeblockade /blɒ|�ked/ noun an act of preventing goods or people going into or out of a place � the government brought in goods by air to beat the blockade � the enemy lifted the block- ade of the port for two months to let in emergency supplies � verb to prevent goods or food or people going into or coming out of a place � The town was blockaded by the enemy navy. blocked currencyblocked currency /�blɒkt �k�rənsi/ noun money which cannot be taken out of a country because of exchange controls block grantblock grant /�blɒk ��rɑ�nt/ noun money granted by the central govern- ment to a local authority to add to money received from rates or local taxes. Also called Rate Support Grant blocking minorityblocking minority /�blɒkŋ ma| �nɒrti/ noun a group who can veto a proposal even though they are in a mi- nority, as operates in some cases in the EU Council of Ministers block voteblock vote /�blɒk �vəυt/ noun a vote by someone who is representing the

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Bloquiste 24 wishes of a large number of people in a particular organisation such as a trade union BloquisteBloquiste /�blɒk|�i�st/ noun a mem- ber or supporter of the Bloc Québé- cois blueblue /blu�/ noun the colour tradition- ally used by the British Conservative Party and other parties of the Right � a true-blue Tory a person who has strongly Conservative views Blue BookBlue Book /�blu� �bυk/ noun a gov- ernment publication with a blue cover, e.g. the report of a Royal Commission blue lawsblue laws /�blu� lɔ�z/ plural noun US laws relating to what can or cannot be done on a Sunday blue pencilblue pencil /�blu� �pensəl/ verb for- merly, to cross out items from a news- paper or report which it was forbidden to publish BnBn abbreviation baron boardboard /bɔ�d/ noun a group of people who run an organisation, e.g. a com- pany, trust or society � board of di- rectors a group of directors elected by the shareholders to run a company � the government has two representa- tives on the board of the nationalized industry � he sits on the board as a representative of the bank � two direc- tors were removed from the board at the AGM � board of management a group of people who manage an or- ganisation Board of DeputiesBoard of Deputies /�bɔ�d əv �depjυtiz/ noun a body that repre- sents the legal and political interests of British Jews Board of TradeBoard of Trade /�bɔ�d əv �tred/ noun a British government depart- ment that regulates commerce and promotes exports, part of the Depart- ment for Trade and Industry since 1970. � President of the Board of Trade bodybody /�bɒdi/ noun 1. an organisation or group of people who work together � Parliament is an elected body. � The governing body of the university has to approve the plan to give the Presi- dent a honorary degree. � non-de-

partmental public body 2. a large amount of something � a growing body of evidence � body of opinion a group of people who have the same view about something � There is a considerable body of opinion which believes that capital punishment should be reintroduced. body politicbody politic /�bɒdi �pɒlətk/ noun all the people of a state considered as a group bollweevilbollweevil /�bɒlwi�vəl/ noun US a senator or congressman from one of the states of the Deep South (informal) BolshevikBolshevik /�bɒlʃəvk/ adjective 1. referring to the main Communist party in Russia at the time of the Revolution of 1917 � Lenin was the leader of the Bolshevik Party. 2. Communist, usual- ly referring to the Soviet Union (dated informal ) � noun a member of a Com- munist Party, especially in the Soviet Union, or someone with left-wing views (dated informal)

COMMENT: The word comes from the Russian ‘bolshinstvo’, meaning major- ity, because this section of the Com- munist Party was in the majority at the time of the Russian Revolution.

bolshevismbolshevism /�bɒlʃəvz(ə)m/ noun the form of Communism supported by Lenin BolshevismBolshevism /�bɒlʃəvz(ə)m/ noun 1. the beliefs of the Bolsheviks, espe- cially the need for the overthrow of capitalism 2. Communism or revolu- tionary socialism bona fidebona fide /�bəυnə �fadi/ Latin phrase meaning ‘in good faith’ � a bona fide offer an offer which is made honestly or which can be trusted bona fidesbona fides /�bəυnə �fadi�z/ Latin phrase meaning ‘good faith’: evi- dence of honesty and good standing � Her bona fides was or were accepted by the company. bondedbonded /�bɒndd/ adjective held un- der restrictions bondholderbondholder /�bɒndhəυldə/ noun a person who invests in government stocks boomerang effectboomerang effect /�bu�mər�ŋ  | �fekt/ noun a decline in votes in an

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25 branch election for a political party or candi- date who has been ahead in the opin- ion polls. Compare bandwagon ef- fect boothbooth /bu�ð/ noun � polling booth borderborder /�bɔ�də/ noun the frontier be- tween two countries � a border town � He was stopped by the border guards. boroughborough /�b�rə/ noun a town which has been given the right to have its own council. � rotten borough � bor- ough architect, borough engineer, borough treasurer the officials in charge of the new buildings or ma- chinery or finances of a borough

COMMENT: A borough is an officially in- corporated town, which has a charter granted by Parliament. A borough is run by an elected council, with a may- or as its official head. Most boroughs are represented in Parliament by at least one MP.

borough councilborough council /�b�rə �kaυnsəl/ noun the representatives elected to run a borough borough valuerborough valuer /�b�rə �v�ljυə/ noun an official who estimates the value of property, especially where the owner is applying for a grant or where the council is considering buying the property borrowingborrowing /�bɒrəυŋ/ noun the practice of taking money from some- one with their agreement and with the intention of repaying it later � Govern- ment borrowing is set to increase. � public sector borrowing require- ment (PSBR) the amount of money which a government has to borrow to pay for its own spending Boston Tea PartyBoston Tea Party /�bɒstən �ti� �pɑ�ti/ noun a protest against taxes imposed by Britain made by the citi- zens of Boston in 1773 that led to the War of American Independence. The protesters boarded three British ships and threw their cargoes of tea over- board. boundaryboundary /�baυnd(ə)ri/, boundary line /�baυnd(ə)ri lan/ noun a line marking the edge of an area of land, a border or frontier � The boundary dis- pute dragged through the courts for

years. � The borough boundary is marked by road signs. Boundary CommissionBoundary Commission /�baυnd(ə)ri kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun the committee which examines the area and population of constituencies for the House of Commons and recom- mends changes to make all Members of Parliament represent roughly simi- lar numbers of people bounty

bounty /�baυnti/ noun 1. a govern- ment payment or subsidy made to help an industry 2. a payment made by government to someone who has saved lives or found treasure bourgeois

bourgeois /�bυə�wɑ�/ adjective 1. middle class or referring to the class of businessmen and professional people 2. used by Communists to criticise an outlook which is traditional and con- servative and opposed to communism � The Party is trying to reduce its bourgeois image by promoting young activists to the Central Committee. � noun a middle-class person bourgeoisiebourgeoisie /bυə�wɑ |�zi�/ noun the middle class, usually the richer upper levels of the middle class, formed of businessmen and professional people boycottboycott /�bɔkɒt/ noun a refusal to buy or to deal in goods from a country or company, used as a punishment � The union organised a boycott against or of imported cars. � verb to refuse to buy or to deal in goods from a country or company, as a punishment � The company’s products have been boy- cotted by the main department stores. � We are boycotting all imports from that country. � to boycott a meeting to refuse to attend a meeting bracket

bracket /�br�kt/ noun a group � in- come bracket, tax bracket a level of income where a percentage tax applies � verb to group together branchbranch /brɑ�ntʃ/ noun 1. a local of- fice of a bank or large business; a local shop of a large chain of shops � The bank or the store has branches in most towns in the south of the country. � The insurance company has closed its branches in South America. � He is

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branch stacking 26 the manager of our local branch of Lloyds bank. � We have decided to open a branch office in Chicago. � The manager of our branch in Lagos or of our Lagos branch. 2. a section of gov- ernment � The three branches of gov- ernment are the executive, the legisla- ture and the judiciary. 3. a part or sep- arate section � The school welfare service is a branch of the county edu- cation service. � The Law of Contract and the Law of Tort are branches of civil law. branch stackingbranch stacking /�brɑ�ntʃ �st�kŋ/ noun the practice of recruit- ing new members to a political party with the aim of influencing the selec- tion of new candidates for office breach of confidencebreach of confidence /�bri�tʃ əv �kɒnfd(ə)ns/ noun the act of reveal- ing a secret which someone has told you breach of privilegebreach of privilege /�bri�tʃ əv �prvld�/ noun the act of doing something that may harm the reputa- tion or power of Parliament, e.g. by speaking or writing in a defamatory way about an MP or about Parliament itself

COMMENT: Breaches of parliamentary privilege can take the form of many types of action; the commonest are threats to MPs, or insulting language about MPs; speaking in a rude way about Parliament in public; wild be- haviour in the public galleries; trying to influence witnesses appearing before parliamentary committees.

breach of the peacebreach of the peace /�bri�tʃ əv ðə �pi�s/ noun a disturbance which is likely to annoy or frighten people breach of trustbreach of trust /�bri�tʃ əv �tr�st/ noun the failure of someone who has undertaken to do a job on behalf of someone else to perform that job hon- estly or effectively break downbreak down /�brek �daυn/ verb 1. to stop or fail � the negotiations be- tween Iraq and USA broke down 2. to show the details section by section � The trade figures are broken down into visible and invisible exports. break offbreak off /�brek �ɒf/ verb to stop � We broke off the discussion at mid-

night. � The government has broken off negotiations with the insurgents. � to break off diplomatic relations with a country to recall the ambassa- dor and close down the embassy in a country break outbreak out /�brek �aυt/ verb to start suddenly � War broke out between the ethnic groups in the region. break upbreak up /�brek ��p/ verb 1. to di- vide something large into small sec- tions � The company was broken up and separate divisions sold off. 2. to come to an end or to make something come to an end � The meeting broke up at 12.30. � The police broke up the protest meeting. bribebribe /brab/ noun money offered to someone to get them to do something to help you, especially something dis- honest � The minister was accused of taking bribes. � verb to give someone money to get them to help you, espe- cially by doing something dishonest � He bribed a senior official to get the import licence. briberybribery /�brab(ə)ri/ noun the crime of paying someone money to get them to do something to help you, especial- ly by doing something dishonest � Bribery in the security warehouse is impossible to stamp out. briefbrief /bri�f/ verb to explain some- thing to someone in detail � The su- perintendent briefed the press on the progress of the investigation. � to brief a minister, officer to give a min- ister or officer all the details of the case which he will argue in Parliament or on TV or in committee briefingbriefing /�bri�fŋ/ noun an occasion when someone is given information about something � All the Whitehall journalists attended a briefing given by the minister. briefing papersbriefing papers /�bri�fŋ �pepəz/ plural noun documents prepared by officials for a Minister to study bring downbring down /�brŋ �daυn/ verb to make a government lose power � The government was brought down by the scandal.

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27 buffer bring forwardbring forward /�brŋ �fɔ�wəd/ verb to move something to an earlier date � The date of the hearing has been brought forward to March. bring upbring up /�brŋ ��p/ verb to refer to something for the first time � The chairman brought up the question of corruption in the police force. brinkmanshipbrinkmanship /�brŋksmənʃp/ noun especially in international rela- tions, the practice of allowing a dis- pute to come close to war in the hope of forcing the opposition to agree to a proposal BritBrit /brt/ noun a British person (informal) BritainBritain /�brt(ə)n/, Great Britain noun the country formed of the is- lands off the north coast of Europe (NOTE: Britain is formed of England, Wales and Scotland; together with Northern Ireland it forms the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North- ern Ireland.) BritishBritish /�brtʃ/ adjective referring to Britain or Great Britain � noun the people who live in Britain or are citi- zens of Britain living abroad � the British the inhabitants or citizens of Britain British IslesBritish Isles /�brtʃ �alz/ noun the group of islands off the north coast of Europe, consisting of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man British Standards InstituteBritish Standards Institute /�brtʃ �st�ndədz �nsttju�t/ noun an official body which makes rules about standards of quality and safety BritonBriton /�brt(ə)n/ noun a British per- son budgetbudget /�b�d�t/ noun a plan of ex- pected spending and income, usually for a period of one year, e.g. the plan made by a government’s finance min- ister � the Budget the annual plan of taxes and government spending pro- posed by a finance minister � the Budget statement a speech by a Chancellor of the Exchequer present-

ing his budget to Parliament � the min- ister put forward a budget aimed at slowing down the economy � the Chancellor began his budget state- ment at 3.30 � the budget debate or the debate on the budget lasted for two days � to balance the budget to plan income and expenditure so that they balance � the president is planning for a balanced budget � verb to make plans of expected spending and in- come � The council is budgeting for a 25% increase in expenditure on roads.

‘…the council could refuse to set a legal budget which would result in its being unable to borrow money and pay its em- ployees’ [Local Government News]

budgetarybudgetary /�b�d�t(ə)ri/ adjective referring to a budget budgetary controlbudgetary control /�b�d�t(ə)ri kən |�trəυl/ noun the process of keep- ing a check on spending budgetary policybudgetary policy /�b�d�t(ə)ri �pɒlsi/ noun the policy of planning income and spending budgetary requirementsbudgetary requirements /�b�d�t(ə)ri r|�kwaəməntz/ plural noun the spending or income needed by the government’s plans Budget boxBudget box /�b�d�t bɒks/ noun an old red case in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer traditionally carried the Budget papers to Parliament on the day he announced the budget for the next year. � despatch box budget deficitbudget deficit /�b�d�t �defst/ noun the amount by which what a government spends is more than what it receives in tax and other income budgetingbudgeting /�b�d�tŋ/ noun the ac- tivity of preparing plans about spend- ing and income budget variancebudget variance /�b�d�t �veəriəns/ noun the difference be- tween the plans made in a budget and what the actual spending and income is bufferbuffer /�b�fə/ noun a country or area of land between two countries which prevents them attacking one another � The UN tried to establish a buffer zone between the two warring factions. �

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buffer state 28 The small country found it had be- come a buffer state between the two belligerents. buffer statebuffer state /�b�fə stet/ noun a small neutral state that is between two potentially hostile countries and there- fore reduces the risk of conflict be- tween them building permitbuilding permit /�bldŋ �p#�mt/ noun an official document which al- lows someone to build on a piece of land bully pulpitbully pulpit /�bυli �pυlpt/ noun a position of authority that gives the holder the opportunity of a wide audi- ence for his or her views, e.g. a politi- cal office BundesbankBundesbank /�bυndəzb�ŋk/ noun the German Central Bank BundesratBundesrat /�bυndəzrɑ�t/ noun 1. the upper house of the legislature in Austria and Germany 2. the federal council in Switzerland, similar to a cabinet BundestagBundestag /�bυndəztɑ��/ noun the lower house of legislature in Germany bureaubureau /�bjυərəυ/ noun 1. an office that provides a particular service � a legal advice bureau � an employment bureau 2. a government office or agency 3. mainly US a government department � the European Affairs Bureau � Politburo (NOTE: The plural is bureaux.) � the Bureau Same as FBI 4. an organisation that collects news bureaucracybureaucracy /bjυə |�rɒkrəsi/ noun 1. the group of civil servants or offi- cials who run central or local govern- ment � The investigation of com- plaints is in the hands of the local bu- reaucracy. � The new president found it difficult to change the way the bu- reaucracy worked. 2. an annoying and puzzling system of rules (informal) � too much bureaucracy and red tape bureaucratbureaucrat /�bjυərəkr�t/ noun someone who works in a government or official office (often disapproving) � The bureaucrats in the state capital are well-known for the slowness of their decision-making.

bureaucratic

bureaucratic /�bjυərə |�kr�tk/ ad- jective referring to a bureaucracy or to bureaucrats (often disapproving) � You have to follow the correct bureau- cratic procedures. � The investigation has been held up by bureaucratic muddle. burgermeister

burgermeister /�b#��əmastə/ noun the mayor of a German town burgh

burgh /�b�rə/ noun a Scottish bor- ough or town burgher

burgher /�b#��ə/ noun a person who lives in a borough or town burgomaster

burgomaster /�b#��əmɑ�stə/ noun the mayor of a Dutch or Flemish town Burke, Edmund

Burke, Edmund /b#�k/ noun the Irish politician and writer (1729–97), whose ideas are often said to sum up traditional conservatism best (NOTE: Burke’s theory of representation is still quoted in the modern world. He believed that an MP should work for all his constituents, not just those who voted for him, and that the MP should decide for himself how to vote without referring back to seek the views of his constituents.) Bush

Bush /bυʃ/, George W. (b. 1946) the 43rd president of the United States (2001–) business

business /�bzns/ noun 1. the work of making, buying or selling 2. a com- pany, shop or factory which makes, buys or sells things � He owns a small car repair business. � She runs a busi- ness from her home. � He set up in business as an insurance broker. 3. things that are discussed in a meeting � The main business of the meeting was finished by 3 p.m. � any other business item at the end of an agenda, where any matter can be raised. Abbr AOB � the business of the House, the business of the day matters for dis- cussion in the House of Commons on a particular day business committee

business committee /�bzns kə | �mti/ noun a committee set up by the House of Commons to discuss the de- tails of how the work of the House of Commons is to be organised

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29 Byzantine business ratebusiness rate /�bzns ret/ noun a local tax paid by businesses in the UK business ratepayerbusiness ratepayer /�bznəs �retpeə/ noun a business which pays local taxes on a shop or factory ButskellismButskellism /�b�tskəlz(ə)m/ noun the relatively similar policies of the Conservative and Labour parties in the United Kingdom in the 1950s, when R. A. Butler and Hugh Gaitskell were the chancellors of the two parties when in power. by-electionby-election /�ba |�lekʃən/ noun an election for Parliament or for a council in one constituency or ward held be- cause of the death or retirement of the person first elected

bylaw

bylaw /ba lɔ�/, byelaw, by-law, bye-law noun a rule or law made by a local authority or public body and not by central government � The bylaws forbid playing ball games in the pub- lic gardens. � According to the local bylaws, noise must be limited in the town centre.

COMMENT: Bylaws must be made by bodies which have been authorized by Parliament, before they can become legally effective.

Byzantine

Byzantine /ba|�z�natn/ adjective too complicated to be easily under- stood � It is difficult to follow the Byz- antine discussions between the two countries about the boundary dispute.

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C CACA abbreviation consular agent CABCAB /�si� e �bi�, k�b/, CABX ab- breviation Citizens’ Advice Bureau or Bureaux cabalcabal /kə |�bɑ�l/ noun a small group of politicians who plan action in secret to get power or advantage cabinetcabinet /�k�bnət/ noun Cabinet 1. a committee formed of the most im- portant members of the government, chosen by the Prime Minister or Pres- ident to be in charge of the main gov- ernment departments � Cabinet meet- ings are held in the Cabinet room. � The Cabinet meets on Thursday morn- ings. � The Prime Minister held a meeting of the Cabinet yesterday. � in- ner cabinet, kitchen cabinet 2. a meeting of the Cabinet � The Prime Minister held a Cabinet yesterday. � The decision was taken at Thursday’s Cabinet. Cabinet CommitteeCabinet Committee /�k�bnət kə | �mti/ noun one of a number of com- mittees which are formed from Cabi- net ministers, junior ministers or civil servants, who advise the Cabinet and Prime Minister on certain matters Cabinet governmentCabinet government /�k�bnət ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun a form of gov- ernment where a Prime Minister or President works closely with a group of ministers

COMMENT: In most forms of Cabinet government (as in the UK), the Prime Minister or President chooses the members of his Cabinet and can dis- miss them if necessary. In some coun- tries, MPs of the ruling party elect the members of the Cabinet, with the re- sult that the Prime Minister has less overall power over the decisions of the Cabinet, and cannot dismiss ministers easily.

Cabinet Minister

Cabinet Minister /�k�bnət �mnstə/ noun a minister who is a member of the Cabinet Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office /�k�bnət �ɒfs/ noun the section of the British Civil Service which works for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Secretary /�k�bnət �sekrətri/ noun the head of the Cabi- net Office and of the British Civil Service, who attends Cabinet meet- ings. Also called Secretary to the Cabinet cadre

cadre /�kɑ�də/ noun an active mem- ber or group of key members of a par- ty, especially a Marxist party calendar

calendar /�k�lndə/ noun 1. a book or set of sheets of paper showing the days and months in a year, often at- tached to pictures 2. a list of events with the dates on which they will take place 3. US a list of Bills for consider- ation by committees of the House of Representatives or the Senate

COMMENT: The Senate has only one calendar, but the House of Represent- atives has several: the Consent Cal- endar for uncontroversial bills; the Discharge Calendar for motions to discharge a committee of its responsi- bility for a bill; the House Calendar for bills which do not involve raising reve- nue or spending money; and the Un- ion Calendar for bills which raise reve- nue or appropriate money for expend- iture.

calendar Wednesday

calendar Wednesday /�k�lndə �wenzde/ noun the day of the week when the House of Representatives can consider bills from committees during a short debate call for

call for /�kɔ�l fɔ�/ verb to ask public- ly for something, or say that some-

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31 canton thing is necessary � The Opposition called for the Minister’s resignation. call incall in /�kɔ�l �n/ verb 1. to visit for a short time � The MPs called in to a shopping centre on their campaign trail. 2. to ask someone to come to help � The Department of Trade de- cided to call in the Fraud Squad to help in the investigation. 3. to ask for plans to be sent for examination � The minister has called in the plans for the new supermarket. 4. to ask for money to be paid � The Central banks have called in the country’s debts. call offcall off /�kɔ�l �ɒf/ verb to ask for something not to take place or not to continue � The search for the missing children has been called off. � The vis- it was called off because the Foreign Minister was ill. call oncall on /�kɔ�l ɒn/ verb 1. to visit someone � The visiting Swedish For- eign Minister called on the President yesterday for talks. 2. to ask someone to do something � The minister called on community leaders to help prevent street crime. camarillacamarilla /�k�mə |�rlə/ noun a small group of advisers, especially a group privately advising an important person cameracamera /�k�m(ə)rə/ � in camera campaigncampaign /k�m |�pen/ noun 1. a planned method of working to achieve something � The government has launched a campaign against drunken drivers. 2. the work of candidates be- fore an election when they try to win votes � verb 1. to try to change some- thing by writing about it or by holding protest meetings or by lobbying Mem- bers of Parliament � They are cam- paigning for the abolition of the death penalty. or They are campaigning against the death penalty. � She is campaigning for the reintroduction of the death penalty. � He is campaign- ing for a revision of the Official Se- crets Act. 2. to try to get people to vote for you in an election � She is cam- paigning on the issue of more money for the school system. � He had been campaigning all day from the top of a bus.

campaigner

campaigner /k�m |�penə/ noun a person who is campaigning for a party or for a candidate or for a cause � He is an experienced political campaign- er. � She is a campaigner for women’s rights. campaign trail

campaign trail /k�m |�pen trel/ noun a series of meetings or visits which are held by a candidate before an election in order to win votes � She is out on the campaign trail again this week. Camp David

Camp David /�k�mp �devd/ noun the official country home of the Presi- dents of the United States camp follower

camp follower /�k�mp �fɒləυə/ noun a person who supports a party or leader for selfish reasons (disapprov- ing) Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms noun a statement of the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadian citizens that forms part of the Constitution Act, 1982 cancel

cancel /�k�nsəl/ verb to stop or call off something cancellation clause

cancellation clause /�k�nsə| �leʃ(ə)n klɔ�z/ noun a clause in a contract which states when the con- tract may be brought to an end candidacy

candidacy /�k�nddəsi/, candida- ture /�k�nddətʃə/ noun the fact of taking part in an election � The Sena- tor has announced his candidacy for the Presidential election. candidate

candidate /�k�nddet/ noun 1. someone who takes part in an election � the Conservative or Labour or Lib- eral candidate (NOTE: Candidates for election to Parliament must be Brit- ish citizens over 21 years of age.) 2. someone or something that is assessed for their suitability for something � We interviewed ten candidates for the post of communications officer. � The hotel is one of the main candidates for the conference location. canton

canton /�k�ntɒn/ noun one of the 22 official regions into which Switzer- land and some other countries are di- vided

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canvass 32 canvasscanvass /�k�nvəs/ verb to visit peo- ple to ask them to vote for a certain candidate or to say what they think � Party workers are out canvassing vot- ers. � to canvass support to ask peo- ple to support you � She is canvassing support for his Bill among members of the Opposition canvassercanvasser /�k�nvəsə/ noun a per- son who visits people to ask them to vote for a certain candidate or to say what they think canvassingcanvassing /�k�nvəsŋ/ noun the action of asking people to vote for some party or candidate, or to say what they think CAPCAP abbreviation Common Agricul- tural Policy capitacapita /�k�ptə/ � per capita capitalcapital /�k�pt(ə)l/ noun 1. money and property used in a business 2. � capital city capital citycapital city /�k�pt(ə)l �sti/ noun the main town in a country, where the government and parliament are usual- ly found capital crimecapital crime /�k�pt(ə)l �kram/ noun a crime for which the punish- ment is death. Also called capital of- fence capital gainscapital gains /�k�pt(ə)l ��enz/ noun money made by selling property or shares at a profit capital gains taxcapital gains tax /�k�pt(ə)l ��enz �t�ks/ noun a tax paid on cap- ital gains capitalismcapitalism /�k�pt(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun 1. the belief in the economic system based on the private ownership of money and property used to create profits 2. the economic system, where money and property are owned pri- vately and businesses are run for profit by their owners rather than by the state capitalistcapitalist /�k�pt(ə)lst/ noun a person who owns money and property and uses them to make profits (some- times disapproving) � adjective based on capitalism as an economic system � capitalist countries coun- tries, mainly in the West, whose econ- omies are run on capitalist principles �

the capitalist system all capitalist countries working together capitalisticcapitalistic /�k�ptə |�lstk/ adjec- tive similar to capitalism (disapprov- ing) capital levycapital levy /�k�pt(ə)l �levi/ noun a tax on the value of a person’s prop- erty and possessions capital transfer taxcapital transfer tax /�k�pt(ə)l �tr�nsf#� �t�ks/ noun a tax paid when property or large sums of money are given by one person to another CapitolCapitol /�k�pt(ə)l/ noun the build- ing in Washington, D.C., where the US Senate and House of Representa- tives meet Capitol HillCapitol Hill /�k�pt(ə)l �hl/ noun a hill in Washington D.C., on which the Capitol building stands, together with other important government buildings � on Capitol Hill, on the Hill in the US Senate or House of Representa- tives � The feeling on Capitol Hill is that the President will veto the propos- al. Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentleman-at-ArmsCaptain of the Honourable Corps of Gentleman-at-Arms /�k�ptn əv ð �ɒn(ə)rəb(ə)l kɔ� �d�ent(ə)lmən ət �ɑ�mz/ noun in the House of Lords, the Government Chief Whip. � Parliamentary Secre- tary to the Treasury capturecapture /�k�ptʃə/ verb to take or get control of something � The Opposi- tion captured six seats in the general election. card votecard vote /�kɑ�d vəυt/ noun a vote taken at meetings of the Trades Union Congress, where union representa- tives vote on behalf of the members of their union by holding up a card show- ing the number of members they are representing care ordercare order /�keə �ɔ�də/ noun an or- der from a juvenile court, putting a child into the care of a local authority care proceedingscare proceedings /�keə prə | �si�dŋz/ plural noun legal action to put a child into the care of someone caretakercaretaker /�keətekə/ adjective temporarily responsible for a job or activity

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33 caste caretaker governmentcaretaker government /�keətekə ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun a government that is in power temporar- ily until an election is held CARICOMCARICOM /�k�rikɒm/ abbreviation Caribbean Community and Common Market carousel retaliationcarousel retaliation /�k�rə |�sel r | �t�lieʃ(ə)n/ noun in a trade dispute, especially between the United States and the European Union, the imposi- tion of high import tariffs on a list of imports that is changed regularly to widen the effect carpetbaggercarpetbagger /�kɑ�pt |�b��ə/ noun US a person from one part of a coun- try who goes to another part of that country where he or she is unknown to try to get elected (informal) carpetbaggingcarpetbagging /�kɑ�rpət|�b��ŋ/ noun US the activity of a person going from one part of a country to another part where he or she is unknown to try to get elected (informal) carrycarry /�k�ri/ verb 1. to take some- thing from one place to another � car- rying offensive weapons the offence of holding a weapon or something such as a bottle which could be used as a weapon 2. to vote to approve a pro- posal � the motion was carried a for- mal suggestion to do something was agreed when the majority of people voting supported it 3. to keep the sup- port of someone � the government carried the day the government won the vote � he was not able to carry his supporters with him his support- ers voted against him 4. (of a crime) to be punished with a particular form of punishment � The offence carries a maximum sentence of two years’ im- prisonment. 5. to publish or broadcast news � The newspapers and television bulletins carried the story for a week. 6. to display information � All ciga- rette packets and adverts carry a gov- ernment health warning, 7. to have something as a quality � The policy carries the risk that older people will feel it doesn’t meet their needs. 8. to accept responsibility for something � The school must carry part of the

blame for the accident. 9. US to win an election in a particular place � The Democrats are expected to carry the state again. � to carry conviction to be considered certain or true � His as- surances do not carry conviction. carry forwardcarry forward /�k�ri �fɔ�wəd/ verb to continue to make progress with something � carrying forward policies to support families carry outcarry out /�k�ri �aυt/ verb to do a job, or obey an order � The police car- ried out the raid with great speed. � The agent was only carrying out or- ders. carry throughcarry through /�k�ri θru�/ verb to do something that it was planned to do � The government carried through re- forms to the House of Lords. carte blanchecarte blanche /�kɑ�t �blɑ�ntʃ/ French phrase meaning ‘white card’: permission given by someone to an- other person, allowing him or her to act in any way necessary to achieve something � He has carte blanche to act on behalf of the government or The government has given him carte blanche to act on its behalf. cartelcartel /kɑ� |�tel/ noun an alliance among parties or groups having com- mon aims � the oil cartel cartelisecartelise /kɑ� |�telaz/ verb to form a cartel of business companies or politi- cal groups casecase /kes/ noun 1. a question to be investigated by the police or to be de- cided in a law court 2. the arguments or facts put forward by one side in a debate or law court � The proposer of the motion put forward a very strong case for repealing the statute. � The government’s case is particularly weak. � There is a strong case against the accused. case lawcase law /�kes lɔ�/ noun law as es- tablished by the decisions of courts in earlier cases castcast /kɑ�st/ verb � to cast a vote to vote � Fewer than 50% of the popula- tion bothered to cast their votes. castecaste /kɑ�st/ noun one of the hered- itary divisions in a Hindu society

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casting vote 34 where social classes were formerly strictly divided casting vote

casting vote /�kɑ�stŋ �vəυt/ noun a vote used by the chairman in a case where the votes for and against a pro- posal are equal � The chairman has a casting vote. � He used his casting vote to block the motion. casual vacancy

casual vacancy /�k��uəl �vekənsi/ noun a position on a com- mittee which is empty and needs to be filled temporarily until the next full committee elections take place casus belli

casus belli /�kɑ�zəs �beli�/ Latin phrase meaning ‘case for war’: a rea- son which is used to explain why a country has gone to war catch

catch /k�tʃ/ verb � to catch the Speaker’s eye (of an MP) to stand up to show the Speaker a wish to speak in a debate caucus

caucus /�kɔ�kəs/ noun 1. a group of people in a political party, or a politi- cal assembly who meet to influence policy or choose a candidate 2. US a meeting of powerful members of a po- litical party particularly in the US Congress (NOTE: The plural is cau- cuses.) caudillo

caudillo noun (in Spanish-speak- ing countries) a military or political leader cause list

cause list /�kɔ�z lst/ noun a list of cases which are to be heard by a court CBI

CBI /)/ abbreviation Confederation of British Industry Cd

Cd abbreviation command (paper) CD

CD /�si�|�di�/ abbreviation Corps Diplomatique ceasefire

ceasefire /�si�sfaə/ noun an agree- ment by two sides in a war to stop fighting for a time � A ceasefire is due to come into effect. � Both sides have observed the ceasefire. cede

cede /si�d/ verb to pass possession of territory from one country to another � The Philippines were ceded to the USA by Spain in 1898. � cession CEHR

CEHR abbreviation Commission for Equality and Human Rights

cell

cell /sel/ noun a small group of peo- ple who work closely or secretly to- gether within a larger organisation, es- pecially a political organisation censor

censor /�sensə/ noun 1. in some countries, an official whose job is to say whether books, films or television programmes are acceptable and can be published or shown to the public � The film was cut or was banned or was passed by the censor. 2. in some coun- tries, an official whose duty is to pre- vent the publishing of secret informa- tion or of information which may be harmful to the government � All press reports have to be passed by the cen- sor. � verb to perform the work of cen- sors � All press reports are censored by the government. � The news of the riots was censored. � The TV report has been censored and only parts of it can be shown. censorship

censorship /�sensəʃp/ noun the act of censoring published or broad- cast material � TV reporters com- plained of government censorship. � The government has imposed strict press censorship or censorship of the press. (NOTE: no plural) censure

censure /�senʃə/ noun strong criti- cism � motion of censure, censure motion a proposal from the Opposi- tion to pass a vote to criticise the gov- ernment � verb to criticise someone strongly � The Opposition put forward a motion to censure the Government. � The Borough Architect was censured for failing to consult the engineers. central bank

central bank /�sentrəl �b�ŋk/ noun the main government-controlled bank in a country, which sets interest rates and issues currency and tries to con- trol the foreign exchange rate Central Committee

Central Committee /�sentrəl kə | �mti/ noun in a Communist party, the group responsible for party policy central government

central government /�sentrəl ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun the system of administration which operates nation- ally and deals with matters affecting the whole country, as opposed to local or regional government, which deal

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35 CGS with matters which concern only some parts of the country Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency /�sentrəl n |�teld�(ə)ns �ed�(ə)nsi/ noun US the main government intelli- gence office in the USA. Abbr CIA (NOTE: The equivalent UK organisa- tions are MI5 and MI6.) centralisationcentralisation /sentrəla | �zeʃ(ə)n/, centralization noun a po- litical movement which aims to move towards a situation by which as many government activities as possible take place in one place rather than in many places centralisecentralise /�sentrəlaz/, centralize verb to try to achieve control of some- thing from one point rather than many points � The gathering of all personal records has been centralised in the headquarters of the Department of Health. centralismcentralism /�sentrəlz(ə)m/ noun a political system where decisions are taken by a central group of people centrecentre /�sentə/ noun 1. the position occupied by parties or people in the middle of the range of political ideas � The Liberal Democrats in the UK are often thought to be in the centre. (NOTE: The US spelling is center.) � left of centre tending towards social- ism � right of centre tending towards conservatism � a left-of-centre politi- cal group � The Cabinet was formed mainly of right-of-centre supporters of the Prime Minister. 2. an important town � an industrial centre � the cen- tre for the shoe industry (NOTE: The US spelling is center.) 3. an office (NOTE: The US spelling is center.) � 1. a place where people can go for in- formation or advice 2. a building used for a particular activity � a sports cen- tre � an out-of-town shopping centre � a conference centre

COMMENT: The division of political par- ties and political ideas into left, right and centre dates from the French Revolution when deputies in the Na- tional Assembly sat on the left or right of the chamber according to their views. It was easiest to apply these la- bels when socialist (left) parties faced

conservative (right) parties in the mid- dle years of the twentieth century. Some commentators say the old divi- sions of left and right are less and less relevant in the modern world, but they continue to be used.

CentrelinkCentrelink /�sentəlŋk/ noun an Australian government agency that of- fers to the public services such as ad- vice on finding employment and eligi- bility for social security payments centrismcentrism /�sentrz(ə)m/ noun sup- port for moderate political or other views centristcentrist /�sentrst/ adjective refer- ring to the centre in politics � The group advocates a return to centrist politics. � noun a person who is in fa- vour of the centre in politics ceremonialceremonial /�ser |�məυniəl/ adjec- tive referring to a ceremony � ceremo- nial robes � a ceremonial procession. � noun official ceremonies � The book lays out the rules for court ceremoni- al. � There is a lot of historic ceremo- nial attached to the job of Lord Mayor. ceremonyceremony /�serməni/ noun an offi- cial occasion, e.g. the State Opening of Parliament � The mayor presided at the ceremony to open the new council offices. � Special police were present at ceremonies to mark the National Day. certificatedcertificated /sə |�tfketd/ adjec- tive given official permission or ap- proval certificated bankruptcertificated bankrupt /sə| �tfketd �b�ŋkr�pt/ noun some- one who owed money and who has been given an official document to show that he or she is no longer bank- rupt cessioncession /�seʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of giving possession of a piece of land by one country to another � the cession of the Philippines to the USA in 1898 CGCG /�si� �d�i�/ abbreviation Consul General CGBR

CGBR abbreviation Central Govern- ment Borrowing Requirement CGSCGS abbreviation Chief of General Staff

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CGT 36 CGTCGT abbreviation capital gains tax chadchad /tʃ�d/ noun a piece removed from a ballot paper in order to register a vote for a candidate chairchair /tʃeə/ noun the position of the person who is in charge of a meeting � to be in the chair � He was voted into the chair. � She is Chair of the Finance Committee. � This can be done by the Chair’s action and confirmed later. (NOTE: The word chair is now often used instead of chairman or chair- woman, as it avoids making an un- necessary distinction between men and women.) � verb to be in charge of a meeting � The meeting was chaired by Mrs Smith. chairmanchairman /�tʃeəmən/ noun 1. a per- son who is in charge of a meeting � Mr Howard was chairman or acted as chairman. 2. a person who is in charge of the board meetings of a company � the chairman of the board or the com- pany chairman Chairman of Ways and MeansChairman of Ways and Means /�tʃeəmən əv �wez ən �mi�nz/ noun the person elected at the beginning of Parliament to be in charge of the Com- mittee of the Whole House, who also acts as Deputy Speaker (NOTE: The ti- tle comes from a former committee of the House of Commons that used to consider the ’ways and means’ that Government would use to raise revenue.) chairmanshipchairmanship /�tʃeəmənʃp/ noun the position of being in charge of a meeting � the committee met under the chairmanship of Mr Jones Mr Jones chaired the meeting of the com- mittee chairpersonchairperson /�tʃeəp#�s(ə)n/ noun the person who is in charge of a meet- ing chairwomanchairwoman /�tʃeəwυmən/ noun a woman who is in charge of a meeting challengechallenge /�tʃ�lnd�/ noun a state- ment or action questioning a decision or criticising a person � verb 1. to question the truth of something or refuse to accept that something is true � The Leader of the Opposition chal-

lenged the government’s unemploy- ment statistics. 2. to object to or refuse to accept something such as evidence � to challenge a sentence passed by magistrates by appeal to the Crown Court 3. to ask someone to do some- thing difficult, which he or she may not be able to do � She challenged the Prime Minister to a debate on televi- sion. chamber

chamber /�tʃembə/ noun 1. a room where a committee or legislature meets � The meeting will be held in the council chamber. 2. a part of a parlia- ment where a group of representatives meet, or the representatives meeting there. In many parliaments there is a lower chamber and an upper chamber. � The British Parliament is formed of two chambers – the House of Com- mons and the House of Lords. Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce /�tʃembər əv �kɒm#�s/ noun 1. a group of local businessmen who meet to discuss problems which they have in common, and to support business in the town 2. an official organisation representing a country’s business in- terests in another country � the Span- ish Chamber of Commerce in Britain � the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain Chamber of Deputies

Chamber of Deputies /�tʃembə əv �depjυtiz/ noun the lower section of the legislature in many countries, including Argentina, Bolivia, Bel- gium, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominican Re- public, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Paraguay, Spain Chamber of Representatives

Chamber of Representatives /�tʃembə əv �repr |�zentətvz/ noun the legislature in Morocco champagne socialist

champagne socialist /�ʃ�mpen �səυʃəlst/ noun someone who is rich but holds socialist principles Chanc.

Chanc. abbreviation 1. chancellor 2. chancery chancellery

chancellery /�tʃɑ�ns(ə)ləri/ noun 1. the position of chancellor 2. an of- fice attached to an embassy

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37 Chartism Chancellor

Chancellor /�tʃɑ�ns(ə)lə/ noun same as Chancellor of the Excheq- uer � same as Lord Chancellor � noun 1. the head of the government in Austria or Germany 2. the main secre- tary of an embassy Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster /�tʃɑ�nsələ əv ði� �d�tʃi/ noun a title given to a member of the British government with no specific responsibilities attached to it Chancellor of the Exchequer

Chancellor of the Exchequer /�tʃɑ�nsələr əv ði� ks |�tʃekə/ noun the leading finance minister in the British government chancery

chancery /�tʃɑ�nsəri/ noun an of- fice attached to an embassy or consu- late, especially the political section (NOTE: The US term is chancellery.) change of use

change of use /�tʃend� əv �ju�s/ noun an order allowing a property to be used in a different way, e.g. allow- ing a shop to be used as a factory channel

channel /�tʃ�n(ə)l/ noun a way in which information or goods are passed from one place to another. � usual channels � to go through the official channels to deal with govern- ment officials, especially when mak- ing a request � to open up new chan- nels of communication to find new ways of communicating with some- one chaplain

chaplain /�tʃ�pln/ noun a priest employed by someone or attached to a group (NOTE: The Speaker’s Chap- lain says prayers at the beginning of each day’s business in the House of Commons.) charge

charge /tʃɑ�d�/ noun 1. the cost which must be paid for something � a policy of opening museums to the pub- lic free of charge � congestion charge 2. an accusation made by the police in a criminal case 3. a serious claim that someone has done some- thing wrong � The statement led to charges of racism. � The MP reacted angrily to the charge that she had not pursued the complaints vigorously enough.

chargeablechargeable /�tʃɑ�d�əb(ə)l/ adjec- tive something for which payment may be asked charge-capcharge-cap /tʃɑ�d� k�p/ verb to limit the amount of local tax that local authorities in the United Kingdom are allowed to ask people to pay chargé d’affaireschargé d’affaires /�ʃɑ��e d� |�feə/ noun 1. a diplomat ranking immedi- ately below an ambassador 2. a diplo- mat who is in charge of a minor diplo- matic mission charismacharisma /kə |�rzmə/ noun the spe- cial quality of some public persons, showing charm or strength of charac- ter or attraction, that wins them public support charismaticcharismatic /�k�rz|�m�tk/ adjec- tive showing the special quality which makes a leader popular � The old lead- er has been replaced by a charismatic young politician from the north of the country. charter

charter /�tʃɑ�tə/ noun 1. a document from the head of state establishing a borough or a corporation or a univer- sity or a company, and giving it spe- cial rights 2. an official document con- taining a list of rights (NOTE: The Eu- ropean Union has issued a Charter of Workers Rights) 3. a law that ap- pears to allow or encourage something bad (informal) � New restrictions on waste disposal have been labelled as a fly-tipper’s charter and bureaucracy gone mad. � verb to hire for a special purpose � to charter a plane or a boat or a bus Charter of RightsCharter of Rights /�tʃɑ�tər əv �rats/ noun the section of the Canadi- an Constitution which states the rights of people who have Canadian citizen- ship ChartismChartism /�tʃɑ�tz(ə)m/ noun the beliefs of a movement advocating po- litical and social reform in England between 1838 and 1848. Among its aims were: improvements in the edu- cation and living conditions of the working classes, payment for Mem- bers of Parliament, the right to vote for adult males, electoral districts of equal

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chauvinism 38 size and influence, and voting by bal- lot. chauvinismchauvinism /�ʃəυvnz(ə)m/ noun an excessive feeling of pride in one’s country or gender (used as criticism) � The President was accused of male chauvinism chauvinistchauvinist /�ʃəυvnst/ noun a per- son who is excessively proud of his or her country or gender. Compare patri- ot checkcheck /tʃek/ noun to examine care- fully checkingchecking /�tʃekŋ/ noun a careful examination � The inspectors found some defects during their checking of the building. CheneyCheney /�tʃeni/, Dick (b. 1941) vice president of the United States (2001–) ChequersChequers /�tʃekəz/ noun the offi- cial country house of the British Prime Minister chiefchief /tʃi�f/ noun a traditional tribal leader Chief ConstableChief Constable /�tʃi�f �k�nstəb(ə)l/ noun the person in charge of a regional police force chief executivechief executive /�tʃi�f � |�zekjυtv/ noun the president of the United States Chief ExecutiveChief Executive /�tʃi�f � | �zekjυtv/ noun the highest-ranking permanent official of an executive body, e.g. the head of a government, the governor of a US state, or the head of a local authority Chief JusticeChief Justice /�tʃi�f �d��sts/ noun US the senior judge in a court Chief MinisterChief Minister /�tʃi�f �mnstə/ noun the head of government in a fed- eral region such as an Indian state Chief OfficerChief Officer /�tʃi�f �ɒfsə/ noun a person who is head of a department in a local authority, responsible to the Chief Executive

COMMENT: A local authority will have several Chief Officers: Chief Educa- tion Officer, Chief Housing Officer, Chief Planning Officer, and so on, all of whom are responsible to the Chief Executive. In some authorities they

are called Director: Director of Educa- tion, Director of Finance, etc.

Chief Secretary to the TreasuryChief Secretary to the Treas- ury /�tʃi�f �sekrətri tə θə �tre�(ə)ri/ noun a British government minister, working under the Chancellor of the Exchequer, dealing especially with fi- nancial planning Chief WhipChief Whip /�tʃi�f �wp/ noun the main whip of a party, whose job it is to make sure that MPs of that party vote according to the party’s policy � The Government Chief Whip made sure the MPs were all present for the vote. � Government Chief Whip (NOTE: Traditionally, Chief Whips do not speak in debates.) Chiltern HundredsChiltern Hundreds /�tʃltən �h�ndrədz/ noun a former administra- tive division of the country west of London, in Buckinghamshire � to ap- ply for the Chiltern Hundreds to ap- ply to resign from Parliament (informal)

COMMENT: As MPs are not allowed to resign from Parliament, the only way in which they can do so is to apply for a paid office or office of profit under the crown, such as this one or the Stewardship of the Manor of North- stead.

ChiracChirac /ʃi|�r�k/, Jacques (b. 1932) prime minister (1974–76, 1986–88) and then president of France (1995– 2002, 2002–) Christian Democrat

Christian Democrat /�krstʃən �deməkr�t/ noun in several European countries, a member of a moderate conservative political party ChurchillChurchill /�tʃ#�tʃl/, Sir Winston (1874–1965) prime minister (1940– 45, 1951–55) of Britain during World War II. He wrote The Second World War (1948–53) and won the Nobel Prize in literature (1953). churchillianchurchillian /tʃ#�|�tʃliən/ adjective a form of strong political leadership or a style of inspiring public speaking similar to that of Winston Churchill who was UK Prime Minister during the Second World War CIACIA /�si� �ai �e/ abbreviation Central Intelligence Agency

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39 civilian circularcircular /�s#�kjυlə/ noun a leaflet or letter sent to many people circularisecircularise /�s#�kjυləraz/, circu- larize verb to send a circular to many people at the same time � The commit- tee has agreed to circularise the infor- mation in advance. circulatecirculate /�s#�kjυlet/ verb to send something to a number of people � They circulated the proposals in a let- ter signed by the chairwoman circulationcirculation /�s#�kjυ |�leʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. movement around something � The company is trying to improve the cir- culation of information between de- partments. 2. the passing of money from one person to another 3. (of newspapers) the number of copies sold circumstancescircumstances /�s#�kəmstənsz/ plural noun the situation as it is when something happens � The Home Sec- retary described the circumstances leading to the riot in the prison. CISCIS /�si� a �es/ abbreviation Com- monwealth of Independent States citationcitation /sa |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a quotation from a text 2. an official re- quest asking someone to appear in court (NOTE: used mainly in the Scot- tish and US courts) 3. a reference to a legal case or authority or precedent 4. the words used in giving someone an honour, explaining why it is being giv- en citation clausecitation clause /sa |�teʃ(ə)n klɔ�z/ noun the section in a Bill which gives the short title by which it should be known when it becomes an Act citecite /sat/ verb to refer to something as an example � The letter cited sever- al previous cases of failure to act. citizencitizen /�stz(ə)n/ noun 1. a person who lives in a city or a particular place � the citizens of Manchester 2. a per- son who has the legal right to live in a particular country � He is a French cit- izen by birth. Citizens’ Advice BureauCitizens’ Advice Bureau /�stzənz əd|�vas �bjυərəυ/ noun an office where people can go to get free advice on legal problems. Abbr CAB

(NOTE: The plural is Citizen’s’ Ad- vice Bureaux.) citizen’s arrestcitizen’s arrest /�stz(ə)nz ə|�rest/ noun the arrest of a suspected criminal by an ordinary citizen, not a police- man Citizens’ CharterCitizens’ Charter /�stzənz �tʃɑ�tə/ noun a document which states what rights a citizen has citizenshipcitizenship /�stz(ə)nʃp/ noun 1. the legal status of being a citizen of a country, entitled to its protection and to political rights � She has applied for British citizenship. 2. the way people take part in the life of their community as they discuss their rights and carry out their responsibilities (NOTE: In the UK, citizenship is now a part of the curriculum in schools.) citycity /�sti/ noun a large town civiccivic /�svk/ adjective referring to a city or the official business of running a city � civic dignitaries the mayor and other senior officials of a city or town � civic reception an official re- ception for someone, organised by the mayor and council of a city civic centrecivic centre /�svk �sentə/ noun the building in a town or city where its local government is based civilcivil /�sv(ə)l/ adjective referring to the rights and duties of citizens Civil and Public Services AssociationCivil and Public Services As- sociation /�sv(ə)l ən �p�blk �s#�vsz ə|�səυsi |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun a trade union representing civil serv- ants. It was merged with the Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union in 1996 to become (PCS). Abbr CPSA civil defencecivil defence /�sv(ə)l d|�fens/ noun the procedure for protecting the population during a war or emergency civil disobediencecivil disobedience /�sv(ə)l dsə| �bi�diəns/ noun the activity of break- ing the law as an act of protest � The group planned a campaign of civil dis- obedience as a protest against restric- tions on immigrants. Civil GuardCivil Guard /�sv(ə)l �ɑ�d/ noun one of the police forces in Spain civiliancivilian /sə|�vliən/ adjective refer- ring to an ordinary citizen, who is not

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civilisation 40 a member of the armed forces � Civil- ian rule was restored after several years of military dictatorship. � The military leaders called general elec- tions and gave way to a democratical- ly elected civilian government. � noun an ordinary citizen who is not a mem- ber of the armed forces � The head of the military junta has appointed sev- eral civilians to the Cabinet. civilisation

civilisation /�svla |�zeʃ(ə)n/, civi- lization noun a social system with a developed culture and organisation civil law

civil law /�sv(ə)l �lɔ�/ noun the laws relating to people’s rights and the agreements made between individu- als. Compare criminal law civil liberties

civil liberties /�sv(ə)l �lbətiz/ plu- ral noun the freedom for people to work or write or speak as they want, providing they keep within the law Civil List

Civil List /�sv(ə)l �lst/ noun the an- nual sum of money for carrying out official duties, given by Parliament to the Queen and some senior members of the Royal Family civil marriage

civil marriage /�sv(ə)l �m�rd�/ noun a legal marriage without a reli- gious ceremony civil rights

civil rights /�sv(ə)l �rats/ plural noun the rights of each individual ac- cording to the law civil servant

civil servant /�sv(ə)l �s#�vənt/ noun a person who works in the gov- ernment departments which adminis- ter a country (NOTE: In Britain civil servants have generally been said to be politically neutral, anonymous, and permanently employed. In USA a large part of the civil service changes with a change in the admin- istration.) civil service

civil service /�sv(ə)l �s#�vs/ noun the government departments which administer a country � He has a job in the civil service. � You have to pass an examination to get a job in the civil service or to get a civil service job. (NOTE: Members of the armed forc- es, magistrates and judges are not part of the British civil service.)

COMMENT: In a liberal democracy, the politicians are elected but the profes- sional administrators or civil servants are not. The civil servants are respon- sible to the politicians, who in turn are responsible to the people.

civil strifecivil strife /�sv(ə)l �straf/ noun trouble when groups of civilians fight each other civil warcivil war /�sv(ə)l �wɔ�/ noun a situ- ation inside a country where groups of armed people fight against each other or fight against the government claimclaim /klem/ noun 1. a legal right which someone believes they have to own something � an historic claim to the territory 2. a right to something because of something you have done � a valid claim to be the oldest parlia- ment in the world 3. a statement that something has happened or is true � The police deny the claim of assault. claimant

claimant /�klemənt/ noun a person who claims money, especially state benefits � Benefit claimants will be paid late because of the bank holiday. � The government will consider the position of claimants of backdated pensions. clarificationclarification /�kl�rf |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun making something clear or easy to understand � The wording of the clause is ambiguous and needs clarifi- cation. ClarkClark /kl#�k/, Helen Elizabeth (b. 1950) the prime minister of New Zea- land (1999–) classclass /klɑ�s/ noun 1. a group of things or animals which are similar in some way 2. a social group � Society is traditionally said to be divided into upper class, middle class, and work- ing class. � verb to put into groups of similar things � The inspectors classed the food as unfit for sale. � The magazine was classed as an obscene publication.

COMMENT: In the UK the population is classified into social classes for statis- tical purposes. These are: Class A: higher managers, administrators and professionals; Class B: intermediate managers, administrators and profes- sionals; Class C1: supervisors, cleri-

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41 client country cal workers and junior managers; Class C2: skilled manual workers; Class D: semi-skilled or unskilled manual workers; Class E: pension- ers, casual workers, long-term unem- ployed.

class actionclass action /�klɑ�s ��kʃən/, class suit /�klɑ�s �su�t/ noun US a legal ac- tion brought on behalf of a group of people class alignmentclass alignment /�klɑ�s ə | �lanmənt/ noun the connection be- tween a class of people and a particu- lar political party (NOTE: In Great Brit- ain, the class alignment between the Labour Party and the working class is in decline as is the class alignment between the Conservative Party and the middle class.) class-consciousclass-conscious /�klɑ�s �kɒnʃəs/ adjective aware of differences of so- cial class class dealignmentclass dealignment /�klɑ�s �diə | �lanmənt/ noun the way in which in recent years social class has indicated less clearly how people will vote classificationclassification /�kl�sf|�keʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a way of putting things into classes 2. the process of making infor- mation secret classified informationclassified information /�kl�sfad �nfə |�meʃ(ə)n/ noun in- formation which is secret and can be told only to specific people classifyclassify /�kl�sfa/ verb 1. to put into groups of similar things 2. to make information secret classlessclassless /�klɑ�sləs/ adjective a so- ciety which has no class divisions � Over the last twenty years the country has moved towards a classless society. class struggleclass struggle /�klɑ�s �str��(ə)l/ noun the Marxist concept of the ruling and working classes competing to achieve political and economic power class warclass war /�klɑ�s �wɔ�/, class strife noun confrontation between different social classes clauseclause /klɔ�z/ noun 1. a section of a contract or of the constitution of a country or political party � There are ten clauses in the contract. 2. a part of a Bill being considered by Parliament,

which becomes a section of an Act � According to clause six, some catego- ries of business will be exempted from tax. Clause IVClause IV /�klɔ�z �fɔ��/ noun a part in the constitution of the British La- bour Party which before 1995 com- mitted the party to support nationali- sation, and which after 1995 commit- ted the party to a broader series of aims, but which included no support for nationalisation (NOTE: Tony Blair’s first major step as leader of the La- bour Party was to change Clause IV, which had first been adopted by the party in 1918. The reform of Clause IV marked an important stage in the development of what is called ’New Labour’.) claw backclaw back /�klɔ� �b�k/ verb to take back money which has been allocated � Income tax claws back 25% of pen- sions paid out by the government. clawbackclawback /�klɔ�b�k/ noun money taken back clean billclean bill /�kli�n bl/ noun US a bill made up of the original text, with amendments made during Committee, which is presented to the House of Representatives or Senate again as one whole new bill, so as to avoid having to discuss each amendment separately clerkclerk /klɑ�k/ noun an official who keeps records of a legislative or ad- ministrative body � accounts clerk � sales clerk � wages clerk clerk assistantclerk assistant /�klɑ�k ə |�sst(ə)nt/ noun the assistant to the Clerk of the House in the House of Commons Clerk of the HouseClerk of the House /�klɑ�k əv ðə �haυz/ noun 1. US the head of the ad- ministrative staff which runs the House of Representatives 2. the head of the administrative staff which runs the House of Commons and advises the Speaker on points of procedure Clerk of the ParliamentsClerk of the Parliaments /�klɑ�k əv ðə �pɑ�ləmənts/ noun the head of the administrative staff in the House of Lords client countryclient country /�klaənt �k�ntri/, client state /�klaənt stet/ noun a

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client state 42 country which depends on another country for such things as defence and trade client state

client state /�klaənt stet/ noun a country that depends on another for economic, political or military support ClintonClinton /�klntən/, Bill (b. 1946) 42nd president of the United States (1993–2001). Before his election to the White House he was Democratic governor of Arkansas (1978–80, 1982–92). In 1999 he was impeached and acquitted by the US Senate for perjury and obstruction of justice. CllrCllr abbreviation Councillor closeclose /kləυz/ noun the end � At the close of the debate, the government’s majority was only six. closed

closed /kləυzd/ adjective 1. shut or not open or not doing business � The office is closed on Mondays. � All the banks are closed on the National Day. 2. restricted to a few people closed ruleclosed rule /�kləυzd �ru�l/ noun the rule which limits the time available for the discussion of a bill. Also called gag rule closed sessionclosed session /�kləυzd �seʃ(ə)n/ noun a meeting which is not open to the public or to journalists � The town council met in closed session to dis- cuss staff problems in the Education Department. � The public gallery was cleared when the meeting went into closed session. close-runclose-run /�kləυs �r�n/ adjective winning by only a few points more than an opponent � A close-run elec- tion is expected. closing speechesclosing speeches /�kləυsŋ �spi�tʃəz/ plural noun the final speeches for and against a motion in a debate closureclosure /�kləυ�ə/ noun 1. the act of closing 2. (in the House of Com- mons) the ending of the debate closure motion

closure motion /�kləo�ə �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun a proposal to end a debate

COMMENT: When wishing to end the debate on a motion, an MP says ‘I

move that the question be now put’ and the Speaker immediately puts the motion to the vote.

cloture

cloture /kləυ |�tjυə/ noun US a mo- tion to end a filibuster in the Senate, and thus prevent a measure being de- feated, requiring a three-fifths majori- ty to pass CMEA

CMEA abbreviation Council for Mu- tual Economic Assistance Cmnd

Cmnd abbreviation Command Pa- pers CND

CND abbreviation Campaign for Nu- clear Disarmament CO

CO abbreviation Commonwealth Of- fice coalition

coalition /�kəυə |�lʃ(ə)n/ noun a group of two or more political parties who come together to form a govern- ment, when no single party has an ab- solute majority � The coalition gov- ernment fell when one of the parties withdrew support.

‘…the question of a coalition has arisen because all three parties are within seven points of each other in the polls and the chances are high that the next election will not give any party a majority’ [Toronto Globe & Mail] ‘England does not love coalitions’ [Benjamin Disraeli]

Coalition

Coalition /�kəυə|�lʃ(ə)n/ noun in Australia, a long-standing political co- alition between the Liberal Party and the National Party coalition government

coalition government /�kəυə | �lʃ(ə)n ���v(ə)nmənt/ a government in which no party has complete con- trol and two or more parties agree to govern together (NOTE: During World War II, all three major parties in the United Kingdom, Conservative, La- bour and Liberal, formed a govern- ment together.) code

code /kəυd/ noun 1. an official set of laws or regulations 2. a set of laws of a country 3. a set of semi-official rules 4. a system of signs, numbers or let- ters which mean something � a mes- sage in code � verb to write something using secret symbols or signs � coded instructions

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43 collegial Code Napoleon

Code Napoleon /�kəυd nə | �pəυliən/ noun the civil laws of France introduced by Napoleon code of conduct

code of conduct /�kəυd əv �kɒnd�kt/ noun the unwritten rules by which a particular group of people are expected to behave Code of Conduct for Ministers

Code of Conduct for Ministers /�kəυd əv �kɒnd�kt fə �mnstəz/ noun a document authorised by the Prime Minister and first made public in 1992 in which the powers and re- sponsibilities of government ministers are defined code of practice

code of practice /�kəυd əv �pr�kts/ noun the set of rules by which the members of a profession agree to work codification

codification /�kəυdf|�keʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the act of putting all laws to- gether into a single document 2. the act of bringing together of all statutes and case law relating to an issue, to make a single Act of Parliament. � consolidation codify

codify /�kəυdfa/ verb to write and set out things such as laws or rules in an organised way coding

coding /�kəυdŋ/ noun the act of putting a system of signs, numbers or letters on something � the coding of invoices cohabitation

cohabitation /kəυ |�h�b |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun the situation where different po- litical parties are in power in different branches of government. In France, the President and Parliament are elect- ed for different periods of time and so may represent different parties. cold war

cold war /�kəυld �wɔ�/ noun the hostile relations between the former Soviet Union and the United States, and their respective allies, from around 1946 to 1989 collaborate

collaborate /kə|�l�bəret/ verb 1. to work together � We are collaborating with a French firm on building a bridge. � They collaborated on the new aircraft. 2. to work together with an enemy who is occupying your country

collaborationcollaboration /kə |�l�bə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. working together � Their col- laboration on the development of the computer system was very profitable. 2. the act of helping an enemy collaboratorcollaborator /kə |�l�bəretə/ noun 1. a person who works with another � The head of the research department thanked all her collaborators for their help. 2. a person who works with an enemy who is occupying his or her country � After the war, several people were executed as collaborators. collectivecollective /kə|�lektv/ noun a busi- ness such as a farm or factory under state control which is run by the peo- ple who work in it collective leadershipcollective leadership /kə |�lektv �li�dəʃp/ noun a system of govern- ment where several leaders rule the country together, making decisions as a group, without one being in total charge collective responsibilitycollective responsibility /kə| �lektv r|�spɒns|�blti/ noun the principle that all members of a group are responsible together for the ac- tions of the group (NOTE: In the UK the Cabinet and all ministers are said to be governed by the principle of collective responsibility) collective securitycollective security /kə |�lektv s| �kjυərti/ noun a system by which a number of states agree to protect each other from attack � The United Na- tions was set up after the Second World War to create the conditions of collective security which the League of Nations had failed in the period be- fore the war to establish. collectivismcollectivism /kə |�lektvz(ə)m/ noun a political and economic theory based on the desire to protect individ- uals from exploitation by creating a belief in the value of community ac- tion collectivitycollectivity /�kɒlek |�tvti/ a com- munity � noun a group of people collegialcollegial /kə |�li�d�iəl/ adjective re- lating to control or government based on a number of people working to- gether as a team, rather than by a sin-

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collegiate 44 gle person � John Major’s style of government was far more collegial than that of his predecessor. collegiatecollegiate /kə |�li�d�iət/ adjective sharing responsibilities as a group � collegiate decisions decisions taken by a group of people collectively colloquiumcolloquium /kə|�ləυkwiəm/ noun a meeting for discussion collusive actioncollusive action /kə |�lu�sv ��kʃən/ noun action taken in secret agreement with another person, which is often dishonest or open to criticism colonialcolonial /kə |�ləυniəl/ adjective refer- ring to countries ruled over or settled by other countries � Granting of inde- pendence ended a period of a hundred years of colonial rule. � The colonial government was overthrown by a coup led by the local police force. � coloni- al powers countries which rule colo- nies � noun a person living in a colony or a person who was born in a colony colonial dependencycolonial dependency /kə|�ləυniəl d |�pendənsi/ noun a country ruled by another country colonialismcolonialism /kə|�ləυniəlz(ə)m/ noun the theory or practice of estab- lishing colonies in other lands � The meeting denounced colonialism and demanded independence. colonialistcolonialist /kə |�ləυniəlst/ adjective believing in colonialism � noun a per- son who believes in colonialism colonial statuscolonial status /kə|�ləυniəl �stetəs/ noun the legal position of be- ing a colony colonisationcolonisation /�kɒləna |�zeʃ(ə)n/, colonization noun the act of making a country into a colony colonisecolonise /�kɒlənaz/, colonize verb to take possession of an area or country and rule it as a colony � The government was accused of trying to colonise the Antarctic Region. colonistcolonist /�kɒlənst/ noun a person who goes or is sent to another country or region to settle in a colony colonycolony /�kɒləni/ noun 1. a country or area ruled and/or settled by another country � Australia was originally a

group of British colonies. � The Ro- mans established colonies in North Africa. 2. a group of people from the same foreign country, settled in a town, who form a separate social group � the Japanese colony in Van- couver � There is a large German col- ony in London. comity

comity /�kɒmti/, comity of na- tions /�kɒmti əv �neʃ(ə)nz/ noun the respect shown in one country for the laws and customs of another command

command /kə |�mɑ�nd/ noun 1. an order 2. leadership � He has or is in command of the armed forces. � verb to order someone to do something � The chairman commanded that the public gallery should be cleared. � The President commanded the Chief of Police to arrest the Members of Par- liament. � to command support to be good enough to have the support of voters � The measure commands widespread support in the House. � Can the Minister command enough support to win the vote? commander

commander /kə |�mɑ�ndə/ noun the officer in charge of a police district in London. Abbr Cmd., Cmdr, com., Com., Comdr Command Papers

Command Papers /kə |�mɑ�nd �pepəz/ plural noun papers such as White Papers or reports of Royal Commissions which are presented to Parliament by the responsible govern- ment minister, so called because they are printed ‘by Command of Her Maj- esty’ (NOTE: Command Papers are numbered Cmnd 4546, etc.) commence

commence /kə |�mens/ verb to begin � In the House of Commons, the busi- ness of the day commences with prayers. � The proceedings com- menced with the swearing-in of wit- nesses. � The committee has com- menced the examination of the Bill, clause by clause. commencement order

commencement order /kə | �mensmənt �ɔ�də/ noun an order that brings an Act or part of an act into ef- fect after the Royal Assent has been given

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45 committed commentcomment /�kɒment/ noun a remark or spoken or written opinion � The Secretary of State made a comment on the progress of negotiations. � The newspaper has some short comments about the Bill. � verb to remark or to express an opinion � The Speaker commented on the lack of respect shown by MPs. � The newspapers commented on the result of the vote. commentarycommentary /�kɒmənt(ə)ri/ noun 1. a set of notes which comment on the main points of a document 2. a book which comments on the law commentatorcommentator /�kɒməntetə/ noun a journalist who comments on current events � a report by the political com- mentator in ‘The Times’ on unrest on the Government back benches commercecommerce /�kɒm#�s/ noun busi- ness activities or the buying and sell- ing of goods and services. � Chamber of Commerce commercialcommercial /kə|�m#�ʃ(ə)l/ adjec- tive 1. referring to business 2. intend- ed to make money commercial attachécommercial attaché /kə|�m#�ʃ(ə)l ə |�t�ʃe/ noun a diplomat whose job is to encourage business between his country and the country where he works commercial lawcommercial law /kə |�m#�ʃ(ə)l �lɔ�/ noun law relating to businesses commissioncommission /kə|�mʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a group of people officially appointed to examine a problem � The govern- ment has appointed a commission of inquiry to look into the problems of prison overcrowding. � He is the chairman of the government commis- sion on football violence. 2. an official order to someone, giving him or her authority and explaining the duties � he has a commission in the armed forces he is an officer in the armed forces 3. a payment made by someone to another person who is acting as their agent � She has an agent’s com- mission of 15% of sales. commissionercommissioner /kə|�mʃ(ə)nə/ noun 1. a member of an official group which has been appointed to examine

a problem 2. a person who has a par- ticular official job. � Parliamentary Commissioner, Local Commis- sioner 3. a member of the European Commission commissioner for oathscommissioner for oaths /kə| �mʃ(ə)nə fər �əυðs/ noun a lawyer who has the job of administering oaths Commissioners of Inland RevenueCommissioners of Inland Rev- enue /kə |�mʃ(ə)nəz əv �nlənd �revənju�/ noun the Board of Inland Revenue Commission for Equality and Human RightsCommission for Equality and Human Rights /kə |�mʃ(ə)n fə | �kwɒləti ən �hju�mən �rats/ the or- ganisation to be set up in 2006 to sup- port human rights especially for mi- nority groups and women. Abbr CEHR Commission for Racial EqualityCommission for Racial Equali- ty /kə |�mʃ(ə)n fə �reʃ(ə)l  |�kwɒləti/ the organisation which works to im- prove race relations in the UK and to remove racial discrimination. Abbr CRE (NOTE: In 2006 the Commission for Racial Equality will be merged with other bodies to form the Com- mission for Equality and Human Rights.) commitcommit /kə |�mt/ verb to send a bill to a parliamentary committee to be re- viewed � He was committed for trial at the Crown Court. commitmentcommitment /kə|�mtmənt/ noun a promise or agreement to do something � We have honoured the commitments made in our manifesto. commitologycommitology /kə|�m|�ɒləd�i/ noun in the European Union, the system of appointing committees to deal with various areas of action committedcommitted /kə |�mtd/ adjective 1. holding strong political views � She is a committed socialist. 2. already promised to be used in a specific way � Half next year’s budget is already committed. � The government’s subsi- dy has been committed to repairs to the Town Hall. 3. obliged to act in a particular way � The council is com- mitted to a policy of increasing servic- es and reducing property taxes.

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committee 46 committee

committee /kə |�mti/ noun 1. an of- ficial group of people who organise or plan for a larger group � to be a mem- ber of a committee or to sit on a com- mittee � He was elected to the Finance Committee. � The new plans have to be approved by the committee mem- bers. � She is attending a committee meeting. � He is the chairman of the Planning Committee. � She is the sec- retary of the Housing Committee. � Select Committee � to chair a com- mittee to be the chairman of a com- mittee 2. Committee a section of a legislature which considers bills passed to it by the main chamber � the House went into Committee the House of Commons became a Com- mittee of the Whole House committee meeting

committee meeting /kə |�mti �mi�tŋ/ noun a meeting of the mem- bers of a committee Committee of Permanent Representatives

Committee of Permanent Rep- resentatives /kə |�mti əv �p#�mənənt �repr |�zentətvz/ noun in the European Union, the institution which prepares for meetings of the Council of Ministers and passes infor- mation between member governments and the Council of Ministers. Abbr COREPER Committee of Selection

Committee of Selection /kə |�mti əv s |�lekʃ(ə)n/ noun the committee which chooses the members of the other committees in the House of Commons Committee of the Parliamentary Commission

Committee of the Parliamenta- ry Commission /kə|�mti əv ðə �pɑ�lə|�ment(ə)ri kə|�mʃ(ə)n/ noun the committee which examines re- ports by the Ombudsman Committee of the Regions

Committee of the Regions /kə | �mti əv ðə �ri�d�ənz/ noun in the Eu- ropean Union, the body which brings together representatives of regional and local authorities from all over the Union Committee of the Whole

Committee of the Whole /kə | �mti əv ðə �həυl/ noun the committee formed of at least one hundred mem- bers of the House of Representatives in the USA, which discusses a bill

which has already been debated in a Standing Committee Committee of the Whole House

Committee of the Whole House /kə |�mti əv ðə �həυl �haυz/ noun the House of Commons acting as a committee to examine the clauses of a Bill Committee on Standards and Privileges

Committee on Standards and Privileges noun the committee of the House of Commons that makes sure that MPs follow the rules of con- duct that are designed to stop them making wrong use of the power of their position Committee on Standards in Public Life

Committee on Standards in Public Life noun a committee of the House of Commons set up to review the activities of holders of public of- fice, including paid activities outside parliament, and to recommend any changes in practice that are necessary to make sure of high standards. Also called Nolan Committee Committee Stage

Committee Stage /kə |�mti sted�/ noun one of the stages in the discus- sion of a Bill, where each clause is ex- amined in detail � The Bill is at Com- mittee Stage and will not become law for several months. common

common /�kɒmən/ adjective refer- ring to or belonging to several differ- ent people or to everyone � the com- mon good the interest of all members of society � the government is working for the common good of the people � common ownership ownership of a company or a property by a group of people who each own a part commonalty

commonalty /�kɒmə |�n�lti/ noun ordinary people considered as a polit- ical class, as compared with the upper classes commoner

commoner /�kɒmənə/ noun an or- dinary citizen, who is not a member of a noble family common law

common law /�kɒmən �lɔ�/ noun 1. law made by decisions of the courts, rather than by act of parliament 2. the general system of laws which in the past were the only laws existing in England, and which in some cases

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47 Communist have been replaced by acts of parlia- ment common-lawcommon-law /�kɒmən lɔ�/ adjec- tive according to an old system of laws � common-law marriage a situation where two people live together as hus- band and wife without being married � common-law wife a woman who is living with a man as his wife, although they have not been legally married common marketcommon market /�kɒmən �mɑ�kt/ noun an economic associa- tion of countries with the aim of re- moving or reducing trade barriers Common MarketCommon Market /�kɒmən �mɑ�kt/ noun formerly, the European Economic Community, now the Euro- pean Union commonscommons /�kɒmənz/ noun ordi- nary people as compared with the up- per classes CommonsCommons /�kɒmənz/ plural noun same as House of Commons � The Commons voted against the Bill. � The majority of the Commons are in fa- vour of law reform. � He was first elected to the Commons in 1979. � The Bill was passed after an all-night Commons sitting. CommonwealthCommonwealth /�kɒmənwelθ/ noun 1. the association of independ- ent states which were once ruled by Britain 2. a self-governing state, usu- ally with a republican system of gov- ernment (used in titles) � the Com- monwealth of Australia � the Com- monwealth of Massachusetts 3. the period between 1649 and 1660 when there was a republican government in England and Cromwell ruled as Lord Protector Commonwealth of Independent StatesCommonwealth of Independ- ent States /�kɒmənwelθ əv �nd | �pendənt stets/ noun an organisa- tion formed of the majority of the re- publics which were in the past part of the USSR. Abbr CIS Commonwealth SecretariatCommonwealth Secretariat /�kɒmənwelθ �sekrə |�teəriət/ noun an office and officials in London, organ- ising the links between the member states of the Commonwealth. The of-

fice is headed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General. communalcommunal /�kɒmjυn(ə)l, kə| �mju�n(ə)l/ adjective shared by all the members of a group or community � The offices share a communal kitchen. � Tenants have the right to use the communal gardens. commune

commune /�kɒmju�n/ noun 1. a group of people who live and work to- gether, and share their possessions 2. a small administrative area in some countries such as Switzerland or France, usually with its own mayor and council communicate

communicate /kə |�mju�nket/ verb to pass information to someone � The news was communicated to the press by the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary. � The members of the jury must not communicate with the wit- nesses. communication

communication /kə|�mju�n | �keʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the passing of in- formation � to enter into communi- cation with someone to start discuss- ing something with someone, usually in writing � We have entered into com- munication with the relevant govern- ment department. 2. an official mes- sage � We have had a communication from the local tax inspector. � plural noun communications the methods of passing information and of trans- port � good road and rail communica- tions � electronic communications systems communiqué

communiqué /kə |�mju�nke/ noun an official announcement � In a com- muniqué from the Presidential Palace, the government announced that the President would be going on a world tour. CommunismCommunism /�kɒmjυ |�nz(ə)m/ noun 1. a social system in which all property is owned and shared by soci- ety as a whole, with none belonging to individual citizens 2. the political and economic system in countries gov- erned by Communist parties Communist

Communist /�kɒmjυ |�nst/ adjec- tive practising Communism; referring

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communitarianism 48 to or belonging to a Communist party � Communist ideals were put into practice in Russia after the revolution. � noun a member or supporter of a Communist Party � Communists have three seats on the city council. communitarianismcommunitarianism /kə|�mju�n| �teəriənz(ə)m/ noun the political theory that emphasises the need for strong neighbourhoods and social in- stitutions to provide support to fami- lies and individuals communitycommunity /kə|�mju�nti/ noun 1. a group of people living or working in the same place 2. the European Com- munity, now replaced by the European Union � the Community ministers the ministers of Member States of the European Union community associationcommunity association /kə | �mju�nti ə |�səυsi|�eʃ(ə)n/ noun an organisation in which people from a local area meet socially and to discuss local matters community chargecommunity charge /kə|�mju�nti tʃɑ�d�/ noun a local tax paid by each adult person. � poll tax (NOTE: This unpopular tax introduced by the gov- ernment in 1989 was replaced in 1993 by the council tax. The intro- duction of the tax contributed to the fall of Mrs Thatcher as Prime Minis- ter.) community councilcommunity council /kə|�mju�nti �kaυnsəl/ noun a body set up to repre- sent people in a small area community homecommunity home /kə|�mju�nti həυm/ noun a house which belongs to a local authority, where children in care can be kept Community legislationCommunity legislation /kə | �mju�nti led�|�sleʃ(ə)n/ noun the laws made by the European Union (NOTE: There are two main types of European laws: directives and regu- lations) community policingcommunity policing /kə|�mju�nti pə |�li�sŋ/ noun a way in which the po- lice can work by consulting the people who live in an area and trying to be sensitive to their particular needs and concerns

community politicscommunity politics /kə |�mju�nti �pɒltks/ noun the work of politi- cians in a community who deal with individual problems at local govern- ment level and try to encourage as much local participation as possible � The party is strong in community pol- itics. community service ordercommunity service order /kə | �mju�nti �s#�vs �ɔ�də/ noun a pun- ishment which involves doing unpaid work in the local community Companies ActCompanies Act /�k�mp(ə)niz �kt/ noun an Act of the British parlia- ment which states the legal limits within which a company may do busi- ness companycompany /�k�mp(ə)ni/ noun 1. the organisation which runs a business 2. in the company of being with � He was often seen in the company of the Prime Minister. company lawcompany law /�k�mp(ə)ni �lɔ�/ noun the laws relating to the way busi- ness organisations may work compatriotcompatriot /kəm |�p�triət/ noun a person from the same country compensatorycompensatory /�kɒmpən | �set(ə)ri/ adjective providing some- body or a group with payment to help remove the pain or offence cause by some wrong action done to them competencecompetence /�kɒmpt(ə)ns/ noun being able to do a job � Candidates will be asked to show competence in handling computers. competentcompetent /�kɒmpt(ə)nt/ adjec- tive 1. able to do a job � She is a com- petent manager. 2. legally able to do something complainantcomplainant /kəm |�plenənt/ noun a person who makes a complaint or who starts a legal action against some- one compliantcompliant /kəm |�plaənt/ adjective agreeing with something � not com- pliant with not in agreement with � The settlement is not compliant with the earlier order of the court. complycomply /kəm |�pla/ verb � to comply with to obey a rule or law or do what someone asks � The government has

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49 concurrent resolution decided it will comply with the re- quirements of the European Commis- sion � She refused to comply with the social worker’s instructions. compositecomposite /�kɒmpəzt/ verb to group together similar proposals from different local branches of an organi- sation such as a political party or a trade union so that they can be consid- ered in a single discussion at a confer- ence � noun a group of similar pro- posals discussed together at a confer- ence of an organisation such as a political party or a trade union compromisecompromise /�kɒmprəmaz/ noun an agreement between two sides, where each side gives way a little in order to agree � After some discussion a compromise solution was reached. � verb 1. to reach an agreement by giv- ing way a little 2. to involve someone in something which damages his or her reputation � The minister was compromised in the bribery case.

‘…these activists are used to making compromises with their political oppo- nents’ [New Statesman]

comptrollercomptroller /kən |�trəυlə/ noun a person in charge of accounts Comptroller and Auditor-GeneralComptroller and Auditor-Gen- eral /kən |�trəυlə ən �ɔ�dtə �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the official in charge of the National Audit Office, whose duty is to examine the accounts of government departments, and to ad- vise the Public Accounts Committee compulsorycompulsory /kəm |�p�lsəri/ adjec- tive forced or ordered, obligatory for everyone � National Service is com- pulsory in some countries. � In Aus- tralia, voting in general elections is compulsory. compulsory purchasecompulsory purchase /kəm | �p�lsəri �p#�tʃs/ noun the buying of a property by the local council or the government even if the owner does not want to sell compulsory purchase ordercompulsory purchase order /kəm |�p�lsəri �p#�tʃs �ɔ�də/ noun an official order from a local authority or from the government ordering an owner to sell his or her property to them. Abbr CPO

comrade

comrade /�kɒmred/ noun 1. a friend or companion 2. a fellow mem- ber of a socialist or communist party 3. the form of address to a fellow member of a socialist or communist party Con.

Con. abbreviation 1. Conservative 2. Consul concedeconcede /kən |�si�d/ verb to admit that someone is right � The Minister conceded under questioning that he had not studied the papers. � to con- cede defeat to admit that you have lost � After two recounts the sitting MP had to concede defeat. � concession concessionconcession /kən |�seʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. an agreement that someone is right, or an agreement to give something which someone wants � The government will make no concessions to terrorists. � As a concession to the Opposition, the council leader agreed to hold an emergency meeting. � The employers have made several concessions in the new wages deal. 2. an admission of defeat. � concede concession speechconcession speech /kən |�seʃ(ə)n spi�tʃ/ noun a speech made by the person who has lost an election, ad- mitting that he or she has lost conciliateconciliate /kən |�sliet/ verb to work with opposing groups to bring them to an agreement, e.g. in an industrial dis- pute conciliation

conciliation /kən |�sli |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of bringing together the parties in a dispute so that the dis- pute can be settled concord

concord /�kɒŋkɔ�d/ noun a peace treaty concordat

concordat /kən|�kɔ�d�t/ noun an agreement between the Roman Catho- lic Church and a government, which allows the Roman Catholic Church special rights concurrent

concurrent /kən |�k�rənt/ noun tak- ing place at the same time concurrent resolution

concurrent resolution /kən| �k�rənt �rezə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a motion which shows how the House of Repre- sentatives feels about a problem

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condominium 50 condominiumcondominium /�kɒndə |�mniəm/ noun 1. the rule of a colony or protect- ed territory by two or more countries together 2. US a system of ownership, where a person owns a flat in a build- ing, together with a share of the land and common parts such as the stairs or roof ConfederacyConfederacy /kən |�fed(ə)rəsi/, Confederate States noun the group of eleven Southern states which seced- ed from the Union and fought the North in the American Civil War (1861–65) confederalconfederal /kən |�fedərəl/ adjective relating to a confederation confederateconfederate /kən|�fed(ə)rət/ adjec- tive joined in common purpose ConfederateConfederate /kən|�fedərət/ adjec- tive referring to the Southern states in the American Civil War � the Confed- erate Army � the Confederate head- quarters � the Confederate States � noun a supporter of the Confederacy in the American Civil War confederationconfederation /kən |�fedə | �reʃ(ə)n/, confederacy /kən | �fed(ə)rəsi/ noun a group of inde- pendent states or organisations work- ing together for common aims � a loose confederation of states in the area (NOTE: A confederation (as in Switzerland) is a less centralised form of government than a federation (as in Canada).) Confédération HelvétiqueConfédération Helvétique noun the official French name for Switzer- land Confederation of British IndustryConfederation of British In- dustry /kən|�fedə |�reʃ(ə)n əv �brtʃ �ndəstri/ noun the organisation rep- resenting employers in the UK. Abbr CBI conferconfer /kən |�f#�/ verb 1. to give pow- er or responsibility to someone � the discretionary powers conferred on the tribunal by statute 2. to discuss � The Leader of the Council conferred with the Town Clerk. conferenceconference /�kɒnf(ə)rəns/ noun 1. a meeting of a group of people to dis- cuss something � The Police Federa-

tion is holding its annual conference this week. � The Labour Party Annual Conference was held in Brighton this year. � She presented a motion to the conference. � The conference passed a motion in favour of extending nursery education. 2. US a meeting between representatives of the Senate and House of Representatives to discuss differences of opinion over a bill confidence vote

confidence vote /�kɒnfd(ə)ns vəυt/ noun a vote to show that a per- son or group is or is not trusted � He proposed a vote of confidence in the government. � The chairman resigned after the motion of no confidence was passed at the AGM. confidential

confidential /�kɒnf |�denʃəl/ adjec- tive secret or not to be told or shown to other people � She was dismissed for sending a confidential report to the newspaper. � The letter was marked ‘Private and Confidential’. confidential report

confidential report /�kɒnfdenʃəl r|�pɔ�t/ noun a secret document which must not be shown to other than a few named persons conflict

conflict noun /�kɒnflkt/ a disagree- ment � Negotiations are taking place to try to end the conflict in the area. � verb /kən |�flkt/ not to agree � The re- port of the consultant conflicts with that of the council officers. � The UK legislation appears to conflict with the directives of the EU. conflict of interest

conflict of interest /�kɒnflkt əv �ntrəst/ noun a situation where a per- son may profit personally from deci- sions which are taken by them in an official position or may not be able to act properly because of some other person or matter with which they are connected Conflict of Laws

Conflict of Laws /�kɒnflkt əv �lɔ�z/ noun the situation when a legal case involves the laws of two or more countries and it is not clear under whose laws it should be tried conformity

conformity /kən|�fɔ�mti/ noun be- haviour which is expected by usual standards

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51 conservatism confrontationconfrontation /�kɒnfr�n |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun a meeting between two people or groups, usually in a situation where there is likely to be conflict confrontation politicsconfrontation politics /�kɒnfr�n | �teʃ(ə)n �pɒltks/ noun the form of political activity, where opposing sides always attack each other and try to reduce each other’s popular sup- port, possibly creating an atmosphere of violence. Compare consensus politics congestion charge

congestion charge /kən | �d�estʃən tʃɑ�d�/ noun a charge made for driving a vehicle into a city during the main part of the day, as an attempt to reduce traffic Congress

Congress /�kɒŋ�res/ noun 1. the elected federal legislative body in many countries, especially in the USA (formed of a lower and upper house, usually called the House of Represent- atives and the Senate) � The President is counting on a Democrat majority in Congress. � He was first elected to Congress in 1975. � At a joint session of Congress, the President called for support for his plan. 2. the unicameral legislature in Guatemala and Hondu- ras 3. a large meeting � The Trade Un- ion Congress 4. used in the name of political parties, e.g. the African Na- tional Congress in South Africa CongressionalCongressional /kən|��reʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adjective referring to Congress � a Congressional subcommittee congressional district

congressional district /kən | ��reʃ(ə)n(ə)l �dstrkt/ noun a district in a US state that can elect one repre- sentative to the House of Representa- tives Congressional RecordCongressional Record /kən | ��reʃ(ə)n(ə)l �rekɔ�d/ noun the print- ed record of the work of the House of Representatives and Senate including the speeches made there CongressmanCongressman, Congresswom- an noun a member of the US Con- gress (NOTE: When used with a name, Congressman Smith, it re- fers to a member of the House of Representatives.)

Congress of DeputiesCongress of Deputies /�kɒŋ�res əv �depjυtiz/ noun the lower house of the legislature in Spain Congress PartyCongress Party /�kɒŋ�res �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party in India conquerconquer /�kɒŋkə/ verb to defeat by force � The victorious army is en- gaged in establishing the rule of law in the areas which it has conquered. conquerorconqueror /�kɒŋkərə/ noun the per- son who defeats an enemy or leads the invasion of a country and takes pos- session of it conquestconquest /�kɒŋkwest/ noun 1. the act of defeating or taking by force 2. the country which has been taken by force Cons.Cons. abbreviation Conservative conscientious objectorconscientious objector /�kɒnʃienʃəs əb |�d�ektə/ noun a per- son who refuses to join the army, be- cause he feels that it is morally wrong conscriptconscript /�kɒnskrpt/ noun a per- son who has to join the armed forces as part of legal military service � a conscript army an army formed of conscripts � verb to order someone to join the armed forces conscriptionconscription /kən |�skrpʃən/ noun the legal obligation to join the armed services consensualconsensual /kən |�sensjυəl/ adjec- tive happening by agreement consensusconsensus /kən |�sensəs/ noun gen- eral agreement � There was a consen- sus between all parties as to the next steps to be taken. � In the absence of a consensus, no decisions could be reached. consensus politicsconsensus politics /kən |�sensəs �pɒlətks/ noun a form of political ac- tivity, where the main political parties agree in general on policy. Compare confrontation politics consentconsent /kən |�sent/ noun agree- ment. � age of consent Consent CalendarConsent Calendar /kən |�sent �k�lndə/ noun US a list of bills which are not controversial conservatismconservatism /kən |�s#�vətz(ə)m/ noun 1. the ideas and beliefs of people

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conservative 52 who support established ideas and are against sudden change 2. Conserva- tism the principles and practice of Conservative politicians or supporters of a Conservative party conservativeconservative /kən |�s#�vətv/ ad- jective 1. supporting established ideas and institutions, and against sudden change � He became more conserva- tive as he grew older. 2. careful and cautious � The figures in the document are a conservative estimate. � con- servative with a small ’c’ used to show the difference between people who have such ideas and beliefs and those who support the Conservative Party 3. Conservative referring to the Conservative Party � the Conserv- ative government of 1979 � The mani- festo attacks Conservative policies. Also called Tory � noun 1. a person who believes that society should not change or should change only very slowly 2. Conservative a supporter of the Conservative Party Conservative PartyConservative Party /kən | �s#�vətv �pɑ�ti/ noun the political party which is in favour of only grad- ual change in society, and against state involvement in industry and welfare

COMMENT: In most countries, the Con- servative Party is one of the two main political parties, though it is not always called ‘Conservative’. For instance, in many European countries the Chris- tian Democrat Party is the conserva- tive party.

Conservative Party of CanadaConservative Party of Canada /kən |�s#�vətv �pɑ�ti əv �k�nədə/ noun a Canadian political party formed from the Progressive Conserv- ative Party and the Canadian Alliance in 2003 consist ofconsist of /kən|�sst ɒv/ verb to be formed of � The education department consists of advisory and administra- tive sections, together with the inspec- torate. � A delegation consisting of all the heads of department concerned asked to meet the principal. consociationconsociation /kən |�səυsi |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun a group of political parties or pressure groups that work together to share power

consolidateconsolidate /kən|�sɒldet/ verb to bring several Acts of Parliament to- gether into one act Consolidated FundConsolidated Fund /kən | �sɒldetd �f�nd/ noun the total gov- ernment money formed of all taxes and other government income Consolidated Fund BillConsolidated Fund Bill /kəŋ | �sɒldetd �f�nd �bl/ noun a bill in the House of Commons to allow mon- ey to be raised for government spend- ing Consolidating ActConsolidating Act /kən | �sɒldetŋ ��kt/ noun an Act of Par- liament which brings together several previous Acts on the same subject consolidationconsolidation /kən|�sɒl |�deʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of bringing together var- ious Acts of Parliament which deal with one subject into one single Act consortconsort /�kɒnsɔ�t/ noun the hus- band or wife of a King or Queen conspiracyconspiracy /kən|�sprəsi/ noun se- cret agreement or plan to do some- thing wrong or illegal � a conspiracy to oust the leader � conspiracy of si- lence an agreement between a group of people to say nothing to anyone else about something that has hap- pened conspiratorconspirator /kən |�sprətə/ noun a person who is part of a group who make a secret agreement to do some- thing wrong � After the Gunpowder Plot, the conspirators were rapidly ar- rested. conspiratorialconspiratorial /kən|�sprə|�tɔ�riəl/ adjective as in a secret agreement made by a group to do something wrong � He spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. conspiriologistconspiriologist /kən |�spri | �ɒləd�st/ noun someone who be- lieves in conspiracy theories constableconstable /�k�nstəb(ə)l/ noun 1. � police constable 2. in some towns or townships in the United States and, historically, in British towns and bor- oughs, a low-ranking law officer constabularyconstabulary /kən |�st�bjυləri/ noun the police force of a city or a dis- trict � adjective relating to a police

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53 constitutive force, or involved in being a police of- ficer constituency

constituency /kən |�sttjυənsi/ noun 1. an area of a country which is represented by a Member of Parlia- ment � She represents one of the northern constituencies. � The UK is divided into 650 single-member con- stituencies. � a good constituency MP an MP who looks after the inter- ests of his or her constituents well 2. an area of support � The leader’s nat- ural constituency is the working class. constituency partyconstituency party /kən | �sttjυənsi �pɑ�ti/ noun a branch of a national political party in a constituen- cy constituentconstituent /kən|�sttjυənt/ noun a person who lives in a constituency � The MP had a mass of letters from his constituents complaining about air- craft noise. constitutionconstitution /�kɒnst|�tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the laws under which a coun- try is ruled, which give the people rights and responsibilities, and which give the government powers and du- ties � The freedom of the individual is guaranteed by the country’s constitu- tion. � The new president asked the as- sembly to draft a new constitution. � European Constitution 2. the writ- ten rules of a society or club � Under the society’s constitution, the chair- man is elected for a two-year period. � Payments to officers of the associa- tion are not allowed by the constitu- tion.

‘…the Constitution guarantees a very limited number of rights, including free trade among the states, no discrimination against interstate residents, etc.’ [The Age (Melbourne)] COMMENT: Most countries have written constitutions, usually drafted by law- yers, which can be amended by an Act of the country’s legislative body. The United States constitution was drawn up by Thomas Jefferson after the country became independent, and has numerous amendments (the first ten amendments being the Bill of Rights). Great Britain is unusual in that it has no written constitution and relies on precedent and the body of

laws passed over the years to act as a safeguard of the rights of the citizens and the legality of government.

Constitution

Constitution /�kɒnst|�tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the Constitution of the United States, containing seven articles and 26 amendments, that has been in ef- fect since its adoption in 1789 constitutional

constitutional /�kɒnst| �tju�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adjective 1. referring to a country’s constitution � Censor- ship of the press is not constitutional. 2. according to a constitution � The re- election of the chairman for a second term is not constitutional. constitutionalise

constitutionalise /�kɒnst| �tju�ʃənəlaz/ verb 1. to make a piece of legislation part of a constitution, or permit a practice through a constitu- tion 2. to bring a form of government, a country or an organisation under the control of a constitution constitutionalism

constitutionalism /�kɒnst| �tju�ʃənəlz(ə)m/ noun 1. the system of government based on a constitution 2. belief in government based on a constitution constitutionality

constitutionality /�kɒnsttju�ʃə| ��ltin/ noun the degree to which something obeys the rules of a consti- tution constitutional law

constitutional law /�kɒnst| �tju�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l lɔ�/ noun laws under which a country is ruled or laws relat- ing to the government and its work constitutional lawyer

constitutional lawyer /�kɒnsttju�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l �lɔ�jə/ noun a lawyer who specialises in constitu- tional law constitutional monarchy

constitutional monarchy /�kɒnsttju�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l �mɒnəki/ noun the system of government where the king or queen has limited powers and most power is in the hands of an elect- ed legislature and executive constitutional right

constitutional right /�kɒnst| �tju�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l rat/ noun a right which is guaranteed by the constitution of a country constitutive

constitutive /kən |�sttjυtv/ adjec- tive having the power to create an offi-

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constructive engagement 54 cial body or appoint the members of an official body constructive engagementconstructive engagement /kən | �str�ktv n|��ed�mənt/ noun the policy of continuing to have restricted political and business links with a country while still encouraging it to improve political or social conditions consulconsul /�kɒnsəl/ noun 1. a person who represents a country in a foreign city, and helps his country’s citizens and business interests there � the Brit- ish Consul in Seville � the French Consul in Manchester 2. (in ancient Roman government) one of two lead- ers of the government, elected every year consularconsular /�kɒnsjυlə/ adjective re- ferring to a consul � The consular of- fices are open every weekday. � He spends most of his time on consular duties. consular agentconsular agent /�kɒnsjυlə �ed�(ə)nt/ noun a person with the du- ties of a representative of a different country in a small foreign town who helps his country’s citizens and busi- ness interests there. Abbr CA consulateconsulate /�kɒnsjυlət/ noun a house or office of someone who repre- sents a different country in a foreign city � There will be a party at the con- sulate on National Day. consul-generalconsul-general /�kɒnsəl �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the representative of a country in a large foreign city who is responsible for other consuls in the area (NOTE: The plural is consuls- general or consul-generals.) consultancyconsultancy /kən|�s�ltənsi/ noun the act of giving advice in a specialist area � a consultancy firm � He offers a consultancy service. consultantconsultant /kən |�s�ltənt/ noun someone who gives specialist advice consultation documentconsultation document /�kɒnsəl | �teʃ(ə)n �dɒkjυmənt/, consultative document /kən |�s�ltətv �dɒkjυmənt/ noun a paper with pro- posals which is given to people who are asked to comment and make sug- gestions for improvement

consultativeconsultative /kən |�s�ltətv/ adjec- tive being asked to give advice � the report of a consultative body � She is acting in a consultative capacity. consultingconsulting /kən |�s�ltŋ/ adjective referring to a person who gives spe- cialist advice � a consulting engineer consumer councilconsumer council /kən |�sju�mə �kaυns(ə)l/ noun a group representing the interests of people who buy goods and services consumer creditconsumer credit /kən |�sju�mə �kredt/ noun the provision of loans by banks to help people buy goods consumerismconsumerism /kən | �sju�mərz(ə)m/ noun the movement for the protection of the rights of peo- ple who buy goods and services consumer legislationconsumer legislation /kən | �sju�mə �led�|�sleʃ(ə)n/ noun the set of laws which give rights to people who buy goods or who pay for servic- es consumer protectionconsumer protection /kən | �sju�mə prə |�tekʃən/ noun the legal protection of people who buy goods and services from unfair or illegal business practices consumptionconsumption /kən|�s�mpʃən/ noun 1. the use or purchase of goods or services � a car with low petrol con- sumption � The factory has a heavy consumption of coal. 2. the process of eating or drinking things � increased consumption of fatty sugary foods contact groupcontact group /�kɒnt�kt �ru�p/ noun a group of people who meet both sides separately in a dispute to try to achieve agreement through discussion contemptcontempt /kən|�tempt/ noun behav- iour that is rude or shows a lack of re- spect � contempt of Parliament, con- tempt of the House behaviour which may bring the authority of Parliament into disrepute or which obstructs the work of Parliament � to bring Parlia- ment into contempt to do something which obstructs the work of Parlia- ment or which shows lack of respect for Parliament contentcontent /�kɒntent/ noun in the House of Lords, a vote for a motion.

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55 convener Compare aye (NOTE: Disagreement is shown by the phrase ‘not content’.) contents

contents /�kɒntents/ plural noun the things contained inside something � The customs officials inspected the contents of the box. contest

contest /kən |�test/ noun a competi- tion, especially in an election � She won the leadership contest easily. � verb 1. to argue that a decision or a ruling is wrong � I wish to contest the claim made by the Leader of the Op- position. 2. to fight an election � The seat is being contested by five candi- dates. context

context /�kɒntekst/ noun 1. a gen- eral situation in which something hap- pens � The action of the police has to be seen in the context of the riots against the government. 2. the other words which surround a word or phrase � The words can only be under- stood in the context of the phrase in which they occur. Continental Europe

Continental Europe /�kɒnt | �nent(ə)l �jυərəp/ noun Europe ex- cluding the British Isles contingent

contingent /kən|�tnd�ənt/ adjec- tive dependent on something else contractarianism

contractarianism /�kɒntr�kt | �eəriənz(ə)m/ noun the political the- ory which says that government is based on an agreement between the people and the government contract law

contract law /�kɒntr�kt lɔ�/ noun laws relating to agreements contradict

contradict /�kɒntrə |�dkt/ verb not to agree with or to say exactly the op- posite � The statement contradicts the report in the newspapers. � The wit- ness before the committee contradict- ed himself several times. contradiction

contradiction /�kɒntrə |�dkʃən/ noun a statement which disagrees with another statement � The witness’ evidence was a mass of contradic- tions. � There is a contradiction be- tween the Minister’s statement in the House of Commons and the reports published in the newspapers.

contradictorycontradictory /�kɒntrə |�dkt(ə)ri/ adjective not agreeing � a mass of contradictory evidence contrarycontrary /�kɒntrəri/ noun opposite � contrary to used to emphasise that something is true, even though the op- posite may be expected � Contrary to (all) expectations, the party won the election easily. � Contrary to popular belief or opinion, common-law mar- riage offers little protection to women. contravenecontravene /�kɒntrə |�vi�n/ verb to break or to go against rules or laws � The workshop has contravened the employment regulations. � The fire de- partment can close a restaurant if it contravenes the safety regulations. contraventioncontravention /�kɒntrə |�venʃən/ noun the act of breaking a rule or law controlcontrol /kən |�trəυl/ noun 1. the pow- er of being able to direct something � The company is under the control of three shareholders. � The Democrats gained control of the Senate. � The rebels lost control of the radio station. 2. the activity of checking something or making sure that something is kept in check � verb to have power over something � to control a council to have a majority on a council and so di- rect its business � Senate is controlled by the Conservatives, while the So- cialists have a majority in the national Assembly controlled economycontrolled economy /kən |�trəυld |�kɒnəmi/ noun an economy where most business activity is directed by orders from the government controversialcontroversial /�kɒntrə|�v#�ʃ(ə)l/ adjective causing a lot of argument � The council has decided to withdraw its controversial proposal to close the sports club. � The bill was not contro- versial and was supported by mem- bers of both sides of the house. controversycontroversy /�kɒntrəv#�si, kən| �trɒvəsi/ noun a strong argument about an issue � There has been a lot of controversy about the government’s tax proposals. convenerconvener /kən |�vi�nə/, convenor noun a person who calls a meeting

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convention 56 convention

convention /kən |�venʃən/ noun 1. the general way in which something is usually done, though not enforced by law � It is the convention for American lawyers to designate themselves ‘Es- quire’. 2. a meeting, or series of meet- ings held to discuss and decide impor- tant matters � The Democratic Party Convention to select the presidential candidate was held in Washington. 3. an international treaty � the Geneva Convention on Human Rights � The three countries are all signatories of the convention. convention bounce

convention bounce /kən |�venʃən baυns/ noun an increase in the sup- port shown for a presidential candi- date after nomination at a party con- vention convergence criteria

convergence criteria /kən | �v#�d�(ə)ns kra|�təriə/ noun the eco- nomic rules set out in the Maastricht treaty (1993), which members of the European Union have to satisfy in or- der to move to the single European currency or euro conviction

conviction /kən |�vkʃən/ noun 1. a feeling of being sure that something is true � It is her conviction that the pro- posed legislation will result in the sale of council houses being delayed. 2. a decision that someone accused of a crime is guilty � She had three convic- tions for drunken driving. conviction politics

conviction politics /kən|�vkʃən �pɒltks/ noun political policies based on firmly held beliefs convince

convince /kən|�vns/ verb to make someone believe something is true � The government minister tried to con- vince the strikers that their claims would be heard. � The Finance Minis- ter had difficulty in convincing Parlia- ment that the budget deficit would be reduced. convulsion

convulsion /kən |�v�lʃən/ noun a sudden extreme change (informal) � This compromise allowed the court to avoid the political convulsion that would have come with a decision to remove the leader from office.

cooperate

cooperate /kəυ |�ɒpəret/ verb to work together � The governments are cooperating in the fight against pira- cy. � The two firms have cooperated on planning the computer system. cooperation

cooperation /kəυ |�ɒpə|�reʃ(ə)n/ noun working together � The work was completed ahead of schedule with the cooperation of the whole staff. cooperative society

cooperative society /kəυ | �ɒp(ə)rətv sə |�saəti/ noun a society where the customers and workers are partners and share the profits co-opt

co-opt /�kəυ �ɒpt/ verb � to co-opt someone onto a committee to ask someone to join a committee without having been elected � adjective co- opted made a member of a committee without being elected � She is a co- opted member of the education com- mittee. cope

cope /kəυp/ verb to deal with � The House is having difficulty in coping with the mass of legislation before it this session. � The Chairman of the Fi- nance Committee said that she doubt- ed if the Borough Treasurer’s office could cope with the extra workload. co-principality

co-principality /�kəυ �prns | �p�lti/ noun a state ruled by two princes

COMMENT: The state of Andorra is a co-principality, its two princes being the Bishop of Urgel, in Spain, and the President of the French Republic.

copyright

copyright /�kɒpirat/ adjective cov- ered by the laws which limit the right to copy books or other written materi- als � It is illegal to take copies of a copyright work. Copyright Act

Copyright Act /�kɒpi|�rat �kt/ noun the Act of Parliament control- ling the copying of written material without the permission of the author and publisher copyrighted

copyrighted /�kɒpiratd/ adjec- tive relating to materials covered by the Copyright Act copyright law

copyright law /�kɒpirat lɔ�/ noun laws concerning the copying of writ- ten materials

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57 cost of living core executivecore executive /�kɔ� � |�zekjυtv/ noun the central figures in the govern- ment: Prime Minister, Cabinet, minis- ters and senior Civil Servants � Rather than thinking of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as struggling for power we should think of the core executive as working most of the time to achieve the same goals. COREPERCOREPER abbreviation Committee of Permanent Representatives coronationcoronation /�kɒrə|�neʃ(ə)n/ noun the official ceremony at which a king or queen is crowned corporatecorporate /�kɔ�p(ə)rət/ adjective referring to a group or organisation, especially to a company or business corporationcorporation /�kɔ�pə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun a legal body such as a town council � the mayor and corporation the may- or and other councillors corporatismcorporatism /�kɔ�p(ə)rətz(ə)m/ noun a system of government where large powerful pressure groups influ- ence the policies of the government corporatistcorporatist /�kɔ�p(ə)rətst/ adjec- tive referring to corporatism � He holds corporatist views. corps diplomatiquecorps diplomatique /�kɔ� �dpləmə |�ti�k/ noun same as diplo- matic corps corpuscorpus /�kɔ�pəs/ noun a body of laws (NOTE: The plural is corpora.) corpus legiscorpus legis /�kɔ�pəs �led�s/ Latin phrase meaning ‘body of laws’: books containing Roman civil law correctcorrect /kə |�rekt/ verb � The assist- ant will have to correct all these typ- ing errors before you send the con- tract. � The minister had to make a statement correcting the information given at the press conference the pre- vious day. � correct the record US to record a change of vote by a Senator after the vote has been counted correspondcorrespond /�kɒr|�spɒnd/ verb 1. to write letters 2. to be similar or equivalent to something correspondentcorrespondent /�kɒr|�spɒndənt/ noun 1. a person who writes letters to someone � As an MP, I have a number

of constituents who are regular corre- spondents on local issues. 2. a journal- ist who writes articles for a newspa- per, or reports for radio or TV, on spe- cialist subjects � a financial correspondent � ‘The Times’ legal correspondent � She is the Paris cor- respondent of the ‘Telegraph’. � court correspondent, lobby corre- spondent corridors of powercorridors of power /�kɒrdɔ�z əv �paυə/ plural noun the places where major political issues are discussed by powerful or influential people and im- portant decisions are taken corrigendumcorrigendum /�kɒr |��endəm/ noun a word which is to be corrected (NOTE: The plural is corrigenda.) corruptcorrupt /kə |�r�pt/ adjective not hon- est � verb to bribe someone to make them act dishonestly corruptioncorruption /kə |�r�pʃən/ noun ac- cepting bribes on the part of officials � Magistrates are investigating corrup- tion in the police force. CortesCortes /kɔ�|�tez/ noun the legislature in Spain cosignatorycosignatory /kəυ|�s�nət(ə)ri/ noun a country which signs a treaty with another � The three countries are all cosignatories to the international convention. cosponsorcosponsor /�kəυ |�spɒnsə/ noun a person who introduces something such as a bill with someone else � the three cosponsors of the bill cost-effectivecost-effective /�kɒst �fektv/ ad- jective giving good value or a good re- sult at little cost � The new scheme will be cost-effective as it improves energy efficiency. cost of livingcost of living /�kɒst əv �lvŋ/ noun the money which has to be paid for ba- sic needs such as food, heating, and rent � to allow for the rise in the cost of living in salaries � cost-of-living allowance a special regular addition to normal salary to cover increases in the cost of living � cost-of-living in- crease an increase in salary to allow it to keep up with the increased cost of living � cost-of-living index a way of

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COTW 58 measuring the cost of living which is shown as a percentage increase on the figure for the previous year COTWCOTW noun the countries that op- posed Saddam Hussein in the Iraq War of 2003. Full form Coalition of the Willing councilcouncil /�kaυnsəl/ noun 1. an offi- cial group chosen to run something or to advise on a problem. � Security Council 2. a group of representatives elected to run an area of a country. Also called local council. � borough council, town council, county council 3. same as Privy Council 4. a body of the legislature in several states 5. a meeting of a council � ad- jective relating to or belonging to a lo- cal council � a new council policy � council property

‘…the council could try and cut spending to make a balanced budget’ [Local Government News]

council chambercouncil chamber /�kaυnsəl �tʃembə/ noun a room in the Town Hall where a local council meets council estatecouncil estate /�kaυnsəl  |�stet/ noun an area of houses and flats be- longing to a local council council housecouncil house /�kaυns(ə)l haυs/, council flat /�kaυns(ə)l fl�t/ noun a home belonging to a local council, for which rent is paid council leadercouncil leader /�kaυnsəl �li�də/ noun a person elected by the main party running a local council as their leader. Compare mayor councillorcouncillor /�kaυns(ə)lə/ noun an elected member of a council, especial- ly a council that runs a city, county etc. councilmancouncilman /�kaυnsəlmən/ noun US a man who is an elected member of a city council in the USA Council of EuropeCouncil of Europe /�kaυns(ə)l əv �jυərəp/ noun the oldest of the Euro- pean political organisations, with its headquarters in Strasbourg. Abbr COE

COMMENT: The Council of Europe was founded in 1949, and currently has 45 members. Its aim is to foster unity of action between European countries in educational, legal and other areas. It

established the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fun- damental Freedoms (the ’European Convention on Human Rights’) in 1950 and the European Court of Hu- man Rights, in Strasbourg, in 1959. The Convention was the first interna- tional legal agreement to protect hu- man rights. More recently it has estab- lished conventions on the protection of minorities, the prevention of human cloning and cybercrime.

council officercouncil officer /�kaυnsəl �ɒfsə/ noun a civil servant employed by a town or county council Council of MinistersCouncil of Ministers /�kaυns(ə)l əv �mnstəz/, Council of the Euro- pean Union /�kaυns(ə)l əv ðə �jυərəpi�ən �ju�njən/ noun the body made up of ministers of the Member States of the European Union which plays a major part in developing the laws of the Union

COMMENT: The central Council is formed of the Foreign Ministers of the Member States, but the membership of the Council of Ministers varies with the subject being discussed; if it is a question of agricultural policy, then the Ministers of Agriculture of each country form the Council under the chairmanship of the minister whose country then holds the presidency of the EU.

council of warcouncil of war /�kaυnsəl əv wɔ�/ noun 1. a meeting of military leaders in wartime to discuss what action should be taken 2. a meeting to decide on a plan of action in any emergency council taxcouncil tax /�kaυnsəl t�ks/ noun a local tax raised on each property, paid by the occupier of the property, and calculated according to the value of the property council tenantcouncil tenant /�kaυnsəl �tenənt/ noun a person who lives in council property and pays rent to the council councilwomancouncilwoman /�kaυnsəlwυmən/ noun US a woman who is an elected member of a city council in the USA counsellorcounsellor /�kaυnsələ/ noun 1. a trained person who gives advice or help � They went to see a marriage guidance counsellor. 2. a person em- ployed in an embassy 3. US a lawyer who advises a person in a legal case

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59 county (NOTE: The US spelling is coun- selor.) countcount /kaυnt/ noun 1. the act of counting � the count of votes after an election � The count started at ten o’clock and finished just after mid- night. � recount 2. (in the House of Commons) the act of counting how many MPs are present. If there are fewer than 40, the sitting is adjourned. 3. a separate charge against an ac- cused person read out in court � He was found guilty on all four counts. 4. a noble title, used in Europe apart from the United Kingdom (NOTE: The title is used in France (comte), Spain (Conde), Italy (Conte), Germany (Graf), and other countries.) countercounter /�kaυntə/ noun something which opposes � The legislation is seen as a counter to the increasing power of local government. � adverb in opposition to something counter-counter- /kaυntə/ prefix against countercoupcountercoup /�kaυntə |�ku�/ noun a coup against a group that took politi- cal power in an earlier coup counter-demonstrationcounter-demonstration /�kaυntə �demən |�streʃ(ə)n/ noun a protest held in opposition to another protest counter-espionagecounter-espionage /�kaυntər �espiənɑ��/, counter-intelligence /�kaυntər n |�teld�əns/ noun the ac- tivities involved in working against the spies of another country � The of- fices were bugged by counter-intelli- gence agents. counterinsurgencycounterinsurgency /�kaυnt(ə)rn | �s#�d�(ə)nsi/ noun military action against people who are fighting their own government countermandcountermand /�kaυntə |�mɑ�nd/ verb to overturn a command made earlier counterpartcounterpart /�kaυntəpɑ�t/ noun a person who has a similar job or is in a similar situation � The British Minis- ter of Defence wrote to his Spanish counterpart. counter-revolutioncounter-revolution /�kaυntə �revə|�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a violent reac- tion against a rebellion

counter-revolutionary

counter-revolutionary /�kaυntə �revə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ adjective oppos- ing a rebellion or uprising � noun a person opposed to a rebellion or revolt countersign

countersign /�kaυntəsan/ verb to sign a document which has already been signed by someone else � The payment has to be countersigned by the head of department. counterterrorism

counterterrorism /�kaυntə| �terərz(ə)m/ noun military or politi- cal activities to prevent terrorist acts countess

countess /�kaυnts/ noun 1. (in Eu- ropean aristocracy) the wife of a count 2. (in the British aristocracy) the wife of an earl count on

count on /�kaυnt ɒn/ verb 1. to ex- pect something to happen � The gov- ernment seems to be counting on win- ning the votes of the floating voters. 2. to rely on someone or something � You can count on Mr Jones, he is an excel- lent committee chairman. country

country /�k�ntri/ noun 1. a land which is independent and governs it- self � The contract covers sales in the countries of the European Union. � Some African countries export oil. � to go to the country to call a general election � The Prime Minister has de- cided to go to the country. 2. the area outside a town Country Party

Country Party /�k�ntri �pɑ�ti/ noun now called National Party of Australia county

county /�kaυnti/ noun one of the ad- ministrative divisions of a country � It is illegal to transport cattle across the county boundary. � The police forces of several counties are cooperating in the search for the missing girl.

COMMENT: Rural areas in many coun- tries such as Britain and New Zealand and sections of federal states such as the Provinces of Canada and the States in the USA are divided into counties. Most counties in Britain are shires (Berkshire, Staffordshire, etc.). In other cases, the word is used as a title, before the name in Britain (the County of Durham) and after the name in the USA (Marlboro County).

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county council 60 county councilcounty council /�kaυnti �kaυnsəl/ noun a group of people elected to run a county county towncounty town /�kaυnti taυn/ noun the main administrative centre in a county, where the county council of- fices are situated coupcoup /ku�/, coup d’état /�ku� de| �t�/ noun a rapid change of govern- ment which removes one government by force and replaces it by another � After the coup, groups of students at- tacked the police stations.

COMMENT: A coup is usually carried out by a small number of people, who already have some power such as army officers, while a revolution is a general uprising of a large number of ordinary people. A coup changes the members of a government, but a rev- olution changes the whole social sys- tem.

courtcourt /kɔ�t/ noun 1. the place where legal trials are held � a settlement was reached out of court, the two parties reached an out-of-court settlement the dispute was settled between the two parties privately without continu- ing the court case � Criminal Court, Civil Court a court where criminal or civil cases are heard 2. the judges or magistrates in a court � The court will retire for thirty minutes. 3. a place where a king or queen lives and rules from � The head of the army has a lot of influence at court. 4. a king, queen and their officials and servants � When war broke out, the court was moved to the north of the country. � Members of the court plotted to remove the king and replace him with his brother. court correspondentcourt correspondent /kɔ�t �kɒr| �spɒndənt/ noun a journalist who re- ports on the activities of a king or queen and the royal family Court of AppealCourt of Appeal /�kɔ�t əv ə|�pi�l/, Court of Appeals /�kɔ�t əv ə |�pi�lz/ noun same as Appeal Court Court of AuditorsCourt of Auditors /�kɔ�t əv �ɔ�dtəz/ noun the institution which checks the financial accounts of the European Union Court of St. JamesCourt of St. James /�kɔ�t əv sənt �d�emz/ noun the official home of

the British royal court � He presented his credentials as Ambassador to the Court of St. James. (NOTE: Foreign ambassadors in Britain are said to be sent to the Court of St. James.) Court of Session

Court of Session /�kɔ�t əv �seʃ(ə)n/ noun the highest civil court in Scotland, consisting of the Inner House and Outer House covert

covert /�kəυvət, �k�vət/ adjective hidden or secret � covert action an ac- tion which is secret, e.g. spying CP

CP abbreviation Communist Party (NOTE: In some other languages, it is often written PC: PCF (Parti Com- muniste Français); PCI (Partito Comunista Italiano).) CPO

CPO abbreviation compulsory pur- chase order CPS

CPS abbreviation Crown Prosecu- tion Service CPSA

CPSA abbreviation Civil and Public Services Association CPSU

CPSU abbreviation Community and Public Service Union crack down on

crack down on /�kr�k �daυn ɒn/ verb to use severe measures against something (informal) � The govern- ment is cracking down on crime. CRB

CRB abbreviation Criminal Records Bureau CRE

CRE abbreviation Commission for Racial Equality credentials

credentials /kr |�denʃəlz/ noun the official documents, proving that an ambassador has been appointed legal- ly by the country he or she represents. Also called letters of credence � to present his or her credentials, to present his or her letters of credence (of an ambassador) to visit for the first time the head of the state of the country where he or she is ambassa- dor, and hand over the documents that show that he or she has been legally appointed criminal action

criminal action /�krmn(ə)l ��kʃən/ noun a case brought usually by the state against someone who is charged with a crime

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61 Crown privilege criminal lawcriminal law /�krmn(ə)l �lɔ�/ noun the laws relating to acts committed against the laws of the land and which are punished by the state crisiscrisis /�krass/ noun a time of dan- ger or of great problems requiring ac- tion to solve them � The President tried to solve the political crisis after the government was defeated in the Assembly. � The leader of the council tried to say that the city was not facing a financial crisis. crisis managementcrisis management /�krass �m�nd�mənt/ noun the process of working through a critical situation, dealing with the problems that arise and trying to control responses to events crisis measurescrisis measures /�krass �me�əz/ plural noun actions taken to try to overcome great dangers or difficulties � We shall have to take crisis measures to deal with the unemployment situa- tion. (NOTE: The plural is crises /�krasi�z/ .) criticisecriticise /�krtsaz/, criticize verb to say that something or someone is wrong or is working badly � The Op- position criticised the government for the way in which it had handled the fi- nancial crisis. cronyismcronyism /�krəυniz(ə)m/ noun special treatment given to friends or colleagues, especially in politics crosscross /krɒs/ verb � to cross the floor (of the House) (of a sitting MP) to change from one political party to another crossbenchercrossbencher /krɒs |�bentʃə/ noun a member of the House of Lords who is not a member of one the main polit- ical parties. Also called crossbench Peer cross benchescross benches /�krɒs �bentʃəz/ plural noun the seats in the House of Lords where members sit if they are not members of a political party cross-partycross-party /�krɒs �pɑ�ti/ adjective involving two or more political parties crowncrown /kraυn/ noun 1. a way of de- scribing the state in a country where a king or queen is head of state � the

Crown the King or Queen as repre- senting the State � Mr Smith is ap- pearing for the Crown � the Crown submitted that the maximum sentence should be applied in this case � the Crown case or the case for the Crown was that the defendants were guilty of espionage 2. the circular ornament made of gold worn on the head by a king or queen on formal occasions 3. the monarchy � verb to put a crown on the head of a king or queen to show that they have become the head of state � British kings and queens are crowned in Westminster Abbey. � cor- onation Crown Agent

Crown Agent /�kraυn �ed�(ə)nt/ noun a member of a government board which provides financial, com- mercial and other services to some foreign governments and international organisations Crown Colony

Crown Colony /�kraυn �kɒləni/ noun an overseas territory under the formal control of the UK government Crown copyright

Crown copyright /�kraυn �kɒpirat/ noun the right to restrict copying of documents published by the government Crown Court

Crown Court /�kraυn �kɔ�t/ noun the court, above the level of the mag- istrates’ courts, which has centres all over England and Wales and which hears criminal cases (NOTE: A Crown Court is formed of a circuit judge and jury, and hears major criminal cas- es.) crowned head

crowned head /�kraυnd �hed/ noun a king or queen � All the crowned heads of Europe attended the state funeral. Crown Lands

Crown Lands /�kraυn �lɑ�ndz/, Crown property noun land or prop- erty belonging to the King or Queen Crown Prince

Crown Prince /�kraυn �prns/ noun in some countries, the title given to the eldest son of a king, who will become king himself on the death of his father Crown privilege

Crown privilege /�kraυn �prvld�/ noun the right of the gov- ernment not to have to produce docu-

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Crown Prosecution Service 62 ments to a court by reason of the inter- ests of the state Crown Prosecution ServiceCrown Prosecution Service /�kraυn �prɒs|�kju�ʃ(ə)n �s#�vs/ noun the office of the Director of Pub- lic Prosecutions, whose job is to bring criminals to court. Abbr CPS Crown prosecutorCrown prosecutor /�kraυn �prɒskju�tə/ noun an official of the Director of Public Prosecution’s de- partment who is responsible for bring- ing criminals to court in a local area crusadecrusade /kru� |�sed/ noun strong ac- tion to stop or change something � The government has launched a crusade against drugs. � verb to take part in a crusade � She has been crusading for more government action to reduce un- employment. crusadercrusader /kru� |�sedə/ noun a per- son who takes part in a campaign to change something � She was a famous crusader for women’s right to vote. crypto-crypto- /krptəυ/ prefix hidden � cryptocommunist a secret commu- nist CSCS /�si� �es/ abbreviation civil service CSCCSC abbreviation Civil Service Commission CSUCSU abbreviation Civil Service Un- ion culturalcultural /�k�ltʃ(ə)rəl/ adjective 1. referring to a society’s culture � re- spect for cultural differences 2. refer- ring to the arts � asking for increased public support for cultural activities such as opera and ballet cultural attachécultural attaché /�k�ltʃ(ə)rəl ə | �t�ʃe/ noun a member of an embassy representing his or her country’s inter- ests in the fields of art, music, litera- ture cultureculture /�k�ltʃə/ noun 1. a society’s way of thinking and behaving � Euro-

pean history and culture 2. activities involving art, music or literature curfew

curfew /�k#�fju�/ noun an order for- bidding movement out of doors at spe- cific times � The government has im- posed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the city. currency

currency /�k�rənsi/ noun the mon- ey in coins and notes which is used in a particular country currency reserves

currency reserves /�k�rənsi r | �z#�vz/ plural noun the foreign money held by a government to support its own currency and to pay its debts customs

customs /�k�stəmz/ plural noun the government department which or- ganises the collection of taxes on goods brought into a country, or one of its offices at an airport or port Customs and Excise

Customs and Excise /�k�stəmz ən �eksaz/ noun the government de- partment which deals with VAT, with taxes on goods brought into the coun- try, and taxes on products such as al- cohol produced in the country. Also called Excise Department customs barrier

customs barrier /�k�stəmz �b�riə/ noun a tax intended to prevent imports customs duty

customs duty /�k�stəmz �dju�ti/ noun same as import duty customs union

customs union /�k�stəmz �ju�njən/ noun an agreement between several countries that goods can travel between them without paying tax, while goods from other countries are taxed cutback

cutback /�k�tb�k/ noun a reduction in the amount of money spent on something, leading to a reduction in something provided � cutbacks on so- cial security spending � cutbacks in healthcare services

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D DáilDáil, Dáil Éireann noun the lower house of parliament in the Republic of Ireland � The Foreign Minister report- ed on the meeting to the Dáil. (NOTE: The upper house is the Seanad Éire- ann; the members of the Dáil are called Teachta Dala (TD).) dark horsedark horse /�dɑ�k �hɔ�s/ noun US a candidate who receives unexpected support in an electoral campaign datadata /�detə/ noun 1. information which is available on computer 2. facts used to come to a decision data protectiondata protection /�detə prə | �tekʃən/ noun the protection of infor- mation such as records about private people in a computer from being cop- ied or used wrongly date of commencementdate of commencement /�det əv kə|�mensmənt/ noun the day of the year when an Act of Parliament or other legal document takes effect Daughters of the American RevolutionDaughters of the American Revolution /�dɔ�təz əv θi ə | �merkən �revə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ plural noun in the United States, a women’s patri- otic society founded in 1890 by de- scendants of those who fought in the War of American Independence. Abbr DAR day-to-dayday-to-day /�de tə �de/ adjective taking place as a regular part of nor- mal life � The clerk organises the day- to-day running of the House of Com- mons. Dayton AccordsDayton Accords /�detən ə |�kɔ�dz/ plural noun an agreement signed by the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia in 1995, to end hostilities in the former Yugoslavia DCDC abbreviation 1. District Council 2. District of Columbia

dead letterdead letter /�ded �letə/ noun some- thing which is no longer in use � This law has become a dead letter. deadlockdeadlock /�dedlɒk/ noun the point when two sides in a dispute cannot agree deadlockeddeadlocked /�dedlɒkd/ adjective unable to agree to continue discussing � talks have been deadlocked for ten days after ten days the talks have not produced any agreement dealdeal /di�l/ noun a business agreement or contract � to arrange a deal or to set up a deal or to do a deal � to sign a deal death dutydeath duty /�deθ �dju�ti/ noun same as estate duty death grantdeath grant /�deθ �rɑ�nt/ noun a state payment to the family of a person who has died to help with the cost of the funeral death penaltydeath penalty /�deθ �pen(ə)lti/ noun legal punishment by execution � The president has introduced the death penalty for the worst crimes against the state. death squaddeath squad /�deθ skwɒd/ noun an unofficial group of people who mur- der political opponents or other people considered as enemies debatedebate /d |�bet/ noun a formal dis- cussion usually leading to a vote � Several MPs criticised the govern- ment in or during the debate on the Fi- nance Bill. � The Bill passed its Sec- ond Reading after a short debate. � The debate continued until 3 a.m. � verb 1. to discuss a proposal before making a decision, usually by a vote � The MPs are still debating the Data Protection Bill. 2. to consider some- thing carefully before acting � she de-

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debate on the address 64 bated whether to approach her MP on the issue debate on the address

debate on the address /d|�bet ɒn ðə ə |�dres/ noun the debate after the Queen’s Speech at the Opening of Parliament, where the motion is to present an address of thanks to the Queen, but the debate is in fact about the government’s policies as described in the Queen’s Speech decency

decency /�di�s(ə)nsi/ noun polite behaviour that is acceptable to society in general � The film shocked public decency. decent

decent /�di�s(ə)nt/ adjective follow- ing polite behaviour acceptable to so- ciety in general � This book will shock any decent citizen. decentralisation

decentralisation /di� |�sentrəla| �zeʃ(ə)n/, decentralization noun moving power from the centre to local areas decentralise

decentralise /di� |�sentrəlaz/, de- centralize verb to move power, au- thority or action from a central point to local areas � The decision-making processes have been decentralised to semi-autonomous bodies. decision

decision /d|�s�(ə)n/ noun 1. a choice made about what to do in a sit- uation � to come to a decision or to reach a decision 2. the process of thinking clearly and quickly about what to do � acted with decision 3. a judgment in a civil court � the deci- sion of the House of Lords is final a decision of the House of Lords, against which there is no appeal 4. in the European Union, binding legisla- tion. � directive, recommendation, regulations

COMMENT: In the EU a decision is bind- ing in its entirety on those to whom it is addressed; a decision may be ad- dressed to a Member State, to an or- ganisation or to an individual person (see Article 189 EC).

decision-maker

decision-maker /d |�s�(ə)n �mekə/ noun a person who has to de- cide what is the best thing to do in a situation, especially someone who has important decisions to make

decision-makingdecision-making /d|�s�(ə)n �mekŋ/ noun the process of deciding what is the best thing to do in a situa- tion � the decision-making processes the ways in which decisions are reached declarationdeclaration /�deklə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. an official or important statement 2. the official statement that someone has been elected � The count has been going on since 10 o’clock and we are still waiting for the declaration. Declaration of Human RightsDeclaration of Human Rights /�deklə|�reʃ(ə)n əv �hju�mən �rats/ noun a United Nations document ap- proved on 10 December 1948, by the General Assembly, setting out the ba- sic rights of all human beings declaration of independencedeclaration of independence /�deklə|�reʃ(ə)n əv �nd |�pendəns/ noun a statement from a country mak- ing itself independent of another country which was ruling it Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of Independence /�deklə|�reʃ(ə)n əv �nd |�pendəns/ noun the document written by Tho- mas Jefferson in 1776 by which the American colonies announced their independence from Britain declaration of wardeclaration of war /�dekləreʃ(ə)n əv �wɔ�/ noun a statement by a coun- try that it considers itself at war with another country declaredeclare /d|�kleə/ verb to make an of- ficial statement, or announce some- thing to the public � to declare some- one bankrupt � to declare that E. Jones has been elected Member of Parliament for the constituency � to declare independence (of a country) to state that it is now independent, and no longer ruled by another country declareddeclared /d |�kleəd/ adjective 1. made public � a declared supporter of proportional representation 2. offi- cially stated � Taxes are paid on de- clared income. � declared value the value of goods entered on a customs declaration declassificationdeclassification /di� |�kl�sf | �keʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of making something no longer secret

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65 defence declassifydeclassify /di�|�kl�sfa/ verb to make a secret document or piece of in- formation available to the public � The government papers relating to the war have recently been declassified. decolonisationdecolonisation /di�|�kɒləna | �zeʃ(ə)n/, decolonization noun the process by which a state gives its for- eign territories their independence decolonisedecolonise /di� |�kɒlənaz/ verb to give a colony its independence decommissiondecommission /�di�kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ verb to officially stop using something such as a weapon decontroldecontrol /di�kən |�trəυl/ verb to re- move controls from something � to decontrol the price of something to stop controlling the price of some- thing so that the price can match de- mand decreedecree /d|�kri�/ noun an order made by a head of state � to govern by de- cree to rule a country by issuing or- ders without having them debated and voted in a parliament � verb to make an order � The President decreed that June 1st should be a National Holiday. deductibledeductible /d|�d�ktb(ə)l/ adjec- tive taken away from an amount of money � deductible allowance � tax- deductible deducted from an income before tax is paid deductiondeduction /d|�d�kʃən/ noun 1. business expenses which can be claimed against tax 2. US � tax de- ductions de factode facto /�de �f�ktəυ/ Latin phrase meaning ‘in fact’: as a matter of fact, even though the legal title may not be certain � He is the de facto owner of the property. � The de facto govern- ment has been recognised. � de facto authority, de facto rule authority or rule of a country by a group because it is in power, whether ruling legally or not � de facto recognition recogni- tion of a new government because it is in power, whether it is ruling legally or not. � de jure defamationdefamation /�defə |�meʃ(ə)n/ noun the offence of causing harm to some- body by speaking or writing in a dis-

honest way about them (NOTE: Defa- mation may be libel if it is in a perma- nent form, such as printed matter, or slander if it is spoken.) � defamation of character harm done to someone’s reputation by maliciously saying or writing things about him or her defamatory

defamatory /d|�f�mət(ə)ri/ adjec- tive intended to harm someone by say- ing or writing bad or false things about them defamedefame /d|�fem/ verb to say or write bad or false things about the character of someone so as to damage his or her reputation defeat

defeat /d|�fi�t/ noun the failure to get a majority in a vote � The minister of- fered to resign after the defeat of the motion in the House of Commons. � verb to beat someone or something in a vote � The bill was defeated in the Lords by 52 to 64. � The government was defeated in a vote on law and or- der. defect

defect /d |�fekt/ verb 1. (of a spy, agent or government employee) to leave one country or group to work for another country or group 2. (of a Member of Parliament) to leave your party and join another defection

defection /d|�fekʃən/ noun the act of leaving one country or group to work for another country or group defector

defector /d |�fektə/ noun a person who leaves one country or group to work for another country or group defencedefence /d |�fens/ noun 1. actions taken to protect someone or some- thing against attack (NOTE: The US spelling is defense.) 2. the system of armed forces and weapons that a country uses to protect itself from at- tack by other countries (NOTE: The US spelling is defense.) 3. something said or done in response to criticism � In his speech he made a strong de- fence of the decision to raise taxes. (NOTE: The US spelling is defense.) 4. the case made in a law court in sup- port of the person who is on trial (NOTE: The US spelling is defense.) 5. the lawyer or lawyers who speak in

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defend 66 court on behalf of the person who is on trial (NOTE: The US spelling is de- fense.) 6. measures and structures used to provide protection for some- thing (often plural) � a defence against invaders � flood defences � adjective relating to a country’s sys- tem of defence � defence strategy � defence budget (NOTE: The US spell- ing is defense.) defenddefend /d|�fend/ verb 1. to act to protect someone or something 2. to fight an election to keep an elected po- sition � She is defending a majority of only 2,400. � He is defending a safe Labour seat. 3. to speak to show that your actions were right � The Minister defended his decision. deferdefer /d|�f#�/ verb to arrange a meet- ing or activity for a later date than originally planned � to defer judgment � The decision has been deferred until the next meeting. defermentdeferment /d|�f#�mənt/ noun the act of arranging a meeting or activity for a later date than originally planned � deferment of payment � deferment of a decision deferreddeferred /d|�f#�d/ adjective delayed until a later date defiancedefiance /d |�faəns/ noun an open refusal to obey a person, order or rule defiantdefiant /d|�faənt/ adjective openly refusing to obey � defiant on the issue of ID cards � The Prime Minister was defiant, insisting there would be no change of direction. defiantlydefiantly /d |�faəntli/ adverb show- ing an open refusal to obey a person, order or rule deficitdeficit /�defst/ noun the amount by which spending is higher than income � The council is trying to agree on how to reduce its current deficit. � The President has promised to reduce the budget deficit. � trade deficit

‘…the Deputy Premier rejected the claim that the budget deficit had developed over a number of years’ [Canberra Times]

deflationdeflation /di�|�fleʃ(ə)n/ noun the economic situation when prices fall

deflationary

deflationary /di� |�fleʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ ad- jective leading to a fall in prices � The government has introduced some de- flationary measures in the budget. Defra

Defra /�defrə/ abbreviation Depart- ment of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs defy

defy /d |�fa/ verb 1. to refuse to obey a person or order � The protesters have defied the court order. 2. to be impossible to believe or explain � to defy belief or to defy explanation de jure

de jure /�de �d�υəri/ Latin phrase meaning ‘by law’: as a matter of law, where the legal title is clear � He is the de jure owner of the property. � de jure recognition recognition of a new government because it is the legal government of the country. � de facto delegate

delegate noun /�del�ət/ a person who is chosen or elected by other peo- ple to put their case at a meeting or in an assembly � The company president personally greeted the Japanese dele- gates. � verb /�delə |��et/ to pass lim- ited authority or responsibility to someone else � The committee dele- gated the appointment of staff to the chairman. � delegated legislation or- ders, which have the power of Acts of Parliament, but which are passed by a minister to whom Parliament has del- egated its authority � delegated pow- ers powers which may be legally passed by a council to a committee or by a committee to a sub-committee delegation

delegation /del|��eʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a group of people chosen by other people to put their case at a meeting or in an assembly � a Chinese trade del- egation 2. the act of passing limited authority or responsibility for making decisions to someone else delegatus non potest delegare

delegatus non potest delegare /�del�ɑ�təs nɒn pɒ |�test �del|��ɑ�re/ Latin phrase meaning ‘the delegate cannot delegate to someone else’ deliberations

deliberations /d |�lbə |�reʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun discussions � The result of the committee’s deliberations was passed to the newspapers.

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67 Democratic Party deliberativedeliberative /d |�lb(ə)rətv/ adjec- tive relating to careful discussion delimitdelimit /di� |�lmt/ verb to state clear- ly what the boundaries of something are � The terms of reference of the commission are strictly delimited. deliverdeliver /d|�lvə/ verb 1. to obtain the support of a place or people for a can- didate or political party 2. to do some- thing that was promised � There are increasing signs that people believe the government has delivered on healthcare. Dem.Dem. abbreviation 1. Democrat 2. Democratic demagogicdemagogic /�demə |��ɒd�k/ adjec- tive appealing to people’s emotions and prejudices in order to influence them demagoguedemagogue /�demə�ɒ�/ noun a leader who is able to get the support of the people by exciting their feelings (disapproving) demagogydemagogy, demagoguery noun the activity of appealing to feelings such as fear, greed or hatred of the mass of the people demanddemand /d|�mɑ�nd/ noun the fact that people want goods and services or, the amount of goods or services that people want � Because many peo- ple now live alone, the demand for housing is increasing. � Organic food is being imported to meet the rising demand. demarcatedemarcate /�di�mɑ�ket/ verb to decide on and set the boundaries of a piece of land demarcationdemarcation /�di�mɑ�|�keʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of deciding on and setting the boundaries of a piece of land démarchedémarche /�demɑ�ʃ/ noun a meas- ure taken by diplomats, especially a spoken protest demissiondemission /di�|�mʃən/ noun resig- nation from an important official post demitdemit /di�|�mt/ verb to resign from an important official post demodemo /�deməυ/ noun same as dem- onstration (informal)

democracy

democracy /d |�mɒkrəsi/ noun 1. a theory or system of government by the people or by the elected representa- tives of the people � After the coup, democracy was replaced by a military dictatorship. � social democracy 2. a country ruled by its people or their representatives � The pact was wel- comed by western democracies. democrat

democrat /�deməkr�t/ noun a per- son who believes in democracy Democrat

Democrat /�deməkr�t/ noun 1. a member of the Democratic Party, one of the two major political parties in the United States 2. a member of the Aus- tralian Democrats, a centre-left minor- ity political party democratic

democratic /�demə |�kr�tk/ adjec- tive 1. referring to a democracy � After the coup the democratic processes of government were replaced by govern- ment by decree. 2. free and fair or re- flecting the views of the majority � The resolution was passed by a demo- cratic vote of the council. � The action of the leader is against the wishes of the party as expressed in a democratic vote at the party conference. Democratic

Democratic /�demə |�kr�tk/ adjec- tive relating to or associated with the Democratic Party of the United States or the Australian Democrats democratically

democratically /�demə |�kr�tkli/ adverb in a democratic way � He is the first democratically elected presi- dent following the end of military rule. democratic deficit

democratic deficit /�demə |�kr�tk �defst/ noun the failure of a fully democratic system to behave in a democratic way (NOTE: The Europe- an Union has often been accused of having a democratic deficit since the power lies in the Commission and Council of Ministers rather than the European Parliament.) Democratic Party

Democratic Party /demə |�kr�tk �pɑ�ti/ noun one of the two main po- litical parties in the USA, which is in favour of some social change and state help for poor people, together with re- strictions on the power of the federal

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Democratic Unionist Party 68 government. Compare Republican Party Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist Party /�demə |�kr�tk �ju�njənst �pɑ�ti/ noun a Northern Ireland political par- ty, established by the Reverend Ian Paisley in 1971, and strongly commit- ted to the maintenance of the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland democratisedemocratise /d|�mɒkrətaz/ verb to make a country into a democracy demonstratedemonstrate /�demənstret/ verb 1. to show something or make some- thing clear � The police demonstrated how the bomb was planted. � The MP’s comments demonstrated an ap- parent lack of sympathy for the unem- ployed. 2. to make a public protest about something � Crowds of students were demonstrating against the gov- ernment. demonstrationdemonstration /�demən | �streʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. an act of showing something � The manager gave a demonstration of the new computer system for recording details of tenants and their rents. 2. an act of protesting about something � Police broke up the student demonstration. � Ratepayers are organising a demonstration in front of the Town Hall. demonstratordemonstrator /�demənstretə/ noun a person who protests about something publicly � Demonstrators have occupied the municipal building. demosdemos /�di�mɒs/ noun the ordinary people of a community or nation demoticdemotic /di� |�mɒtk/ adjective relat- ing to or involving ordinary people demurdemur /d|�m#�/ verb not to agree � The MP stated that there was a ques- tion of privilege, but the Speaker de- murred. denationalisedenationalise /di� |�n�ʃ(ə)nəlaz/ verb to sell something owned by the state to private investors denaturalisedenaturalise /di�|�n�tʃ(ə)rəlaz/ verb to take away a naturalised citi- zen’s citizenship, e.g. if it is discov- ered that they have entered the country illegally

denazifydenazify /di�|�nɑ�tsifa/ verb to re- move connections with Nazism denouncedenounce /d|�naυns/ verb 1. to crit- icise something or someone publicly and harshly � He denounced the bill as a cheat’s charter. 2. to accuse some- one publicly of an undesirable or ille- gal act 3. to announce the formal end of a treaty or other agreement denuclearisedenuclearise /di� |�nju�kliəraz/ verb to remove or ban nuclear weap- ons or nuclear power sources from a place DEPDEP abbreviation US Department of Environmental Protection departmentdepartment /d |�pɑ�tmənt/ noun 1. a section of a large organisation like a government, company or college � complaints department � legal depart- ment � head of department, depart- ment head, department manager the person in charge of a department 2. one of the large local administrative divisions of a country such as France departmentalismdepartmentalism /�di�pɑ�t | �mentəlz(ə)m/ noun 1. the policy of dividing organisations into depart- ments 2. the tendency of government departments to follow their own inter- ests departmental Select Committeedepartmental Select Commit- tee /�di�pɑ�t|�ment(ə)l s|�lekt kə | �mti/ noun a parliamentary commit- tee set up to examine the work of a government department Department for Constitutional AffairsDepartment for Constitutional Affairs /d|�pɑ�tmənt fə �kɒnsttju�ʃ(ə)nəl ə|�feəz/ noun a UK government department whose role is to ensure effective justice for all and protect and extend democratic rights. Abbr DCA Department for Culture, Media and SportDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport noun a UK government department responsible for the arts, cultural activities and heritage, sport, tourism, and press freedom and regu- lation. Abbr DCMS Department for Education and SkillsDepartment for Education and Skills /d|�pɑ�tmənt fər edjυ | �keʃ(ə)n ən �sklz/ noun a UK gov- ernment department responsible for

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69 Department of Justice Canada education at all levels and ages, and training people for work. Abbr DfES Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs noun a UK government department responsi- ble for the natural and developed envi- ronment, safe food supplies, rural communities, and the sustainable use of natural resources. Abbr DEFRA Department for International Development

Department for International Development /d |�pɑ�tmənt fə �ntə|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl d |�veləpmənt/ noun a UK government department respon- sible for policies aimed at reducing global poverty and promoting sustain- able development. Abbr DfID Department for Transport

Department for Transport /d | �pɑ�tmənt fə �tr�nspɔ�t/ noun a UK government department responsible for overseeing the transport system. Abbr DfT Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pen- sions /d|�pɑ�tmənt fə �w#�k ən �penʃənz/ noun a UK government de- partment responsible for Jobcentres, the Child Support Agency, pensions, services for people with disabilities, and other matters relating to individu- al people’s needs. Abbr DWP Department of Defense

Department of Defense /d | �pɑ�tmənt əv d|�fens/ noun the exec- utive department of the US federal government that is mainly responsible for maintaining national security and overseeing the armed forces. Abbr DOD Department of Energy

Department of Energy /d | �pɑ�tmənt əv �enəd�i/ noun the exec- utive department of the US federal government that is mainly responsible for developing energy technology and regulating energy production and use. Abbr DOE Department of Environmental Protection

Department of Environmental Protection /d|�pɑ�tmənt əv n | �varən |�ment(ə)l prə |�tekʃ(ə)n/ noun a US state agency responsible for pro- tecting human health by ensuring clean air and water and safe manage- ment of hazardous waste materials. Abbr DEP

Department of Finance Canada

Department of Finance Cana- da /d|�pɑ�tmənt əv �fan�ns �k�nədə/ noun the Canadian govern- ment department that is responsible for preparing the federal budget, over- seeing tax policies and legislation, and regulating the country’s banks and fi- nancial institutions Department of Health

Department of Health /d| �pɑ�tmənt əv �helθ/ noun GOV a UK government department with the re- sponsibility of improving the health and well-being of the population. Abbr DH Department of Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Se- curity /d |�pɑ�tmənt əv �həυm |�l�nd s |�kjυərəti/ noun the executive de- partment of the US federal govern- ment that was established in the after- math of 11 September 2001, to protect the country against future terrorist at- tacks. Abbr DHS (NOTE: It became an official cabinet department on 24 January 2003, bringing together 22 previously existing agencies to bet- ter coordinate defence planning and strategy.) Department of Housing and Urban Development

Department of Housing and Urban Development /d| �pɑ�tmənt əv �haυzŋ ən �#�bən d| �veləpmənt/ noun the executive de- partment of the US federal govern- ment that is mainly responsible for promoting community development and enforcing fair housing laws. Abbr HUD Department of Human Resources and Skills Development

Department of Human Re- sources and Skills Develop- ment noun the Canadian government department that is responsible for de- veloping and administering policies relating to labour and homelessness. Abbr HRSD Department of Justice

Department of Justice /d| �pɑ�tmənt əv �d��sts/ noun US the department of the US government re- sponsible for federal legal cases, head- ed by the Attorney-General. Also called Justice Department Department of Justice Canada

Department of Justice Canada /d|�pɑ�tmənt əv �d��sts �k�nədə/ noun the Canadian government de-

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Department of Social Services 70 partment that is mainly responsible for developing policies affecting the jus- tice system and providing legal servic- es to the federal government Department of Social ServicesDepartment of National De- fense and the Canadian Forces /d|�pɑ�tmənt əv �n�ʃ(ə)nəl d|�fens ən ð kə|�nediən/ noun the Canadian government department that is mainly responsible for national security and overseeing the armed forces. Abbr DND/CF Department of Social ServicesDepartment of Social Services /d|�pɑ�tmənt əv �səυʃ(ə)l �s#�vsz/ noun a US state agency responsible for providing services and protection to people living in poverty or situa- tions of abuse or neglect. Abbr DSS Department of the InteriorDepartment of the Interior /d| �pɑ�tmənt əv ði� �ntəriə/ noun the executive department of the US feder- al government that is mainly responsi- ble for developing the nation’s natural resources, managing national parks, and overseeing Native American res- ervations and outlying territories. Abbr DOI (NOTE: The UK does not have a government department called the ‘Department of the Interi- or’: the Home Office is responsible for supervising the police and policy on law and order.) Department of Trade and IndustryDepartment of Trade and In- dustry /d|�pɑ�tmənt əv �tred ənd �ndəstri/ noun the British govern- ment department dealing with busi- ness and commerce dependantdependant /d |�pendənt/, depend- ent /d |�pendənt/ noun a person, espe- cially a relative, who is supported fi- nancially by someone else dependencydependency /d |�pendənsi/ noun a country or state that belongs to anoth- er country with which it does not share a border dependency theorydependency theory /d|�pendənsi �θəri/ noun a theory of international relations that important countries in- fluence other countries as a result of their economic power depoliticisedepoliticise, depoliticize verb to prevent a discussion about something

being carried out according to fixed political views � The government wants to depoliticise the debate on crime. depopulated

depopulated /di�|�pɒpjυletd/ ad- jective of an area where there are now far fewer people living than there were in the past deport

deport /d|�pɔ�t/ verb to send some- one away from a country � The illegal immigrants were deported. deportation

deportation /�di�pɔ�|�teʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of sending someone away from a country deportation order

deportation order /�di�pɔ� | �teʃ(ə)n �ɔ�də/ noun an official order to send someone away from a country � The minister signed the deportation order. deportee

deportee /�di�pɔ�|�ti�/ noun some- one who is being or has been deported depose

depose /d|�pəυz/ verb to remove a political leader or a king or queen from their job deposit

deposit /d |�pɒzt/ noun money paid by a candidate in an election, which is not returned if the candidate does not win enough votes � He polled only 25 votes and lost his deposit. (NOTE: The deposit is currently £500 and is not returned if a candidate receives less than 5% of the vote.) � verb to put documents somewhere for safe keep- ing or for information � We have de- posited the deeds of the house with the bank. � She deposited her will with her solicitor.

COMMENT: Information which has not been presented to MPs in any other way may be placed in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords library by a Minister or the Speaker as a ‘deposited paper’. Most deposited papers are replies to written parliamentary questions.

deprived

deprived /d|�pravd/ adjective not having the basic things regarded as necessary for a pleasant life � a de- prived childhood � a deprived area dept

dept abbreviation department deputation

deputation /�depjυ |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun a group of people who have been cho-

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71 despatch box sen to represent and act on behalf of a larger group of people deputedepute /d|�pju�t/ verb to give some- one the job of doing something � He was deputed to act as chairman. � ad- jective same as deputy (used after nouns) deputisedeputise /�depjυtaz/, deputize verb to take the place of a higher offi- cial deputydeputy /�depjυti/ noun 1. a person who takes the place of a higher official or who helps a higher official � She acted as deputy for the chairman or She acted as the chairman’s deputy. 2. US a person who acts for or helps a sheriff 3. (in some countries) a mem- ber of a legislative body � After the Prime Minister resigned, the deputies of his party started to discuss the elec- tion of a successor. � Chamber of Deputies Deputy MayorDeputy Mayor /�depjυti meə/ noun a member of a town council who acts for a mayor if he or she is absent Deputy MinisterDeputy Minister /�depjυti �mnstə/ noun in Canada the chief civil servant in charge of a ministry (NOTE: In the UK, the post is called the Permanent Secretary.) Deputy Prime MinisterDeputy Prime Minister /�depjυti pram �mnstə/ noun the title given to a senior Cabinet minister who acts for the Prime Minister if he or she is absent Deputy SpeakerDeputy Speaker /�depjυti �spi�kə/ noun a MP, elected by other MPs, who acts as chair of the House of Com- mons when the Speaker is absent (NOTE: There are three Deputy Speakers: one has the additional title of the Chairman of Ways and Means, the others are Deputy Chairmen of Ways and Means.) derecognitionderecognition /�di�rekə� |�nʃ(ə)n/ noun the situation when one country decides not to accept the government of another country as the rightful gov- ernment deregulatederegulate /di� |�re�jυlet/ verb to remove government controls from an industry

deregulation

deregulation /di� |�re�jυ|�leʃ(ə)n/ noun reducing government control over an industry derelictiondereliction /�derə|�lkʃ(ə)n/ noun � dereliction of duty failure to do what you ought to do � he was found guilty of gross dereliction of duty derogation

derogation /�derə |��eʃ(ə)n/ noun in the European Union, the temporary suspension of a regulation or directive desegregatedesegregate /di�|�se�r�et/ verb to end the separation of people based on their ethnic background desegregation

desegregation /�di�se�r| ��eʃ(ə)n/ noun the ending of the sep- aration of people based on ethnic background deselectdeselect /�di�s|�lekt/ verb to decide that a person who had been chosen by a political party as a candidate for a constituency is no longer the candi- date deselectiondeselection /�di�s|�lekʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of deselecting a candidate � Some factions in the local party have proposed the deselection of the candi- date. desert

desert /d|�z#�t/ verb to leave the armed forces without permission designate

designate /�dez�net/ adjective a person who has been given a job but who has not yet started work � the chairman designate � verb to name or to appoint officially � The area was designated a National Park. despatchdespatch /d|�sp�tʃ/ verb to send � The letters about the rates were des- patched yesterday. � The Defence Minister was despatched to take charge of the operation. despatch boxdespatch box /d|�sp�tʃ bɒks/ noun 1. the red leather case in which government papers are sent to minis- ters. Also called red box 2. one of two boxes facing each other on the centre table in the House of Commons at which a Minister or member of the Opposition Front Bench stands to speak � to be at the despatch box (of a minister) to be speaking in parlia- ment

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despot 72 despotdespot /�despɒt/ noun a ruler with great power despoticdespotic /d|�spɒtk/ adjective like a ruler with great power despotismdespotism /�despɒtz(ə)m/ noun the system of government where the ruler has great power destabilisedestabilise /di� |�steblaz/ verb to make a government or economy una- ble to function successfully détentedétente /�de |�tɒnt/ noun an im- provement in the relations between two or more countries who have been unfriendly detention centredetention centre /d |�tenʃ(ə)n �sentə/ noun a place where people can be kept while their request to enter and remain in a country is considered deterrentdeterrent /d |�terənt/ noun 1. some- thing which discourages someone from doing something � Means testing is a deterrent to the take-up of bene- fits. 2. weapons, particularly nuclear weapons, seen as threat that will pre- vent another country from attacking dethronedethrone /d|�θrəυn/ verb to remove a king or queen from their official po- sition developerdeveloper /d|�veləpə/ noun a busi- ness person who buys up land in order to build houses on it developing countrydeveloping country /d|�veləpŋ �k�ntri/, developing nation /d| �veləpŋ �neʃ(ə)n/ noun a country which is not yet fully industrialised developmentdevelopment /d |�veləpmənt/ noun 1. the process of encouraging business activities in a region or country and helping its economy grow 2. the proc- ess of planning the production of a new product or new town 3. a change which takes place � a new develop- ment in healthcare development areadevelopment area /d |�veləpmənt �eəriə/ noun an area which has been given special help from a government to encourage businesses and factories to be set up there. Also called devel- opment zone development plandevelopment plan /d |�veləpmənt pl�n/ noun a plan drawn up by a gov-

ernment or council to show how an area should develop over a period of time deviatedeviate /�di�viet/ verb to move away from a planned course of action deviationismdeviationism /�di�vi | �eʃ(ə)nz(ə)m/ noun departure from accepted political views, especially from orthodox communism devolutiondevolution /�di�və |�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the passing of power from a central government to a local or regional au- thority (NOTE: In the UK, devolution is the process by which since 1997 a parliament has been set up in Scot- land, and assemblies have been cre- ated in Northern Ireland, Wales and Greater London.)

COMMENT: Devolution involves the transfer of more power than decentral- isation. In a devolved state, the re- gional authorities are almost autono- mous.

devolutionistdevolutionist /�di�və |�lu�ʃ(ə)nst/ noun someone who favours transfer- ring power from a central government to smaller political units devolvedevolve /d|�vɒlv/ verb to transfer power from a central to a regional or local authority � Power is devolved to regional assemblies. Devolved AssemblyDevolved Assembly /d|�vɒlvd ə | �sembli/ noun one of the representa- tive bodies set up in the UK in 1998, which are the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, Northern Ireland Assembly and, in 2000, the Greater London Assembly devolved governmentdevolved government /d |�vɒlvd ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun government with the power to make laws on the in- ternal affairs of a region of a country (NOTE: Devolved governments were established in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1998, but in 2004 the one in Northern Ireland is in abeyance.) DFESDFES abbreviation Department for Education and Skills DFIDDFID /�dfd/ abbreviation Depart- ment for International Development DfTDfT abbreviation Department for Transport

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73 diplomatic etiquette DHDH abbreviation Department of Health DHSDHS abbreviation US Department of Homeland Security dialoguedialogue /�daəlɒ�/ noun 1. formal discussion between two people or groups in order to reach a decision � engage in constructive dialogue � en- ter into dialogue 2. official diplomatic contact between two countries diarchydiarchy /�daɑ�ki/ noun 1. a form of government in which power is held by two rulers or governing bodies 2. a country controlled by two rulers or governing bodies diarydiary /�daəri/ noun a book in which you can write notes or appointments for each day of the week and record events which have taken place dictatordictator /dk |�tetə/ noun a ruler who has complete power � The coun- try has been ruled by a military dicta- tor for six years. � The MPs accused the party leader of behaving like a dic- tator. dictatorialdictatorial /�dktə |�tɔ�riəl/ adjective 1. referring to a ruler who has com- plete power � a dictatorial form of government 2. behaving like a ruler with complete power � Officials dis- liked the Minister’s dictatorial way of working. dictatorshipdictatorship /dk |�tetəʃp/ noun 1. rule by someone with complete power � Under the dictatorship of Mussolini, personal freedom was restricted. � the dictatorship of the proletariat in Marxist theory, the period after a rev- olution when the Communist Party takes control until a true classless so- ciety develops 2. a country ruled by someone with complete power � a military dictatorship a country ruled by an army officer as a dictator dieharddiehard noun, adjective a person who strongly opposes any form of change � He’s a diehard Conserva- tive. � Diehard Labour supporters criticised the new style of leadership. DietDiet /�daət/ noun the legislative body in Japan and some other coun- tries

dilatory motiondilatory motion /�dlət(ə)ri �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun a motion in the House of Commons to put off the de- bate on a proposal until a later date diplomacydiplomacy /d|�pləυməsi/ noun 1. the management of a country’s inter- est in another country � The art of di- plomacy is to anticipate the next move by the other party. � quiet diplomacy discussing problems with officials of another country in a calm way, with- out telling the press about it � secret diplomacy discussing problems with another country in secret 2. a quiet way of persuading people to do what you want or of settling problems with- out force � solved the dispute with tact and diplomacy diplomatdiplomat /�dpləm�t/ noun a per- son such as an ambassador who is an official representative of his or her country in another country diplomaticdiplomatic /�dplə |�m�tk/ adjec- tive 1. referring to diplomats � His car had a diplomatic number plate. � She was using a diplomatic passport. � to grant someone diplomatic status to give someone the rights of a diplomat 2. quietly persuasive in dealing with other people diplomatic bagdiplomatic bag /�dplə |�m�tk b��/ noun a bag containing official government documents which is car- ried from one country to another by diplomats and cannot be opened by customs � He was accused of shipping arms into the country in the diplomat- ic bag. diplomatic channelsdiplomatic channels /�dpləm�tk �tʃ�n(ə)lz/ plural noun the ways in which diplomats commu- nicate between countries � The mes- sage was delivered by diplomatic channels. � They are working to re- store diplomatic channels between the two countries. diplomatic corps

diplomatic corps /�dplə |�m�tk kɔ�/ noun all the foreign ambassadors and their staff in a city or country diplomatic etiquette

diplomatic etiquette /�dplə| �m�tk �etket/ noun formal conven- tions of behaviour between diplomats

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diplomatic immunity 74 diplomatic immunitydiplomatic immunity /�dpləm�tk |�mju�nti/ noun the right of not being subject to the laws of the country in which you are living, because you are a diplomat � She claimed diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested. diplomatic relations

diplomatic relations /�dplə | �m�tk r |�leʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun the arrangements by which two countries have representatives in each other’s country and deal with each other for- mally � The countries have broken off diplomatic relations. diplomatic service

diplomatic service /�dplə |�m�tk �s#�vs/ noun the government depart- ment concerned with relations with other countries, including those who work in embassies, consulates, and other representatives abroad � He has decided on a career in the diplomatic service. diplomatistdiplomatist /d|�pləυmətst/ noun same as diplomat (formal) direct actiondirect action /da|�rekt ��kʃən/ noun political or industrial action in- tended to have immediate and notice- able effect that will influence opinion, e.g. a strike, boycott or civil disobedi- ence direct democracydirect democracy /da|�rekt d| �mɒkrəsi/ noun rule of the people by the people without the intervention of representatives � The only really via- ble form of direct democracy for the modern world is the use of referen- dums. direct election

direct election /da|�rekt |�lekʃən/ noun an election where the voters vote for the person who will represent them, as opposed to elections where the voters vote for people who then choose the representative directiondirection /da |�rekʃən/ noun 1. con- trol or leadership 2. the general progress of something � unhappy about the direction the party has taken in recent years � directions instruc- tions which explain how something should be done � The court is not able to give directions to the local authori- ty.

directive

directive /da |�rektv/ noun 1. an or- der to someone to do something 2. a piece of legislation made by the Euro- pean Commission � The Commission issued a directive on food prices. (NOTE: A directive of the European Commission is binding as to the re- sult to be achieved, but leaves to the national authorities the choice of form and method (Article 189 EC).) direct labour organisation

direct labour organisation /da | �rekt �lebə �ɔ��əna |�zeʃ(ə)n/ noun a group of workers employed by a coun- cil or other government department, as opposed to a group who are privately employed by a company which has a contract to do the work from the coun- cil or government department. Abbr DLO director

director /da |�rektə/ noun 1. a per- son whose job involves managing all or part of an organisation or company � He is the director of a government institute. � She was appointed director of the charity. 2. the person appointed by the shareholders to manage a com- pany 3. the chief officer of a depart- ment in a council 4. Director of Edu- cation or Housing or Social Serv- ices the chief officer in a local government administration, in charge of the education or housing or social services in his or her area directorate-general

directorate-general /da | �rekt(ə)rət �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun an ad- ministrative section of the European Commission director-general

director-general /da |�rektə �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun 1. a person in charge of a large organisation, with several directors responsible to him or her 2. in the European Union, a civil servant in charge of one of the directo- rates-general in the European Union Director-General of Fair Trading

Director-General of Fair Trad- ing /da|�rektə �d�en(ə)rəl əv �feə �tredŋ/ noun the official in charge of the Office of Fair Trading, a body which regulates businesses and pro- tects consumers Director of Education

Director of Education /da |�rektə əv �edjυ |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun an officer of

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75 disciplinary a local authority who is responsible for schools and colleges in the area Director of Public ProsecutionsDirector of Public Prosecu- tions /da|�rektə əv �p�blk �prɒs | �kju�ʃ(ə)nz/ noun the government of- ficial in charge of the Crown Prosecu- tion Service, reporting to the Attor- ney-General, who advises on criminal cases brought by the police, prose- cutes in important cases and advises other government departments if pros- ecutions should be started � The pa- pers in the case have been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Abbr DPP directorydirectory /da|�rekt(ə)ri/ noun a list of people or businesses with their ad- dresses and telephone numbers, and sometimes further information about them direct primarydirect primary /da |�rekt �praməri/ noun in the United States, a primary election in which the candi- dates for an office are each chosen by popular vote direct taxdirect tax /da |�rekt �t�ks/ noun tax which is paid on money that has been earned or profits, e.g. income tax direct taxationdirect taxation /da |�rekt t�k | �seʃ(ə)n/ noun the system of taxing a person or organisation on money that has been earned or on profits dirigismedirigisme noun tight government control of a country’s economy and social institutions dirty trickdirty trick /�d#�ti �trk/ plural noun tactics used in a political campaign against an opponent that are not com- pletely fair or honest Disability Rights CommissionDisability Rights Commission /�dsəblti �rats kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ an or- ganisation which works to improve the conditions of people with disabili- ties and to remove any discrimination against them. Abbr DRC (NOTE: In 2006 the Disability Rights Commis- sion will be merged with other bodies to form the Commission for Equality and Human Rights.) disadvantagedisadvantage /�dsəd |�vɑ�ntd�/ noun something which makes some- one or something less successful than

others � It is a disadvantage for a tax lawyer not to have studied to be an ac- countant. � at a disadvantage less likely to be successful � not having studied law puts him at a disadvan- tage � verb to put someone or some- thing in a more difficult position than someone else, making success less likely � She is disadvantaged by not having the right qualifications for the job. disadvantageddisadvantaged /�dsəd |�vɑ�ntd�d/ adjective referring to people who have less money, education or opportunities than others, or to places where condi- tions are more disappeardisappear /dsə |�pə/ verb to arrest or kill a political opponent without the process of law disarmamentdisarmament /ds|�ɑ�məmənt/ noun the process of reducing the number of arms held by a country disbursedisburse /ds |�b#�s/ verb to pay money to somebody out of a large amount which has been collected for a purpose disbursementdisbursement /ds |�b#�smənt/ noun the payment of money from a large amount which has been collect- ed for a purpose dischargedischarge /ds|�tʃɑ�d�/ verb � The judge discharged the jury. � to dis- charge a committee US to remove control of a bill from a committee, es- pecially if a committee has not report- ed on a bill within 30 days

COMMENT: Committees of both House of Representatives and the Senate can be discharged; the action to dis- charge a committee in the House of the Representatives is called a ‘dis- charge petition’ and in the Senate a ‘discharge resolution’.

Discharge CalendarDischarge Calendar /�dstʃɑ�d� �k�lndə/ noun a list of motions for discharging committees disciplinarydisciplinary /�ds |�plnəri/ adjec- tive relating to punishment for break- ing rules � disciplinary procedure a way of warning someone officially that he or she is not doing things in the expected way � to take disciplinary action against someone to punish

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disclaimer 76 someone for not doing things in the expected way disclaimer

disclaimer /ds |�klemə/ noun a le- gal refusal to accept responsibility or to accept a right disclosure

disclosure /ds|�kləυ�ə/ noun the act of telling details or of publishing a secret � The disclosure of the takeover bid raised the price of the shares. � The defendant’s case was made stronger by the disclosure that the plaintiff was an undischarged bank- rupt. � disclosure of confidential in- formation an act of telling someone information which should not be made public discretionary

discretionary /d |�skreʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ adjective available to use if necessary � the minister’s discretionary pow- ers powers which the minister could use if he thought he should do so discriminate

discriminate /d |�skrmnet/ verb to note real or imagined differences between things and act on these judg- ments, sometimes unfairly � The plan- ning committee finds it difficult to dis- criminate between applications which improve the community, and those which are purely commercial. discrimination

discrimination /d|�skrm| �neʃ(ə)n/ noun action which treats different groups of people in different ways, sometimes unfairly � Racial discrimination is against the law. � She accused the council of sexual dis- crimination in their recruitment poli- cy. disenfranchise

disenfranchise /�dsn | �fr�ntʃaz/, disfranchise verb to de- prive a person or organisation of a privilege or legal right, especially the right to vote disestablish

disestablish /�ds|�st�blʃ/ verb to end a legal relationship between a state and a church or religion disloyal

disloyal /ds |�lɔəl/ adjective not supporting your country, friends or political party disloyalty

disloyalty /ds |�lɔəlti/ noun behav- iour that does not support your coun- try, friends or political party

dispensationdispensation /�dspen|�seʃ(ə)n/ noun special permission to do some- thing which is usually not allowed or is against the law displaced persondisplaced person /ds |�plesd �p#�s(ə)n/ noun a man or woman who has been forced to leave their home and move to another country because of war disqualificationdisqualification /ds |�kwɒlf | �keʃ(ə)n/ noun the situation of being prevented from continuing to do something because you have broken the rules in some way � disqualifica- tion from office a rule which forces a director to be removed from a direc- torship if he does not fulfil its condi- tions disqualifydisqualify /ds|�kwɒlfa/ verb to prevent someone from continuing to do something because they have done something wrong, or because it is not allowed by a set of rules � After the ac- cident he was fined £1,000 and dis- qualified from driving for two years. � Being a judge disqualifies her from being a Member of Parliament. � Ap- plicants will be disqualified for can- vassing. Disraeli

Disraeli /dz |�reli/, Benjamin, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1804–81) British politician and novelist. British Conservative prime minister (1868, 1874–80). dissent

dissent /d|�sent/ noun strong lack of agreement � The opposition showed its dissent by voting against the Bill. � verb not to agree with someone � The motion was carried, three councillors dissented. � dissenting opinion the opinion of a member of a committee, showing that he or she disagrees with the other members dissidentdissident /�dsdənt/ adjective not in agreement with a political group or government � a dissident writer � noun a person who is not in agreement with a political group or government dissolutiondissolution /�dsə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the formal process of ending a busi- ness or legal relationship � also dis- solution of Parliament the formal

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77 division vote process of ending a parliament, which is followed by a general election � The government lost the vote of no confi- dence, and so the Prime Minister asked for a dissolution of Parliament. dissolvedissolve /d |�zɒlv/ verb to bring a business or legal relationship to an end � to dissolve Parliament to end a ses- sion of Parliament, and so force a gen- eral election districtdistrict /�dstrkt/ noun a section of a town or of a country District AuditorDistrict Auditor /�dstrkt �ɔ�dtə/ noun a local official of the Audit Commission district councildistrict council /�dstrkt �kaυnsəl/ noun an elected body which runs a local area

COMMENT: There are two kinds of dis- trict council: metropolitan districts, covering large urban areas, are re- sponsible for all local matters; non- metropolitan districts deal with some local matters, but leave other matters to be dealt with by the county council.

district courtdistrict court /�dstrkt kɔ�t/ noun US a court in a federal district District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia /�dstrkt əv kə |�l�mbiə/ noun the district of which the US capital Washington is the cen- tre, which is not part of any state of the USA and is administered directly by Congress. Abbr DC district registrydistrict registry /�dstrkt �red�stri/ noun the office where records of births, marriages and deaths are kept for an area dividedivide /d|�vad/ verb 1. to make into separate sections � The country is di- vided into six administrative regions. � The two departments agreed to di- vide the work between them. 2. (in the House of Commons) to vote � The House divided at 10.30. 3. to disagree, or make people disagree � They were divided on the issue of the benefits of membership of the European Union. divisiondivision /d|�v�(ə)n/ noun 1. a sec- tion of something which is divided into several sections � Smith’s is now a division of the Brown group of com- panies. 2. one of the separate sections of the High Court (the Queen’s Bench

Division, the Family Division and the Chancery Division) or the sections of the Appeal Court (Civil Division and Criminal Division) 3. (in the House of Commons) a vote � In the division on the Law and Order Bill, the govern- ment had a comfortable majority. � di- vide 2 4. the act of dividing or of being divided � division of responsibility the act of sharing the responsibility for something between several people

COMMENT: When a division is called in the House of Commons, the Speaker names four MPs as tellers, bells are rung and the doors out of the division lobbies are closed. MPs file through the lobbies and are counted as they pass through the doors and go back into the chamber. At the end of the di- vision, the tellers report the numbers of Ayes and Noes, and the Speaker declares the result by saying ‘the Ayes have it’ or ‘the Noes have it’.

divisional

divisional /d|�v�(ə)n(ə)l/ adjective referring to a division � a divisional education officer division bell

division bell /d |�v�(ə)n bel/ noun the bell which is rung to warn MPs that a vote is going to be taken division bell area

division bell area /d |�v�(ə)n bel �eəriə/ noun the area round the House of Commons which is near enough for MPs to come to vote after the division bell has rung. Eight minutes is al- lowed between the bell and the vote. � She has a flat in the division bell area. division list

division list /d|�v�(ə)n lst/ noun a list of MPs who voted for and against a motion, usually included in Hansard on the day after the vote division lobby

division lobby /d|�v�(ə)n �lɒbi/ noun one of two rooms in the House of Commons through which MPs pass to vote. Also called voting lobby (NOTE: The Aye lobby is to the right of the Speaker’s chair, behind the seats where the MPs who form the govern- ment sit, and the No lobby is to the left.) division vote

division vote /d|�v�(ə)n vəυt/ noun US a vote in the House of Rep- resentatives, where members stand up to be counted and the vote is not re-

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DLO 78 corded in the record. Also called standing vote DLO

DLO abbreviation Direct Labour Or- ganization

‘…a good DLO will subcontract work to the private sector, if only to give itself a benchmark for performance measure- ment’ [Local Government News]

DMK

DMK noun in Tamil Nadu, India, a political party advocating the promo- tion of Tamil society and culture. Full form Dravida Munnetra Kazgham DND/CF

DND/CF abbreviation Department of National Defense and the Canadian Forces D-noticeD-notice /�di� �nəυts/ noun a gov- ernment statement, without legal force, containing official guidance to news editors that the publication of a specific piece of information is not ad- visable � should be DA-notice Full form Defence Advisory notice doctrine

doctrine /�dɒktrn/ noun a state- ment of policy document

document /�dɒkjυmənt/ noun 1. a paper with information in it � Deeds, contracts and wills are all legal docu- ments. 2. an official paper from a gov- ernment department � verb to put something in a published document � The cases of unparliamentary lan- guage are well documented in Han- sard. documentary

documentary /�dɒkjυ |�ment(ə)ri/ adjective in the form of documents � documentary evidence � documentary proof documentation

documentation /�dɒkjυmen | �teʃ(ə)n/ noun all the documents re- ferring to something � Please send me the complete documentation concern- ing the sale. DOD

DOD abbreviation US Department of Defense Dod’s Parliamentary Companion

Dod’s Parliamentary Compan- ion /�dɒdz �pɑ�ləment(ə)ri kəm | �p�njən/ noun a small book contain- ing details of all MPs, their constitu- encies and government posts DOE

DOE abbreviation US Department of Energy

dogmadogma /�dɒ�mə/ noun a belief or set of beliefs of a political, religious or other group of people dogmaticdogmatic /dɒ� |�m�tk/ adjective relating to a religious, political, philo- sophical or moral dogma DOIDOI abbreviation US Department of the Interior dollar diplomacydollar diplomacy /�dɒlə d | �pləυməsi/ noun 1. the use of money to establish good relations with other countries 2. in the United States, a policy aimed at encouraging and pro- tecting US interests abroad domaindomain /dəυ|�men/ noun the territo- ry ruled by a specific government or leader Domesday BookDomesday Book /�du�mzde bυk/ noun a record made for King William I in 1086, which recorded lands in England and their owners for tax pur- poses domesticdomestic /də |�mestk/ adjective 1. referring to a family or home 2. refer- ring to the home country or to the country where a business has its head offices � The remarks by the ambassa- dor were regarded as interference in the country’s domestic affairs. domestic consumptiondomestic consumption /də | �mestk kən|�s�mpʃən/ noun the use of goods in a country, or the amount used domestic productiondomestic production /də |�mestk prə|�d�kʃən/ noun production of goods in a country domestic ratedomestic rate /də|�mestk ret/ noun a local tax which is levied on houses and flats domiciledomicile /�dɒmsal/ noun the coun- try where someone is said to live per- manently or where a company’s office is registered, especially for tax pur- poses � domicile of origin the domi- cile which a person has from birth, usually the domicile of the father � domicile of choice country where someone has chosen to live, which is not the domicile of origin � verb to live in a particular place � he is domi- ciled in Denmark he lives in Den- mark officially

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79 Downing Street dominant partydominant party /�dɒmnənt �pɑ�ti/ noun In a democracy, the way in which one political party tends to be stronger and more successful in win- ning elections than the others for a pe- riod of time � The dominant party in US politics after 1932 was the Demo- crat Party, but its dominance was probably at an end by the end of the century. dominiondominion /də |�mnjən/ noun 1. also Dominion an independent state which is part of the British Common- wealth 2. the power of control over something � to exercise dominion over a country domino effectdomino effect /�dɒmnəυ |�fekt/ noun the situation that happens when one event causes another which then causes another to happen (NOTE: In the 1960s some Americans argued that if Vietnam became a communist country the rest of Southeast Asia would also become communist ac- cording to the domino effect.) domino theorydomino theory /�dɒmnəυ �θəri/ noun a theory that political events are connected and that one event can start a chain of others (NOTE: The theory was developed by US President Dwight D. Eisenhower to warn of the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia.) donatedonate /dəυ |�net/ verb to give mon- ey to an organisation, especially a po- litical party or charity donation

donation /dəυ |�neʃ(ə)n/ noun the money given to an organisation such as a political party or charity donkey vote

donkey vote /�dɒŋki vəυt/ noun in the preferential voting system, a vote in which the preferences are just marked in the order that they appear on the ballot sheet (NOTE: In Australia, where voting is compulsory, this is often a way of registering a protest vote or abstention.) doorstepdoorstep /�dɔ�step/ verb to talk to people at their doors in order to per- suade them to buy something, to vote for a candidate in an election, or to find out their opinions

doorstep polldoorstep poll /�dɔ�step pəυl/ noun an opinion survey carried out by ask- ing people questions at their front doors � A doorstep poll suggested that the sitting MP might lose her seat. door-to-doordoor-to-door /�dɔ� tə �dɔ�/ adjec- tive going from one house to the next � Before the election, the party had carried out a lot of door-to-door can- vassing, talking to voters and handing out leaflets. Dorothy DixerDorothy Dixer /�dɒrəθi �dksə/ noun a question asked in parliament which allows a politician, especially a minister, to give a prepared answer double agentdouble agent /�d�b(ə)l �ed�ənt/ noun someone who spies for one gov- ernment and also gives secret informa- tion about that government to the oth- er double dissolutiondouble dissolution /�d�b(ə)l �dsə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun in Australia, the dissolution of both houses of the fed- eral parliament by the governor gener- al when the upper house has repeated- ly refused to pass legislation already passed by the lower house double taxationdouble taxation /�d�b(ə)l t�k| �seʃ(ə)n/ noun a system of taxing the same income twice, e.g. by a direct tax and an indirect tax, or by paying tax in two countries double tax treatydouble tax treaty /�d�b(ə)l t�ks �tri�ti/ noun an agreement between two countries so that citizens or busi- nesses pay tax in one country only dovedove /d�v/ noun a person who tries to achieve peace through discussion. Compare hawk doveishdoveish /�d�vʃ/, dovish adjective favouring diplomatic solutions to for- eign policy issues and preferring to avoid confrontation or war � He was accused of having doveish tendencies. Compare hawkish Downing StreetDowning Street /�daυnŋ stri�t/ noun the street in London where the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have their official houses. Also called No. 10 Downing Street (NOTE: The words ‘Downing Street’ are often used to mean ‘the Prime

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doyen of the diplomatic corps 80 Minister’ or even ‘the British govern- ment’: a Downing Street spokesman revealed that the plan had still to be approved by the Treasury; Downing Street sources indicate that the Prime Minister has given the go- ahead for the change; Downing Street is angry at suggestions that the treaty will not be ratified.) doyen of the diplomatic corps

doyen of the diplomatic corps /�dɔən əv ð �dplə|�m�tk kɔ�/ noun the foreign ambassador who has been in that country for the longest time DPP

DPP abbreviation Director of Public Prosecutions draconian

draconian /drə|�kəυniən/ adjective extremely severe � The government took draconian measures against the student protesters. draft

draft /drɑ�ft/ noun a first rough plan or document which has not been fin- ished � a draft of a contract or a draft contract � He drew up a draft agree- ment � The draft minutes were sent to the chairman for approval. � The draft Bill is with the House of Commons lawyers. � The draft of the press re- lease was passed by the Minister. � verb to make a first rough plan of a document � to draft a contract or a document or a bill � The contract is still being drafted draft bill

draft bill /�drɑ�ft �bl/ noun a Bill that is examined by a departmental Se- lect Committee before it is introduced in Parliament, allowing MPs who have special knowledge of the subject to make comments at an early stage drafter

drafter /�drɑ�ftə/ noun a person who makes a first rough plan of a document drafting

drafting /�drɑ�ftŋ/ noun the act of preparing the first rough plan of a doc- ument � the drafting stage of a parlia- mentary Bill � The drafting of the con- tract took six weeks. draftsman

draftsman /�drɑ�ftsmən/, draughtsman /�drɑ�ftsmən/, draftswoman, draughtswoman noun same as drafter draw up

draw up /�drɔ� ��p/ verb to write a legal document � to draw up a con-

tract or an agreement � to draw up a company’s articles of association DRCDRC abbreviation Disability Rights Commission dream ticketdream ticket /�dri�m �tkt/ noun a pair or team of candidates standing for associated political offices who seem to share between them all the qualities that will make them successful in an election DSSDSS abbreviation US Department of Social Services DTIDTI abbreviation Department of Trade and Industry dual nationalitydual nationality /�dju�əl �n�ʃə | �n�lti/ noun the right to be a citizen of two countries ducalducal /�dju�kəl/ adjective referring to a person who holds the title of duke or duchess duchessduchess /�d�tʃs/ noun the wife of a man who holds the title of duke duchyduchy /�d�tʃi/ noun the area once ruled by a person with the title of duke. � Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster dukeduke /dju�k/ noun a person with the highest noble title DumaDuma /�du�mə/ noun the Russian parliament dummydummy /�d�mi/ noun a paper with the titles of a Bill, presented in the House of Commons for the First Reading when the short title is read out by the clerk dutiabledutiable /�dju�tjəb(ə)l/ adjective carrying a tax � dutiable goods, duti- able items goods on which a customs or excise duty has to be paid dutyduty /�dju�ti/ noun 1. the responsi- bility for something that someone has � It is the duty of every citizen to serve on a jury if called. � The government has a duty to protect its citizens from criminals. 2. the official work which someone has to do in their job 3. the tax which is paid on goods � to take the duty off alcohol � to put a duty on cigarettes � goods which are liable to duty goods on which customs or ex- cise tax has to be paid

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81 dystopia duty bound

duty bound /�dju�ti baυnd/ adjec- tive having to do something because it is your duty � Witnesses under oath are duty bound to tell the truth. duty of care

duty of care /�dju�ti əv �keə/ noun the responsibility to be careful at work not to harm other people duumvir

duumvir /�du�əmvə/ noun either of two people who share a position of au- thority equally between them DWP

DWP abbreviation Department for Work and Pensions dyarchy

dyarchy noun another spelling of di- archy

dynastdynast /�danəst/ noun a ruler who is member of a powerful ruling family, especially a hereditary monarch dynasticdynastic /d|�n�stk/ adjective re- ferring to a family of rulers � the rules of dynastic succession dynastydynasty /�dnəsti/ noun 1. a family of rulers, following one after the other � The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644. 2. a period of rule by members of the same family dystopiadystopia /ds|�təυpiə/ noun an im- aginary place where everything is as bad as it possibly can be. Compare utopia

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E earlearl /#�l/ noun a lord of middle rank, below a marquess and above a vis- count (NOTE: The wife of an earl is a countess.) earldomearldom /�#�ldəm/ noun the title of earl early day motionearly day motion /�#�l de �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun a motion proposed in the House of Commons for discus- sion ’at an early date’. Usually used to introduce the particular point of view of the MP proposing the motion, and seldom actually followed by a full de- bate. earning powerearning power /�#�nŋ �paυə/ noun the amount of money someone should be able to earn East AsiaEast Asia /�i�st �e�ə/ the area of China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Ko- rea, South Korea, Macau, Mongolia, parts of Russia, and Taiwan. Also called Far East ECEC abbreviation European Commu- nity. Now called European Union ECHRECHR abbreviation European Court of Human Rights ECJECJ abbreviation European Court of Justice economiceconomic /�i�kə |�nɒmk/ adjective 1. referring to a country’s economy � The government’s economic policy was shown to be working. 2. not need- ing much money to be spent � It would not be economic to open the advice of- fice on Sundays. economic migranteconomic migrant /�i�kənɒmk �ma�rənt/ noun a worker who travels to an area or country where work or an easier life is available economic planningeconomic planning /�i�kənɒmk �pl�nŋ/ noun the activity of planning

the future financial state of a country for the government economic sanctionseconomic sanctions /�i�kənɒmk �s�ŋkʃ(ə)ns/ plural noun restrictions place by one country on trade with an- other country in order to influence its political situation or in order to make its government change its policy � to impose sanctions on a country or to lift sanctions � The imposition of sanctions has had a marked effect on the country’s economy. economic trendeconomic trend /�i�kənɒmk �trend/ noun the way in which a coun- try’s economy is growing or shrinking economic unioneconomic union /�i�kənɒmk �ju�njən/ noun the economies of two or more countries merged to function as a unit that shares a common finan- cial policy and currency economismeconomism /|�kɒnəmz(ə)m/ noun 1. the belief that economics is the most important element to consider in a society 2. the belief that improve- ment of the living standards of its members is the chief goal of a political or trade union organisation economyeconomy / |�kɒnəmi/ noun 1. the fi- nancial state of a country or the way in which a country makes and uses its money 2. the careful use of waste money or materials ecoterrorismecoterrorism /�i�kəυ |�terərz(ə)m/ noun disruption of the activities of people or companies who are regarded as polluting or destroying the natural environment ECUECU abbreviation European Curren- cy Unit e-democracye-democracy /�i� d |�mɒkrəsi/ noun the use of electronic systems for peo- ple to use in order to vote or for the

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83 electoral government to consult people’s opin- ion edictedict /�i�dkt/ noun an official order or announcement EduskuntaEduskunta noun the legislature in Finland EEAEEA abbreviation European Eco- nomic Area EECEEC abbreviation European Eco- nomic Community. Now called Euro- pean Community (EC) Eerste KamerEerste Kamer noun the upper house of the legislature in the Nether- lands. � States-General EFTAEFTA abbreviation European Free Trade Area egalitarianegalitarian / |���l|�teəriən/ adjec- tive referring to egalitarianism � She holds egalitarian views. � noun a per- son who supports egalitarianism egalitarianismegalitarianism /|���l | �teəriənz(ə)m/ noun the political theory that all members of society have equal rights and should have equal treatment EGMEGM abbreviation Extraordinary General Meeting e-governmente-government /�i� ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun government services made available to the public by electronic means such as the Internet EireEire noun now called Republic of Ireland ÉireannÉireann � Seanad Éireann EisenhowerEisenhower /�ezənhaυə/, Dwight D. (1890–1969) supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe during World War II and 34th president of the United States electelect / |�lekt/ verb 1. to choose some- one by a vote � a vote to elect the of- ficers of an association � She was elected chair of the committee. � He was first elected for this constituency in 1979. 2. to choose to do something � He elected to stand trial by jury. -elect-elect /lekt/ suffix the person who has been elected but has not yet started the term of office � She is the presi- dent-elect. (NOTE: The plural is pres- idents-elect.)

electionelection / |�lekʃən/ noun 1. the act of electing a representative or represent- atives. � general election, local election 2. the act of choosing � his recent election as president of the so- ciety � The accused made his election for jury trial. election agentelection agent /|�lekʃən �ed�ənt/ noun a person appointed by a party to organise its campaign in a constituen- cy during an election � The ruling par- ty lost votes in the general election or in the elections for local councils. � The election results are shown on tel- evision. election campaignelection campaign / |�lekʃən k�m | �pen/ noun the period immediately before an election, when candidates try to gain support Election DayElection Day / |�lekʃ(ə)n de/ noun in the United States, a day designated by law for the election of people to public office (NOTE: In the United States, Election Day for national elections is designated by law as the Tuesday after the first Monday in No- vember in even-numbered years.) electioneerelectioneer /|�lekʃə |�nə/ verb (of- ten as criticism) to get votes in an election, e.g. by visiting people and giving interviews to the media � Cut- ting taxes just before the election is pure electioneering. election expenseselection expenses /|�lekʃən k| �spensz/ plural noun the money spent by a candidate or political party during an election campaign, which has to be publicly declared electiveelective / |�lektv/ adjective 1. relat- ing to voting 2. chosen by a vote, or held by someone who is chosen by a vote � elective office electorelector / |�lektə/ noun a person who is qualified to vote in an election (NOTE: There is an important distinc- tion to be made between electors, who are qualified to vote but may not choose to do so, and voters, who do actually vote) electoralelectoral / |�lekt(ə)rəl/ adjective re- lating to elections � the electoral proc- ess

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electoral college 84 electoral college

electoral college /|�lekt(ə)rəl �kɒld�/ noun a small group of people elected by the whole population to vote on their behalf in an election with two stages

COMMENT: The President of the USA is elected by an electoral college made up of people elected by voters in each of the states of the USA. Each state elects the same number of electors to the electoral college as it has Con- gressmen, plus two. This guarantees that the college is broadly representa- tive of voters across the country. The presidential candidate with an overall majority in the college is elected pres- ident.

Electoral Commission

Electoral Commission /| �lekt(ə)rəl kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun an inde- pendent body that reviews donations to political parties and the amount of money spent on election campaigns and examines electoral law and prac- tice. It also tries to make people more aware of the process of electing peo- ple. (NOTE: It was established by the Political Parties, Elections and Ref- erendums Act 2000.) electoral platform

electoral platform /|�lekt(ə)rəl �pl�tfɔ�m/ noun the set of proposals for future policy set out by a candidate or party before an election which the candidate claims he or she will carry out if elected � The party is campaign- ing on a platform of lower taxes and less government interference in mu- nicipal affairs. electoral quota

electoral quota /|�lekt(ə)rəl �kwəυtə/ noun in Australia, the number of representatives of a state or territory that can be elected to the House of Representatives, in propor- tion to the population of the state or territory, i.e. approximately 1:70,000 inhabitants electoral reform

electoral reform / |�lekt(ə)rəl r| �fɔ�m/ noun the process of changing the system of voting electoral register

electoral register /|�lekt(ə)rəl �red�stə/, electoral roll /|�lekt(ə)rəl �rəυl/ noun a list of the names of all the people who are eligible to vote who have registered to do so. Also called electoral roll

electoral wardelectoral ward /|�lekt(ə)rəl �wɔ�d/ noun an area, city or country repre- sented by a councillor on a local coun- cil � Councillor Smith represents Cen- tral Ward on the council. (NOTE: The US term is precinct.) electorateelectorate / |�lekt(ə)rət/ noun all the people in an area or country quali- fied to vote � The electorate is tired of party political broadcasts. � The Brit- ish electorate want a change of gov- ernment. electronic votingelectronic voting /�elek |�trɒnk �vəυtŋ/ noun the use of electronic means to vote. Also called e-voting (NOTE: In the UK, trials of different methods such as text message, In- ternet, electronic kiosk and, for the first time ever, digital TV were carried out in 2004.) eligibleeligible /�eld�b(ə)l/ adjective able to do or have something according to a rule � Once you are over 18, you are eligible to vote. � The family is eligible for financial help. eliteelite /|�li�t/ noun 1. a small group of people in a group or society who have high status, power and special advan- tages � a political elite � a social elite 2. the best people at a particular activ- ity � adjective 1. having high status, power and special advantages 2. very good, usually the best of its kind � an elite army unit elitismelitism / |�li�tz(ə)m/ noun the belief that only people with the best educa- tion or other social advantages should be allowed to do something � accused the legal profession of elitism elitistelitist / |�li�tst/ noun someone who supports elitism � adjective support- ing elitism � elitist opinions emancipationemancipation / |�m�ns|�peʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of making a group free from former legal and political re- strictions embargoembargo /m |�bɑ��əυ/ noun a gov- ernment order which stops something, e.g. a type of trade � to lay or put an embargo on trade with a country to say that trade with a country must not take place � to put an embargo on a

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85 employee press release to say that information given to the media must not be made public before a specific date � to lift an embargo to allow trade to start again � verb to stop something, or not to allow something to take place � The government has embargoed trade with the Eastern countries. � the press re- lease was embargoed until 1st Janu- ary the information in the release could not be published until 1st Janu- ary embassy

embassy /�embəsi/ noun 1. a build- ing where an ambassador and other diplomats work in a foreign country � the American embassy � Each embas- sy is guarded by special police. 2. an ambassador and his staff, sent by a government to represent it in another country � Queen Elizabeth I sent an embassy to the Tsar Ivan the Terrible.

COMMENT: An embassy is the territory of the country which it represents. The police and armed forces of the country where the embassy is situated are not allowed to enter the embassy without official permission. People seeking asylum in a specific country can take refuge in its embassy, but it is not easy for them to leave, as to do so they have to step back into the country against which they are seeking pro- tection.

emblem

emblem /�embləm/ noun an object used as the symbol of a country, state or town � The leek and the red dragon are emblems of Wales. emergency

emergency /|�m#�d�ənsi/ noun a dangerous situation where decisions have to be taken quickly emergency debateemergency debate / |�m#�d�ənsi d |�bet/ noun a special debate on a subject of great national importance, which takes place within 24 hours of being requested (NOTE: Only one or two emergency debates are accept- ed each year.) emergency planning departmentemergency planning depart- ment /|�m#�d�ənsi �pl�nŋ d | �pɑ�tmənt/ noun a department in a lo- cal council which plans for action to be taken in case of major accidents emergency planning officer

emergency planning officer / | �m#�d�ənsi �pl�nŋ �ɒfsə/ noun a

council official who prepares the ac- tions needed to deal with dangerous situations such as major accidents emergency powersemergency powers /|�m#�d�ənsi �paυəz/ plural noun the special pow- ers granted to a government or to a minister to deal with a dangerous situ- ation emergency servicesemergency services /| �m#�d�ənsi �s#�vsz/ plural noun the police, fire and ambulance services, which are ready for action if a danger- ous situation happens emergentemergent /|�m#�d�ənt/ adjective still in the process of developing � emergent countries emigrantemigrant /�em�rənt/ noun a person who leaves one country to live perma- nently in another emigrateemigrate /�em�ret/ verb to go to another country to live permanently emigrationemigration /�em |��reʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of leaving a country to go to live permanently in another country emissaryemissary /�emsəri/ noun a person who carries a special message from one government to another emolumentsemoluments / |�mɒljυmənts/ plu- ral noun the pay earned by someone for the work they have done (NOTE: The US term is emolument.) emperoremperor /�emp(ə)rə/ noun a man who rules a country or a group of countries � the Emperor of Japan or the Japanese Emperor � empress empireempire /�empaə/ noun a large group of countries ruled by one coun- try � The British Empire came to an end after the Second World War, and was replaced by the Commonwealth. employemploy /m |�plɔ/ verb to give some- one regular paid work � The council employs people with disabilities in its offices. � She runs a department em- ploying two hundred people. employedemployed /m |�plɔd/ adjective in regular paid work � plural noun the people who are working � the employ- ers and the employed employeeemployee /m |�plɔi�/ noun a person paid to work for someone or for a

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employer 86 company � Employees of the firm are eligible to join a profit-sharing scheme. � Relations between manage- ment and employees have improved. � The council has decided to stop taking on new employees. employeremployer /m |�plɔə/ noun a person or company which has paid workers employer’s contributionemployer’s contribution /m | �plɔəz �kɒntr |�bju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the money paid by an employer towards an employee’s pension employmentemployment /m |�plɔmənt/ noun the state of being employed or paid to work for someone or for a company employment programmeemployment programme /m | �plɔmənt �prəυ�r�m/ noun a gov- ernment plan to create more jobs employment statisticsemployment statistics /m | �plɔmənt stə|�tstks/ plural noun government figures on the numbers of people who are working empressempress /�emprs/ noun 1. a wom- an who rules an empire � Queen Victo- ria was the Empress of India. 2. the wife of an emperor enabling legislationenabling legislation /n |�eblŋ �led�|�sleʃ(ə)n/ noun an Act of Par- liament which gives a minister the power to put other legislation into ef- fect enactenact /n |��kt/ verb to make a pro- posal for legislation into a law enacting clauseenacting clause /n |��ktŋ klɔ�z/, enacting words noun the first sec- tion of a bill, starting with the words ‘be it enacted that’ which gives the bill its official legal status when parlia- ment has voted to accept it enactmentenactment / |�n�ktmənt/ noun 1. the act of making a proposal for legis- lation into a law 2. an Act of Parlia- ment enclaveenclave /�eŋklev/ noun a region which belongs to one country or is in- dependent but is completely surround- ed by another country endorseendorse /n |�dɔ�s/ verb 1. to agree with or support something � The council endorsed the action taken by the Chief Executive. � Many MPs en- dorsed the efforts made the soldiers to

gain compensation. 2. to formally ap- prove or permit something � These practices have not been endorsed by any official. 3. to make a note on a driving licence that the holder has been convicted of a traffic offence 4. to sign a receipt or cheque endorsementendorsement /n |�dɔ�smənt/ noun 1. an act of approving or permitting something 2. a signature on a docu- ment which approves or permits something 3. a note on a driving li- cence to show that the holder has been convicted of a traffic offence enemyenemy /�enəmi/ noun a person or country which is hostile to another � His political enemies took the oppor- tunity to oust him from the post. enforceenforce /n |�fɔ�s/ verb to make sure something is done or is obeyed � to enforce the terms of a contract enforceableenforceable /n |�fɔ�səb(ə)l/ adjec- tive something which can be enforced � In practice the bylaw was not easily enforceable. enfranchiseenfranchise /n |�fr�ntʃaz/ verb to give someone the right to vote. � fran- chise enfranchisementenfranchisement /n | �fr�ntʃazmənt/ noun the action of giving someone the right to vote engagéengagé /ɒn |����e/ adjective (of art- ists, writers, etc.) showing political involvement engrossengross /n |��rəυs/ verb to draw up a legal document in its final form engrossed Billengrossed Bill /n|��rəυst bl/ noun US a Bill which has been passed by either the House of Representatives or Senate which is written out in its fi- nal form with all amendments to be sent to the other chamber for discus- sion engrossmentengrossment /n |��rəυsmənt/ noun 1. the drawing up of a legal doc- ument in its final form 2. a legal doc- ument in its final form enquireenquire /ŋ|�kwaə/ same as inquire enquiryenquiry /ŋ |�kwari/ same as inquiry enrolled billenrolled bill /n |�rəυld bl/ noun US the final copy of a bill which has been

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87 equalisation passed by both House and Senate, and is written out with all its amendments for signature by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Presi- dent of the Senate and the President of the USA ententeentente /ɒn |�tɒnt/ noun an agree- ment between two or more countries, used especially of the ‘Entente Cor- diale’ between Britain and France in 1904 enterpriseenterprise /�entəpraz/ noun 1. a system where businesses are devel- oped privately rather than by the state 2. a business � She runs a mail order enterprise. Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning DepartmentEnterprise, Transport and Life- long Learning Department noun a department of the Scottish Ex- ecutive, responsible for industrial de- velopment, transport and communica- tions, and further education. Abbr ETLLD enterprise zoneenterprise zone /�entəpraz zəυn/ noun an area of a country, where the government offers special payments to companies to encourage them to set up businesses entitlemententitlement /n |�tat(ə)lmənt/ noun something to which someone has a right entitlement cardentitlement card /n |�tat(ə)lmənt kɑ�d/ noun a national identity card proposed by the UK government that could include personal information such as health and tax records as well as enable the bearer to claim state ben- efits entitlement programentitlement program /n | �tat(ə)lmənt �prəυ�r�m/ noun in the United States, a government pro- gramme that targets a particular sec- tion of the population to receive spe- cific social benefits entrenchedentrenched /n |�trentʃt/ adjective fixed and difficult to change � the gov- ernment’s entrenched position on em- ployees’ rights entrenched clauseentrenched clause /n |�trentʃt klɔ�z/ noun a section in a constitution which cannot be amended except by an unusual and difficult process

entryismentryism /�entri |�z(ə)m/ noun a way of taking control of a political party or elected body, where extrem- ists join or are elected in the usual way, and are able to take over because of their numbers or because they are more active than other members entryistentryist /�entrist/ adjective refer- ring to entryism � The party leader condemned entryist techniques. environmentenvironment /n|�varənmənt/ noun 1. the surroundings in which somebody or something exists and which affect the development of that person or thing � the working environ- ment 2. the environment the earth, its natural features and resources environmentalenvironmental /n |�varən| �ment(ə)l/ adjective referring to the environment � the Opposition spokes- man on environmental issues environmental healthenvironmental health /n| �varənment(ə)l �helθ/ noun the health of the public and how their sur- roundings and living conditions affect it Environmental Health OfficerEnvironmental Health Officer /n |�varənment(ə)l �helθ �ɒfsə/ noun an official of a local authority who examines the environment and tests for air pollution or bad sanitation or noise levels. Also called Public Health Inspector environmentalismenvironmentalism /�nvarən | �mentəlz(ə)m/ noun the belief that political policy should have the pro- tection of the natural world and its re- sources as its first consideration environmentalistenvironmentalist /n |�varən| �ment(ə)lst/ noun a supporter of en- vironmentalism � adjective referring to environmentalism envoyenvoy /�envɔ/ noun 1. a person who is sent with a message from one gov- ernment or organisation to another � the President’s special envoy to the Middle East 2. a senior diplomat with a rank below that of ambassador EOCEOC abbreviation Equal Opportuni- ties Commission equalisationequalisation /�i�kwəla|�zeʃən/, equalization noun the process of

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equalitarian 88 making something the same in size, amount or importance for all the members of a group equalitarianequalitarian, equalitarianism � egalitarian equalityequality / |�kwɒlti/ noun the condi- tion where all citizens are equal, have equal rights and are treated equally by the state equality of opportunityequality of opportunity /| �kwɒlti əv �ɒpə |�tju�nti/ noun a sit- uation where each citizen has the same chance to get a job, be elected or have other opportunities equal opportunitiesequal opportunities /�i�kwəl ɒpə | �tju�ntiz/ noun a policy of avoiding discrimination against groups in soci- ety like women, disabled people and ethnic and religious groups (NOTE: The US term is affirmative action program.) Equal Opportunities CommissionEqual Opportunities Commis- sion /�i�kwəl ɒpə |�tju�ntiz kə | �mʃ(ə)n/ noun the official organisa- tion set up in 1975 to make sure that men and women have equal chances of employment and to remove dis- crimination between the sexes (NOTE: From 2006 the Equal Opportunities Commission is to be merged with other similar bodies into the Com- mission for Equality and Human Rights) equivalenceequivalence /|�kwvələns/ noun the same value as something else equivalentequivalent / |�kwvələnt/ adjective being of the same value as something else Erskine MayErskine May /�#�skn �me/ noun the book which gives detailed infor- mation on how Parliament conducts its business

COMMENT: Erskine May’s ‘Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament’ was originally published in 1844. The author, Sir Thomas Erskine May, was Clerk of the House of Commons. The book is updated frequently, and is the author- ity on questions of parliamentary pro- cedure.

escalationescalation /�eskə |�leʃ(ə)n/ noun an increase in something

espionage

espionage /�espiənɑ��/ noun the use of spies to get important secret in- formation about another country or company. � counter-espionage established post

established post /|�st�blʃt pəυst/ noun a permanent post in the civil service or similar organisation establishment

establishment /|�st�blʃmənt/ noun 1. an organisation or institution 2. � the Establishment powerful and important people who run the country and its government � the judiciary and the old universities form the basis of the Establishment � great 3. the per- manent staff of a government depart- ment or military force establishment officer

establishment officer / | �st�blʃmənt �ɒfsə/ noun a civil servant in charge of personnel in a government department estate

estate / |�stet/ noun any of three di- visions of parliament or constitutional government, either the Lords Tempo- ral, Lords Spiritual, and the Com- mons, or the Crown, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. The Scottish parliament before the Union was composed of the three es- tates of the high-ranking clergy, the barons, and the representatives of the royal burghs. estate duty

estate duty /|�stet �dju�ti/ noun the tax paid on the property left by a dead person. Also called death duty estimate

estimate noun /�estmət/ an attempt to say what future costs or income will be � estimates of expenditure calcu- lation of future expenditure prepared for each government department by the minister � verb /�estmet/ to at- tempt to say what future costs or in- come will be � estimates 1. detailed statements of future expenditure for each government department (divided into Civil Estimates and Defence Esti- mates) presented to the House of Commons for approval 2. detailed statements of future expenditure for each department of a local authority ethical

ethical /�eθk(ə)l/ adjective morally correct

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89 European Economic Area ethnicethnic /�eθnk/ adjective referring to some nation or race ethnic cleansingethnic cleansing /�eθnk �klenzŋ/ noun violent action to remove people of a different culture from an area ethnic groupethnic group /�eθnk �ru�p/ noun a group of people who have the same culture and traditions, especially when they are living in a country with a dif- ferent culture ethnicityethnicity /eθ|�nsti/ noun the fact of belonging to a specific ethnic group � The form asks you to state your ethnic- ity. ethnic minorityethnic minority /�eθnk ma | �nɒrti/ � ethnic group ETLLDETLLD abbreviation Scotland En- terprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department EUEU abbreviation European Union euroeuro /�jυərəυ/ noun the currency of the European Union Euro-Euro- /jυərəυ/ prefix referring to Eu- rope or the European Union EurocentricEurocentric /�jυərəυ |�sentrk/ ad- jective focusing on Europe, some- times in a way that is dismissive of other parts of the world Euro-constituencyEuro-constituency /�jυərəυ kən | �sttjυənsi/ noun an electoral district which elects an MEP to the European Parliament. Also called Euro-seat EurocratEurocrat /�jυərəυkr�t/ noun a civil servant working in any of the Europe- an Union institutions (informal) Euro-MPEuro-MP /�jυərəυ �em �pi�/ noun a Member of the European Parliament EuropeanEuropean /�jυərə |�pi�ən/ adjective referring to Europe European CommissionEuropean Commission /�jυərəpi�ən kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun the main executive body of the European Union made up of commissioners nominated by the Member States. Also called Commission of the Eu- ropean Community

COMMENT: The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The commissioners are nomi- nated by the Member States for a five- year term and their appointments are ratified by the European Parliament.

Each commissioner has responsibility for a Directorate-General or depart- ment with specific policy interests like transport or agriculture.

European CommunityEuropean Community /�jυərəpi�ən kə|�mju�nti/, European Economic Community /�jυərəpi�ən �i�kənɒmk kə |�mju�nti/ noun now called European Union European ConstitutionEuropean Constitution /�jυərə | �pi�ən �kɒnst|�tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a con- stitution that brings together the many treaties and agreements on which the European Union is based. It defines the powers of the EU, stating where it can and cannot act and in what cases the Member States have a right of ve- to, and also defines the role of the EU institutions. (NOTE: It was ratified in Brussels on 18 June 2004.) European CouncilEuropean Council /�jυərəpi�ən �kaυns(ə)l/ noun a group formed of the heads of state or of government of the member states of the European Union, which meets at least twice a year under the chairmanship of the member state which holds the presi- dency, to discuss EU matters. The presidency of the council passes from country to country every six months. European Court of Human RightsEuropean Court of Human Rights /�jυərəpi�ən kɔ�t əv �hju�mən �rats/ noun the court which sits in Strasbourg considering the rights of citizens of states which have signed the European Convention of Human Rights European Court of JusticeEuropean Court of Justice /�jυərəpi�ən �kɔ�t əv �d��sts/ noun the court which sits in Luxembourg and is responsible for judging cases under the law of the European Union and hearing appeals under European law from Member States of the EU European Economic AreaEuropean Economic Area /�jυərəpi�ən �i�kənɒmk �eərə/ noun the area covered by the treaty signed between the European Union and some other European countries out- side the EU which allows free trade with these countries. Abbr EEA European Economic AreaEuropean External Action Service /�jυərə|�pi�ən k |�st#�n(ə)l

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Europeanism 90 ��kʃ(ə)n �s#�vs/ noun a provision of the European Constitution for a Euro- pean diplomatic service EuropeanismEuropean Free Trade Associa- tion /�jυərə |�pi�ən fri� tred ə |�səυsi | �eʃ(ə)n/ noun a union of Western Eu- ropean countries established to elimi- nate trade tariffs among member states The original members in 1960 were Austria, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland. Current members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Abbr EFTA EuropeanismEuropeanism /�jυərə |�pi�ənz(ə)m/ noun support for the European Union and its further development European ParliamentEuropean Parliament /�jυərəpi�ən �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun the parliament made up of people (MEPs or Euro-MPs) elected by the voters of each member state of the European Union European Social CharterEuropean Social Charter /�jυərəpi�ən �səυʃ(ə)l �tʃɑ�tə/ noun a charter for workers drawn up by the European Union in 1989, setting out the rights for workers to fair treatment and pay European UnionEuropean Union /�jυərəpi�ən �ju�niən/ noun the 25 European coun- tries which have joined together to work for peace in Europe, economic growth and improvements in the liv- ing and working conditions of their citizens. Abbr EU EuropolEuropol /�jυərəυpɒl/ abbreviation European Police EuroscepticEurosceptic /�jυərəυ|�skeptk/ ad- jective opposed to further growth of the powers of the European Union over its Member States Euro-seatEuro-seat /�jυərəυ si�t/ noun same as Euro-constituency evacuateevacuate /|�v�kjuet/ verb to make the people who live in a place move away from it because of the threat of disaster or invasion evidenceevidence /�evd(ə)ns/ noun 1. a written or spoken statement of facts which helps to prove something at a trial � The National Association of

Teachers of English gave evidence to the committee. 2. a spoken statement made to a committee of the House of Commons or House of Lords, which is then printed in the official record � The Home Secretary gave evidence before the Select Committee. 3. a spo- ken or written statement made to a government or other inquiry � In evi- dence presented to the tribunal, the employees showed that their wages had not risen in line with the cost of living. � verb to show something � the lack of good faith, as evidenced by the minister’s refusal to make a statement to the Commons e-voting

e-voting /�i� �vəυtŋ/ noun same as electronic voting excellency

excellency /�eksələnsi/ noun � His Excellency, Her Excellency the way of referring to an ambassador exceptional needs payment

exceptional needs payment /k | �sepʃən(ə)l ni�dz �pemənt/ noun a payment made by the social services to a person who has a particular urgent need, such as for clothes excess vote

excess vote /�ekses vəυt/ noun a vote to approve the spending of more money than was originally approved exchangeable

exchangeable /ks |�tʃend�əb(ə)l/ adjective possible to exchange exchange controls

exchange controls /ks|�tʃend� kən|�trəυlz/ plural noun government restrictions on changing local money into foreign money � The government imposed exchange controls to stop the rush to buy dollars. Exchange Equalisation Account

Exchange Equalisation Ac- count /ks|�tʃend� ��kwəla|�zeʃən ə |�kaυnt/ noun an account with the Bank of England used by the govern- ment when buying or selling foreign money to influence the exchange rate for the pound Exchequer

Exchequer /ks |�tʃekə/ noun the government department which deals with taxes and government spending. Also called Treasury. � Chancellor of the Exchequer excise

excise /�eksaz/ noun a government tax on some goods used, made or sold

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91 exemption Excise DepartmentExcise Department /�eksaz d | �pɑ�tmənt/ noun same as Customs and Excise excise dutyexcise duty /�eksaz �dju�ti/ noun a tax on the sale of goods such as alco- hol and petrol which are produced in the country or on some goods brought into the country exclusion zoneexclusion zone /k |�sklu��(ə)n �zəυn/ noun an area, usually of sea, near a country, which the military forces of other countries are ordered not to use executeexecute /�ekskju�t/ verb to carry out a decision, plan or order executiveexecutive /� |�zekjυtv/ adjective 1. putting decisions into action � exec- utive session US a meeting of a con- gressional committee where only committee members, witnesses and other members of Congress may at- tend, and the public is excluded 2. re- ferring to the branch of government which puts laws into effect � noun 1. a person in an organisation who takes decisions 2. � the Executive the sec- tion of a government which puts into effect the laws passed by Parliament (NOTE: In the USA, this is the presi- dent.)

‘…the principles of a free constitution are lost when the legislative power is nominated by the executive’ [Edward Gibbon]

executive agencyexecutive agency /� |�zekjυtv �ed�ənsi/ noun a semi-independent organisation set up to carry out some of the responsibilities of government department executive agreementexecutive agreement /� | �zekjυtv ə |��ri�mənt/ noun an agree- ment between a US president and a foreign head of state that has not been given approval by the Senate Executive Branch

Executive Branch /� |�zekjυtv brɑ�ntʃ/ noun the part of government which puts legislation into action (NOTE: The other two branches are the judicial and the legislative.) Executive Council

Executive Council /� |�zekjυtv �kaυns(ə)l/ noun 1. in Australia and New Zealand, a body made up of the

Governor-General or Governor and government ministers which meets to brief the Governor-General or Gover- nor on policies and formally approve government appointments and legisla- tion 2. in Canada, the cabinet of a pro- vincial government executive documentexecutive document /�| �zekjυtv �dɒkjυ |�ment/ noun a docu- ment such as a treaty, sent by the Pres- ident of the USA to the Senate for rat- ification executive orderexecutive order /�|�zekjυtv �ɔ�də/ noun an order made by the President of the USA or by a state governor executive powerexecutive power /�|�zekjυtv �paυə/ noun the right to put decisions into action executive privilegeexecutive privilege /�|�zekjυtv �prvld�/ noun the right of the Pres- ident of the USA not to reveal matters which are considered secret executive sessionexecutive session /�|�zekjυtv �seʃ(ə)n/ noun US a meeting of a committee of Congress which only committee members, witnesses and other members of Congress may at- tend, and the public is not allowed to attend exemptexempt /� |�zempt/ adjective not covered by a law, or not forced to obey a law � exempt from tax not required to pay tax, or not subject to tax � Food is exempt from sales tax. � verb to free something from having tax paid on it or from having to pay tax � Non profit- making organisations are exempted from tax. � The government exempted trusts from tax. exempt informationexempt information /� |�zempt �nfə |�meʃ(ə)n/ noun information which may be kept secret from the public, because if it were not it might be unfair to an individual or harmful to the council � The council resolved that the press and public be excluded for item 10 as it involved the likely disclo- sure of exempt information. exemptionexemption /� |�zempʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of freeing something from a contract or from a tax

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exemption clause 92 exemption clauseexemption clause /�|�zempʃ(ə)n klɔ�z/ noun a section in a contract freeing a party from specific liabilities exempt suppliesexempt supplies /� |�zempt sə | �plaz/ plural noun sales of goods or services on which tax does not have to be paid exerciseexercise /�eksəsaz/ noun 1. the use of a power � A court can give direc- tions to a local authority as to the ex- ercise of its powers in relation to chil- dren in care. 2. a test or trial to get ex- perience or information � Getting the residents’ views on the new road will be a useful exercise. � The leaflets pre- pared by the department are just a public relations exercise. � verb to use or to put into practice exileexile /�eksal/ noun 1. the punish- ment of being sent to live in another country � The ten members of the op- position party were sent into exile. � government in exile a government formed outside a country to oppose the government inside it 2. a person who has been sent to live in another country as a punishment � The new leadership hopes that after the amnes- ty several well-known exiles will re- turn home. � verb to send someone to live in another country as a punish- ment � He was exiled for life. exit pollexit poll /�e�zt pəυl/ noun a survey taken outside a place where people have voted, asking those who have just voted how they voted, to get an idea of the likely result of an election ex officioex officio /�eks ə |�fʃiəυ/ Latin phrase meaning ‘because of an office held’ � The mayor is ex officio a mem- ber or an ex officio member of the fi- nance committee. expansionismexpansionism /k | �sp�nʃ(ə)nz(ə)m/ noun a policy of expanding a country’s economy or ter- ritory expansionistexpansionist /k |�sp�nʃ(ə)nst/ adjective (of a country or govern- ment) wanting to increase the lands it controls expatriateexpatriate noun /eks|�p�triət/ a person who lives in a country which is

not his or her own � There is a large expatriate community or a large com- munity of expatriates in Geneva. � verb /eks |�p�triet/ to force someone to leave the country where he or she is living expatriation

expatriation /eks|�p�tri|�eʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of forcing someone to leave the country where he or she is living. Compare repatriation expenditure

expenditure /k|�spendtʃə/ noun the amount of money spent on some- thing � the major costs of a council or central government (such as schools, roads, hospitals, etc.) expire

expire /k |�spaə/ verb ((of an official document)) to stop being valid on a particular date � his passport or visa has expired his passport or visa is no longer valid explanatory note

explanatory note /k |�spl�nət(ə)ri �nəυt/ noun a short piece of text that explains something in more detail or helps you to understand it better � plu- ral noun explanatory notes general information about a Bill, explaining its legal and political implications, written by the relevant Government Department export

export verb /k |�spɔ�t/ to send goods to foreign countries for sale � We have exported more goods this month than ever before. � noun /�ekspɔ�t/ 1. the sending of goods out of a country to be sold � The export of firearms is forbid- den. 2. something sent out of the country for sale export restitution

export restitution /�ekspɔ�t �rest | �tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun money paid by the European Union to subsidise Europe- an food exporters exports

exports /�ekspɔ�ts/ plural noun goods sent abroad for sale � Exports have fallen because the exchange rate is too high. expropriate

expropriate /eks|�prəυpriet/ verb to take private property for public use expropriation

expropriation /ks|�prəυpr | �eʃ(ə)n/ noun US the action of the state in taking private property for public use, and paying compensation

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93 extremist to the former owner (NOTE: The UK term is compulsory purchase.) expunge

expunge /k|�sp�nd�/ verb to re- move something from an official record � The Chairman ordered the re- marks to be expunged from the record. extension

extension /k |�stenʃən/ noun the act of increasing something extension of remarks

extension of remarks /k | �stenʃən əv r|�mɑ�ks/ noun US addi- tional material which a member of Congress adds to the Congressional Record after a sitting external

external /k|�st#�n(ə)l/ adjective in- volving relations with foreign coun- tries exterritorial

exterritorial /�ekster|�tɔ�riəl/ ad- jective same as extraterritorial extra-authority payments

extra-authority payments /�ekstrə ɔ�|�θɒrti �pemənts/, extra- borough, extra-district plural noun payments made to another authority for services provided by that authority extradite

extradite /�ekstrədat/ verb to bring an arrested person from one country to another country because she or he is wanted for trial for a crime which she or he committed in that country � She was arrested in France and extradited to stand trial in Germany. extradition

extradition /�ekstrə|�dʃ(ə)n/ noun the action of bringing an arrested per- son from one country to be tried for a crime he or she committed in another country � The USA requested the ex- tradition of the leader of the drug gang.

extradition treatyextradition treaty /�ekstrə |�dʃ(ə)n �tri�ti/ noun an agreement between two countries that a person arrested in one country can be sent to the other to stand trial for a crime committed there Extraordinary General MeetingExtraordinary General Meeting /k |�strɔ�d(ə)n(ə)ri �d�en(ə)rəl �mi�tŋ/ noun a special meeting of members to discuss an important mat- ter which cannot wait until the next Annual General Meeting extraterritorialextraterritorial /�ekstrə|�ter| �tɔ�riəl/ adjective 1. situated or com- ing from outside a country’s borders 2. relating to exemption from the legal control of a country of residence extra-territorialityextra-territoriality /�ekstrə �tertɔ�ri|��lti/ noun (of diplomats) the fact of being outside the territory of a country and so not subject to its laws extra-territorial watersextra-territorial waters /�ekstrə �tertɔ�riəl �wɔ�təz/ plural noun in- ternational waters, outside the juris- diction of a country extremismextremism /k|�stri�mz(ə)m/ noun ideas and practices that support very strong action such as the use of vio- lence to achieve change extremistextremist /k|�stri�mst/ noun (as criticism) a person who supports very strong or sometimes violent methods to achieve change � The party has been taken over by left-wing extrem- ists. � The meeting was broken up by extremists from the right of the party. � adjective in support of strong meth- ods � The electorate decisively reject- ed the extremist parties.

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F FabianFabian /�febiən/ adjective relating to the Fabian Society � noun a mem- ber or supporter of the Fabian Society FabianismFabianism /�febiənz(ə)m/ noun the beliefs of the Fabian Society Fabian SocietyFabian Society /�febiən sə |�saəti/ noun a political organisation founded in Britain in 1884 with the aim of de- veloping socialism by gradual and lawful means rather than by revolution facedownfacedown /�fesdaυn/ noun a deter- mined confrontation between two op- posing people or groups faciefacie � prima facie facsimilefacsimile /f�k|�smli/, facsimile copy /f�k |�smli �kɒpi/ noun an ex- act copy of a document fact-findingfact-finding /�f�kt �fandŋ/ adjec- tive looking for information � a fact- finding delegation a group of people who visit somewhere to get informa- tion about an issue factionfaction /�f�kʃən/ noun a group of people within a larger organisation such as a political party, who have dif- ferent views or special aims � Argu- ments broke out between different fac- tions at the party conference. factionalfactional /�f�kʃən(ə)l/ adjective re- ferring to factions � Factional infight- ing has weakened the party structure. factionalisefactionalise /�f�kʃənəlaz/ verb to split into factions, or cause a group to split into factions factionalismfactionalism /�f�kʃənəz(ə)m/ noun the existence of or conflict be- tween groups within a larger group factorfactor /�f�ktə/ noun a thing which is important or which influences some- thing � The need to encourage tourism is a major factor in increased council

spending on amenities. � The rise in unemployment is an important factor in the job market. Factortame case

Factortame case noun a legal case in 1991 which showed clearly that British law, made by Parliament, had to give way to European Law (NOTE: The Spanish fishing company, Fac- tortame, had been stopped from fishing according to the Merchant Shipping Act of 1988, but the law lords struck down this Act because, according to European law, Factor- tame had done nothing illegal. This seemed to some commentators to show that Parliament had given away its legal sovereignty to the Eu- ropean Union.) Faculty of Advocates

Faculty of Advocates /�f�k(ə)lti əv ��dvəυkəts/ noun the legal body to which Scottish barristers belong fair trade

fair trade /�feə �tred/ noun an inter- national business system where coun- tries agree not to charge duties on goods imported from their trading partners fall

fall /fɔ�l/ verb to lose political power or be defeated (NOTE: falling – fell – fallen) � to fall outside not to be part of a list or not to be covered by a rule � the case falls outside the jurisdiction of the local planning authority � to fall within to become part of a list or to be covered by a rule � the newspa- per report falls within the category of defamation � the case falls within the competence of the local authority � noun a loss of political power or con- trol FAO

FAO abbreviation Food and Agricul- ture Organization (of the UN)

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95 Federal Reserve fascismfascism /�f�ʃz(ə)m/ noun extreme right-wing nationalist ideas, in favour of the power of the state, the army and the leader of the nation, violently op- posed to Communism fascistfascist /�f�ʃst/ adjective referring to fascism � a fascist dictatorship � The leader of the party has made speeches advocating fascist princi- ples. � noun a supporter of fascism Fatah, AlFatah, Al noun � Al Fatah Father of the HouseFather of the House /�fɑ�ðə əv ð haυz/ noun the MP who has been an MP for the longest time without a break (NOTE: It is also sometimes used to refer to the oldest member of the House of Lords.) fatwafatwa /�f�twə/ noun an official order made by a Muslim religious leader FBIFBI /�ef bi� �a/ abbreviation Federal Bureau of Investigation FCOFCO abbreviation Foreign and Com- monwealth Office FCSDFCSD abbreviation Scotland Finan- cial and Central Services Department FDAFDA abbreviation First Division As- sociation feasibility studyfeasibility study /�fi�zə|�blti �st�di/, feasibility report /�fi�zə | �blti r|�pɔ�t/ noun work done to see if something which has been planned is a good idea � The council asked the planning department to comment on the feasibility of the project. � The de- partment has produced a feasibility report on the development project. feasibility testfeasibility test /�fi�zə |�blti test/ noun a test to see if something pro- posed is possible fed.fed. abbreviation 1. federal 2. feder- ated 3. federation Fed.Fed. abbreviation 1. Federal 2. Fed- erated 3. Federation federalfederal /�fed(ə)rəl/ adjective 1. re- ferring to a system of government in which a group of states are linked to- gether in a federation � a federal con- stitution a constitution such as that in Germany which provides for a series of semi-autonomous states joined to- gether in a national federation 2. refer-

ring especially to the central govern- ment of the United States � federal court, federal laws court or laws of the USA, as opposed to state courts or state laws Federal AssemblyFederal Assembly /�fed(ə)rəl ə| �sembli/ noun the legislature in Rus- sia Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investiga- tion /�fed(ə)rəl �bjυərəυ əv n|�vest| ��eʃ(ə)n/ noun a section of the US Department of Justice, which looks into crimes against federal law and subversive acts in the USA. Abbr FBI Federal ChancellorFederal Chancellor /�fed(ə)rəl �tʃɑ�ns(ə)lə/ noun the head of the ex- ecutive in Germany federal districtfederal district /�fed(ə)rəl �dstrkt/ noun an area in which the seat of the national government of a federation such as the United States is located federal governmentfederal government /�fed(ə)rəl ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun the central gov- ernment of a federal state federalisefederalise /�fed(ə)rəlaz/ verb 1. to bring various states together in a fed- eral union 2. to place something under the control of a federal government federalismfederalism /�fed(ə)rəlz(ə)m/ noun the system of government which oper- ates in a country which is a federation of semi-autonomous provinces or states, with a central federal govern- ment linking them together federalistfederalist /�fed(ə)rəlst/ noun a supporter of a federal system of gov- ernment Federal ReserveFederal Reserve /�fedrəl rz#�v �b�ŋk/ noun US the national system of banks in the United States

COMMENT: The Federal Reserve sys- tem is the central bank of the USA. The system is run by the Federal Re- serve Board, under a chairman and seven committee members (or ‘gover- nors’) who are all appointed by the President. The twelve Federal Re- serve Banks act as lenders of last re- sort to local commercial banks. Al- though the board is appointed by the president, the whole system is rela- tively independent of the US govern- ment.

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Federal Reserve Board 96 Federal Reserve BoardFederal Reserve Board /�fedrəl rz#�v �bɔ�d/ noun in the USA , the government organisation which runs the central banks and sets US interest rates federatefederate /�fedəret/ verb to join to- gether in a federation, or cause various bodies to join together in a federation federationfederation /�fedə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a group of organisations which are linked together and have a central body which represents their interests � the American Federation of Labor 2. a group of semi-autonomous states which have a central government which represents them and looks after their common interests, in areas such as foreign policy and the armed forces

COMMENT: Many federations exist, though they are not often called such: the USA, Russia, Canada, Australia and Germany are all federations. Fed- erations differ in how much independ- ence the component regions or states have. A very loose form of federation is known as a confederation.

Federation CouncilFederation Council /�fedə | �reʃ(ə)n �kaυns(ə)l/ noun the upper house of the legislature in Russia. � Duma federativefederative /�fed(ə)rətv/ adjective relating to a federation fellow travellerfellow traveller /�feləυ �tr�v(ə)lə/ noun someone who sympathises with the cause of a group, especially the Communist Party, without becoming an official member feminismfeminism /�femnz(ə)m/ noun a movement supporting equality of women with men feministfeminist /�femnst/ adjective, noun referring to feminism � the feminist movement feudalisefeudalise /�fju�dəlaz/ verb to make a system similar to the feudal system feudalismfeudalism /�fju�d(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun the medieval system where land was granted by a king to his nobility, and by the nobility to the peasants, on con- dition that each performed a service for their superior feudal societyfeudal society /�fju�d(ə)l sə | �saəti/ noun a society where each

class or level has a duty to serve the class above it feudal systemfeudal system /�fju�dəl �sstəm/ noun � feudalism Fianna FáilFianna Fáil noun the republican party, one of the two main political parties in the Republic of Ireland fidefide � bona fide fieffief /fi�f/ noun same as fiefdom fiefdomfiefdom /�fi�fdəm/ noun 1. the lands controlled by a feudal lord 2. some- thing such as territory or a sphere of activity that is controlled or dominat- ed by a specific person or group � The company has an ethical responsibility to the existing residents of the area since this is their community and not the personal fiefdom of the developer. FifthFifth /ffθ/ noun same as Fifth Amendment Fifth AmendmentFifth Amendment /�ffθ ə | �mendmənt/ noun an amendment to the constitution of the USA, which says that no person can be forced to give evidence which might incrimi- nate himself or herself fifth columnfifth column /�ffθ �kɒləm/ noun a secret group that works to promote its own ends and undermines the efforts of others figurefigure /�f�ə/ noun 1. a particular number � By 1982 unemployment had reached a very high figure 2. a person � He was one of the more colourful figures to lead the party. filefile /fal/ noun a collection of papers stored away � The official files are usually opened after 50 years and the contents made public. � verb 1. to store away a collection of papers 2. to make an official request 3. to present something officially so it can be re- corded � to file an application for a patent � to file a return to the tax office filibusterfilibuster /�flb�stə/ noun in a de- bate, a speech which carries on for a long time so that the debate cannot be closed and a vote taken � The Demo- crats organised a filibuster in the Sen- ate. � talk out

COMMENT: Filibusters are possible in the US Senate, because the rules of

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97 first-past-the-post the Senate allow unlimited debate. A filibuster may be ended by a closure motion which requires a three-fifths majority to pass. The filibuster is also used in the UK but in practice only for Private Members Bills, since govern- ment bills can be pushed through us- ing the closure or guillotine.

filibustering

filibustering /�flb�stərŋ/ noun the organising or carrying out of a fil- ibuster finance

finance /�fan�ns/ noun public money used by a government or local authority � Where will the authority find the finance to pay the higher sal- aries? � He is the secretary of the lo- cal authority finance committee. � verb to pay for something � a govern- ment-financed programme of prison construction � The new building must be financed by the local authority. Finance Act

Finance Act /�fan�ns �kt/ noun the annual Act of the British Parlia- ment which gives the government power to raise taxes as proposed in the budget Finance Minister

Finance Minister /�fan�ns �mnstə/ noun the government min- ister responsible for finance, both tax- ation and spending. Also called Min- ister of Finance financial

financial /fa |�n�nʃəl/ adjective re- ferring to finance � She has a financial interest in the company. Financial and Central Services Department

Financial and Central Services Department /fa|�n�nʃ(ə)l ən �sentrəl �s#�vsz d|�pɑ�tmənt/ noun a department of the Scottish Execu- tive, responsible for collecting taxes and managing public revenue. Abbr FCSD financial assistance

financial assistance /fa |�n�nʃəl ə |�sstəns/ noun help in the form of money financial commitments

financial commitments /fa | �n�nʃəl kə |�mtmənts/ plural noun money which is owed financial institution

financial institution /fa |�n�nʃəl �nst |�tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a bank or in- vestment company or insurance com- pany whose work involves lending or investing money

Financial Secretary to the TreasuryFinancial Secretary to the Treasury /fa|�n�nʃəl �sekrət(ə)ri tə ðə �tre�əri/ noun the minister of state in the Treasury, responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer findingsfindings /�fandŋz/ noun the deci- sions reached by an official group � the findings of a commission of in- quiry the conclusions of the commis- sion Fine GaelFine Gael noun one of the two main political parties in the Republic of Ire- land, considered more moderate than Fianna Fail finlandisationfinlandisation, finlandization noun a policy of neutrality, similar to that formerly adopted by Finland be- cause of its geographical position be- tween the West and the USSR fire regulationsfire regulations /�faə �re�jυleʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun the local or national laws which owners of buildings used by the public have to obey in order to be given a fire certifi- cate First AmendmentFirst Amendment /�f#�st ə| �men(d)mənt/ noun the first amend- ment to the Constitution of the USA, which protects freedom of speech and religion First Division AssociationFirst Division Association /�f#�st d|�v�(ə)n ə |�səυsi |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun same as Association of First Division Civil Servants first estatefirst estate /�f#�st |�stet/ noun the social and political class that consists of senior members of the clergy first ladyfirst lady /�f#�st �ledi/ noun the wife or woman partner of a high gov- ernment official, especially of a coun- try’s leader First Lord of the TreasuryFirst Lord of the Treasury /�f#�st lɔ�d əv ðə �tre�əri/ noun a former British government post, now com- bined with that of Prime Minister First MinisterFirst Minister /�f#�st �mnstə/ noun the leader of the National As- sembly of Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales first-past-the-postfirst-past-the-post /�f#�st pɑ�st ðə �pəυst/ noun an electoral system such as that used in the UK, where the

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First Reading 98 candidate with most votes wins the election even if he or she does not have more than half of all votes. Also called Single Member Plurality System First ReadingFirst Reading /�f#�st �ri�dŋ/ noun the formal introduction of a Bill into the House of Commons, after which it is printed First WorldFirst World /�f#�st w#�ld/ noun the principal industrialised countries of the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the nations of western Europe, Japan, Canada, Aus- tralia and New Zealand fiscalfiscal /�fskəl/ adjective referring to tax or to government money � the gov- ernment’s fiscal policies fiscal measuresfiscal measures /�fskəl �me�əz/ plural noun tax changes made by a government fiscal yearfiscal year /�fskəl �jə/ noun the twelve-month period on which taxes are calculated (NOTE: In the UK it is April 6th to April 5th; in the USA it is from July 1st to June 30th.) Five-Year PlanFive-Year Plan /�fav jə �pl�n/ noun a set of proposals for running a country’s economy over a five-year period fixturefixture /�fkstʃə/ noun a permanent- ly arranged meeting � The council meeting is a fixture on the third Wednesday of every month. flagflag /fl��/ � to fly a flag 1. to attach a flag in an obvious position to show that your ship belongs to a certain country � a ship flying the British flag 2. to act in a way that shows that you are proud of belonging to a certain country or working for a certain com- pany � The Trade Minister has gone to the World Fair to fly the flag. flag conservativeflag conservative /�fl�� kən | �s#�vətv/ noun a neoconservative who believes that the United States’ role is to engage in global policing in order to secure the national interest, national security, and the security of US allies flag of convenienceflag of convenience /�fl�� əv kən | �vi�niəns/ noun the flag of a country

which may have no ships of its own but allows ships of other countries to be registered in its ports and fly its flag flag of truceflag of truce /�fl�� əv �tru�s/ noun a white flag used to end a conflict tem- porarily, to allow negotiations to take place. Also called white flag flag-wavingflag-waving /�fl�� �wevŋ/ noun activities showing obvious and emo- tional patriotism floating votefloating vote /�fləυtŋ �vəυt/ noun the votes of floating voters � The Op- position is trying to capture the bulk of the floating vote. floating voterfloating voter /�fləυtŋ �vəυtə/ noun 1. a voter who has not decided how to vote 2. a voter who does not al- ways vote for the same party, but changes from election to election (NOTE: The US term is swing voter.) floorfloor /flɔ�/ noun � the floor of the House the main part of the House of Commons, House of Lords or Con- gress where business is conducted � Debates on the floor of the House are often lively. floor leaderfloor leader /�flɔ� �li�də/ noun a member of an American legislative body chosen by fellow party members to organise their activities and strategy on the floor of the legislature floor managerfloor manager /�flɔ� �m�nd�ə/ noun a member, usually the chairman, of the reporting committee in the House of Commons who is responsi- ble for trying to get agreement on a bill floor spokesmanfloor spokesman /�flɔ� �spəυksmən/ noun in the US Senate, the spokesperson for a particular party � The Senate majority leader is the floor spokesman for his party in the Senate. FOFO abbreviation Foreign Office focus groupfocus group /�fəυkəs �ru�p/ noun a small group of representative people who are questioned about their opin- ions as part of political or market re- search Foggy BottomFoggy Bottom /�fɒ�i �bɒtəm/ noun US the State Department (informal) (NOTE: Foggy Bottom is an

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99 Foreign Secretary area in Washington DC where the State Department has its offices.) FOLFOL abbreviation Federation of La- bour FolketingFolketing noun the legislature in Denmark followerfollower /�fɒləυə/ noun a person who supports a party, without being a member of that party follow upfollow up /�fɒləυ ��p/ verb to exam- ine something further � The tax in- spectors are following up the informa- tion they received. Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug Administration /�fu�d ən �dr�� əd|�mnstreʃ(ə)n/ noun full form of FDA forceforce /fɔ�s/ noun 1. strength or pow- er � took control by force 2. effect or influence � to come into force to start to operate or work � The new regula- tions will come into force on January 1st. � to put into force to make some- thing apply � the new regulations have the force of law they are the same as if they had been voted into law by parliament 3. an organised group of people � a military force � a police force � verb to make someone do something � The government has been forced to reconsider its plans. force majeureforce majeure /�fɔ�s m� |��#�/ noun something which happens which is out of the control of the parties who have signed a contract and which pre- vents one of the parties keeping to the contract, e.g. a war or storm foreignforeign /�fɒrn/ adjective not be- longing to one’s own country � For- eign cars have flooded our market. � We are increasing our trade with for- eign countries. foreign affairsforeign affairs /�fɒrn ə|�feəz/ plu- ral noun matters concerning other countries Foreign and Commonwealth officeForeign and Commonwealth office /�fɒrn ən �kɒmənwelθ �ɒfs/ noun same as Foreign Office. abbr FCO foreign currencyforeign currency /�fɒrn �k�rənsi/ noun the money of another country foreignerforeigner /�fɒrnə/ noun a person from another country

foreign exchange

foreign exchange /�fɒrən ks| �tʃend�/ noun the system of chang- ing the money of one country for that of another foreign exchange dealing

foreign exchange dealing /�fɒrn ks|�tʃend� �di�lŋ/ noun the activity of buying and selling foreign money foreign exchange market

foreign exchange market /�fɒrn ks |�tʃend� �mɑ�kt/ noun the place where foreign money is bought and sold foreign exchange reserves

foreign exchange reserves /�fɒrn ks|�tʃend� r |�z#�vz/ noun the foreign money held by a government to support its own currency foreign goods

foreign goods /�fɒrn ��υdz/ plural noun things produced in other coun- tries foreign investmentsforeign investments /�fɒrn n| �vestmənts/ plural noun money in- vested in other countries foreign minister

foreign minister /�fɒrn �mnstə/ noun in many countries, a minister in a government who is responsible for relations with other countries foreign ministry

foreign ministry /�fɒrn �mnstri/ noun in many countries, the depart- ment of government responsible for relations with other countries foreign mission

foreign mission /�fɒrn �mʃ(ə)n/ noun a group of diplomats who repre- sent their country abroad Foreign OfficeForeign Office /�fɒrn �ɒfs/ noun the British government department dealing with relations with other countries. Abbr FO. Also called For- eign and Commonwealth Office

COMMENT: In most countries, the gov- ernment department dealing with oth- er countries is called the Foreign Min- istry, with the Foreign Minister in charge. In the UK, they are called the Foreign Office and Foreign Secretary. In the USA, they are called the State Department and the Secretary of State.

foreign policy

foreign policy /�fɒrn �pɒlsi/ noun the policy followed by a country when dealing with other countries Foreign SecretaryForeign Secretary /�fɒrn �sekrt(ə)ri/ noun the British govern-

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Foreign Service 100 ment minister in charge of relations with other countries Foreign ServiceForeign Service /�fɒrn �s#�vs/ noun the government department re- sponsible for a country’s relations with other countries foreign tradeforeign trade /�fɒrn �tred/ noun trade with other countries formalformal /�fɔ�m(ə)l/ adjective accord- ing to correct and suitable methods � to make a formal application � to send a formal order formalityformality /fɔ� |�m�lti/ noun a thing which has to be done to obey the law or because it is the custom � The chairman dispensed with the formality of reading the minutes. formationformation /fɔ�|�meʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of organizing � The formation of the new splinter group has altered the voting pattern in the assembly. formulateformulate /�fɔ�mjυlet/ verb to write down or state clearly � The Gov- ernment’s proposals are formulated in a White Paper. forty-ninth parallelforty-ninth parallel /�fɔ�ti nanθ �p�rəlel/ noun the border between the United States and Canada, that runs at 49° latitude along most of its length forumforum /�fɔ�rəm/ noun a place or op- portunity for matters to be discussed � The debate should be carried out in the forum of the council chamber, not on the pages of the local newspaper. founderfounder /�faυndə/ noun a person who establishes a party, institution or company founder memberfounder member /�faυndə �membə/ noun a member of a party or organisation who has been a member from the beginning fourth estatefourth estate /�fɔ�θ |�stet/ noun journalists, the press, or the media in general Fourth WorldFourth World /�fɔ�θ �w#�ld/ noun the poorest countries of the world franchisefranchise /�fr�ntʃaz/ noun 1. a right given to someone to do some- thing, especially the right to vote in lo- cal or general elections. � enfran- chise, universal franchise 2. a right

given by a company to someone to trade in the company’s name in a par- ticular area � She has bought a print- ing franchise or a hot dog franchise. � verb to sell the right to trade in a com- pany’s name in a particular area � Her sandwich bar was so successful that she decided to franchise it. frankfrank /fr�ŋk/ noun the right of send- ing official post free of charge, used by members of Congress free circulation of goodsfree circulation of goods /�fri� �s#�kjυ |�leʃ(ə)n əv �υdz/ noun the movement of goods from one country to another without legal restrictions free collective bargainingfree collective bargaining /�fri� kə |�lektv �bɑ��nŋ/ noun negotia- tions over pay and working conditions between the management and the workers’ representatives without gov- ernment interference free competitionfree competition /�fri� �kɒmpə | �tʃ(ə)n/ noun being free to compete without government interference free currencyfree currency /�fri� �k�rənsi/ noun a currency which is allowed by the government to be bought and sold without restriction freedomfreedom /�fri�dəm/ noun 1. the state of being free or not being held in pris- on or as a slave � The president gave the accused man his freedom. 2. the state of being free to do something without restriction 3. � freedom of the city the highest honour given to a person by a town or city � In a ceremo- ny at the Town Hall yesterday, Lord Smith was given the Freedom of the City. Freedom CharterFreedom Charter /�fri�dəm �tʃɑ�tə/ noun a document setting out the basic rights of all South Africans, composed in 1955 in opposition to the Nationalist government and constitut- ing the manifesto of the African Na- tional Congress freedom fighterfreedom fighter /�fri�dəm �fatə/ noun a guerrilla fighting against an oppressive government or to free the country from foreign control freedom of assemblyfreedom of assembly /�fri�dəm əv ə |�sembli/ noun the right to hold a

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101 French Revolution meeting or a peaceful demonstration without being afraid of prosecution. Also called freedom of meeting freedom of association

freedom of association /�fri�dəm əv əsəυsi|�eʃ(ə)n/ noun the right to join together with other people in a group, such as a church or trade union, without being afraid of prose- cution freedom of information

freedom of information /�fri�dəm əv nfə|�meʃ(ə)n/ noun the right of government information being available to ordinary people, or of of- ficial records about private people be- ing available to each person concerned Freedom of Information Act

Freedom of Information Act /�fri�dəm əv �nfə |�meʃ(ə)n �e si� �ti�/ noun the Act of Parliament (2000) which allows people to gain access to government documents (NOTE: The UK Freedom of Informa- tion Act is a weaker measure than most people had hoped for, and gives British citizens less access to information than similar measures in the USA and other countries do.) freedom of meeting

freedom of meeting /�fri�dəm əv �mi�tŋ/ noun same as freedom of assembly freedom of speech

freedom of speech /�fri�dəm əv �spi�tʃ/ noun the right to say, write or publish what you want without being afraid of prosecution freedom of the press

freedom of the press /�fri�dəm əv ðə �pres/ noun the right to write and publish in a newspaper what you wish without being afraid of prosecu- tion free elections

free elections /�fri�  |�lekʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun elections which are hon- est and not rigged by one of the parties or by the government � the right to hold free elections free enterprise

free enterprise /�fri� �entəpraz/ noun the economic system where business is free from government in- terference and the economy is largely in private hands rather than under state control freelance

freelance /�fri�lɑ�ns/ noun some- one, especially a politician, who is not

committed to any group and takes ac- tion or forms alliances independently freemanfreeman /�fri�m�n/ noun a person who has received the honour of free- dom of the city free market economyfree market economy /�fri �mɑ�kt |�kɒnəmi/ noun the econom- ic system where the government does not interfere in business activity and where the economy is largely in pri- vate hands rather than under state con- trol free movement of capitalfree movement of capital /�fri� �mu�vmənt əv �k�pt(ə)l/ noun the ability to transfer capital from one country to another without any restric- tions free portfree port /�fri� pɔ�t/, free trade zone /�fri� �tred �zəυn/ noun a port or area where there are no customs du- ties free speechfree speech /�fri� �spi�tʃ/ noun � freedom of speech free tradefree trade /�fri� �tred/ noun the economic system where goods can go from one country to another without any restrictions free trade areafree trade area /�fri� �tred �eəriə/ noun a group of countries practising free trade free traderfree trader /�fri� �tredə/ noun a person who supports free trade free votefree vote /�fri� �vəυt/ noun an occa- sion in a parliament when members are allowed to decide how to vote ac- cording to their consciences and per- sonal opinions rather than as instruct- ed by their party leaders free worldfree world /�fri� �w#�ld/ noun the countries of the world with democrat- ic governments, as opposed to those with totalitarian or communist gov- ernments French CommunityFrench Community /�frentʃ kə| �mju�nəti/ noun an association link- ing France and several former French colonies French RevolutionFrench Revolution /�frentʃ �revə| �lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the violent overthrow of the French king by the people of France in 1789

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fringe 102 fringe

fringe /frnd�/ noun the members of a group or organisation whose views are not representative of the group as a whole � a fringe meeting � Some on the conservative fringes argue that the state should not grant any rights at all to gay couples. front

front /fr�nt/ noun a political group, usually an alliance of several smaller groups, formed to resist a threat � to form a common front to join into a group against a threat. � Popular Front frontbencher

frontbencher /�fr�nt |�bentʃə/ noun a Member of Parliament who sits on the front rows of seats in the chamber and who is a government minister or a member of the Opposition shadow cabinet. Also called frontbench MP front benches

front benches /�fr�nt �bentʃz/ plural noun two rows of seats in the House of Commons, facing each other with a table between them, where Government ministers or members of the Opposition Shadow Cabinet sit � the Government front bench the seats where the members of the Gov- ernment sit facing the Opposition. Also called Treasury bench. � Op- position front bench frontier

frontier /fr�n |�tə/ noun the bounda- ry of a country frontline

frontline /�fr�ntlan/ adjective re- lating to countries that have a border with another country in which fighting is taking place frontline state

frontline state /�fr�ntlan �stet/ noun a nation situated on the border of an area where fighting is happening or is likely to happen front organisation

front organisation /�fr�nt �ɔ��əna |�zeʃ(ə)n/ noun an organisa- tion which pretends to be neutral, but in fact supports a political party or other interest group full title

full title /�fυl �tat(ə)l/ noun the sum- mary of an Act of Parliament, printed at the beginning of the Act. Also called long title

function

function /�f�ŋkʃən/ noun 1. an offi- cial ceremony � At a function held in the council offices, the mayor gave testimonials to two of the library staff. � The council offices are closed for an official function. 2. a job or duty � It is not the function of the clerk to give an opinion on the candidates. � The job description lists the various functions of a Chief Education Officer. � verb to work � Lack of qualified engineers is hindering the functioning of the coun- cil’s maintenance department. functionary

functionary /�f�ŋkʃənəri/ noun an official, especially someone who is re- garded as having unimportant duties fund

fund /f�nd/ verb to pay for some- thing � The scheme is funded by the lo- cal education committee. � Redevel- opment of the centre of the town has been funded partly by government and partly by local industry. � noun a col- lection of money for a special purpose � The mayor has opened a fund to help poor families. fundamentalism

fundamentalism /�f�ndə | �ment(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun 1. the practice of following extremely traditional re- ligious beliefs 2. a government based on extremely traditional religious be- liefs fundamentalist

fundamentalist /�f�ndə | �ment(ə)lst/ adjective referring to fundamentalism � a fundamentalist regime � noun a person who holds fundamentalist views fund-raising

fund-raising /�f�nd �rezŋ/ noun the activity of asking people or organ- isations to give money � The mayor launched a fund-raising scheme to get more money for the children’s club. further education

further education /�f#�ðər edjυ | �keʃ(ə)n/ noun the teaching of stu- dents after they have left school at 16 � The borough’s College of Further Education offers a wide range of courses. fusionism

fusionism /�fju��(ə)nz(ə)m/ noun the formation of political coalitions, support for their formation or belief in their effectiveness

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G G8

G8 noun the group of the eight most industrialised nations in the world, i.e. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ja- pan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Representatives from these countries meet regularly for discussions, especially on global economic policies. Full form Group of Eight Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht noun the parts of Ireland or Scotland where Gaelic is spoken by a large part of the population gag

gag /���/ verb to try to stop some- one talking or writing � The govern- ment was accused of using the Official Secrets Act as a means of gagging the press. gag rule

gag rule /���� ru�l/ noun a rule in the House of Representatives which limits the time for debate. Also called closed rule gain

gain /�en/ noun 1. an increase 2. an increase in a share of the vote � The latest poll shows a socialist gain of 2%. 3. a seat won in an election � The Conservatives had 20 gains and 10 losses in the local elections. � verb 1. to get or to obtain something 2. to win a seat in an election � The Socialists gained six seats on the council at the expense of the Tories. gainful

gainful /��enf(ə)l/ adjective � gain- ful employment employment which pays money gainfully employed

gainfully employed /��enf(ə)li m |�plɔd/ adverb paid for the work carried out gallery

gallery /���ləri/ noun the seats above the House of Commons and House of Lords, where the public and journalists sit � the Speaker ordered

the galleries to be cleared the Speak- er asked for all visitors to leave Gallup pollGallup poll /���ləp pəυl/ noun a survey in which a group of people tak- en as a representative sample of a larg- er group are asked their opinions on a specific subject gaming licencegaming licence /��emŋ �las(ə)ns/ noun a document which al- lows someone to run a gambling club gangwaygangway /���ŋwe/ noun the space between the benches running down the middle of the House of Commons � below the gangway further away from the Speaker garda

garda /��ɑ�də/ noun a police officer in the Republic of Ireland GardaGarda /��ɑ�də/ noun the police force of the Republic of Ireland gardaígardaí plural of garda GATTGATT abbreviation General Agree- ment on Tariffs and Trade GaullismGaullism /��ɔ�lz(ə)m/ noun the na- tionalist and conservative policies of General Charles de Gaulle, leader of France after World War II, and his fol- lowers gavel

gavel /���v(ə)l/ noun a small wood- en hammer used by the chairman of a meeting to call the meeting to order � The chairman banged his gavel on the table and shouted to the councillors to be quiet.

COMMENT: In the American Senate, a ceremonial gavel is placed on the Vice-President’s desk when the Sen- ate is in session.

GCHQGCHQ abbreviation Government Communications Headquarters GDPGDP abbreviation gross domestic product

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general amnesty 104 general amnestyGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade /�d�en(ə)rəl ə |��ri�mənt ɒn �θ�rfs ən �tred/ noun the inter- national treaty which aimed to try to reduce restrictions in trade between countries. Abbr GATT (NOTE: Re- placed on 1st January 1995 by the World Trade Organization (WTO).) general amnestygeneral amnesty /�d�en(ə)rəl ��mnəsti/ noun a pardon granted to all prisoners or unconvicted criminals General AssemblyGeneral Assembly /�d�en(ə)rəl ə | �sembli/ noun the meeting of all the members of the United Nations, where each country is represented and each has a vote General Assembly of the United NationsGeneral Assembly of the Unit- ed Nations /�d�en(ə)rəl ə |�sembli əv θi ju�|�natd �neʃ(ə)nz/ noun the meeting of all the members of the United Nations to discuss internation- al problems, where each member state has one vote general electiongeneral election /�d�en(ə)rəl | �lekʃən/ noun choosing a legislature or executive by all the voters in a country

COMMENT: In Britain, a Parliament can only last for a maximum of five years, and a dissolution is usually called by the Prime Minister before the end of that period. The Lord Chancellor then issues a writ for the election of MPs. All British subjects (including Com- monwealth and Irish citizens), are eli- gible to vote in British elections provid- ed they are on the electoral register, are over 18 years of age, are sane, are not members of the House of Lords and are not serving prison sen- tences for serious crime. In the USA, members of the House of Represent- atives are elected for a two-year peri- od. Senators are elected for six-year terms, one third of the Senate being elected every two years. The Presi- dent of the USA is elected by an elec- toral college made up of people elect- ed by voters in each of the states of the USA. Each state elects the same number of electors to the electoral col- lege as it has Congressmen, plus two. This guarantees that the college is broadly representative of voters across the country. The presidential candidate with an overall majority in the college is elected president. A presidential term of office is four

years, and a president can stand for re-election once.

general instrumentgeneral instrument /�d�en(ə)rəl �nstrυmənt/ noun a form of Statuto- ry Instrument which does not need ap- proval by both Houses of Parliament GeneralitatGeneralitat noun the parliament in Catalonia General Purposes CommitteeGeneral Purposes Committee /�d�en(ə)rəl �p#�pəsz kə|�mti/ noun a local council committee which deals with matters which do not come under any other committee general strikegeneral strike /�d�en(ə)rəl �strak/ noun a strike involving all or most workers in a country Geneva ConventionGeneva Convention /d�|�ni�və kən|�venʃ(ə)n/ noun the international treaty governing the behaviour of countries relating to behaviour in time of war Geneva ProtocolGeneva Protocol /d�|�ni�və �prəυtəkɒl/ noun the international agreement to limit the use of chemical and biological weapons genocidegenocide /�d�enəυsad/ noun the killing of an entire ethnic group Gentleman Usher of the Black RodGentleman Usher of the Black Rod /�d�ent(ə)lmən ��ʃə əv ðə bl�k rɒd/ noun same as Black Rod geopoliticalgeopolitical /�d�i�əυpə|�ltkəl/ ad- jective relating to political relations between different countries and groups of countries geopoliticsgeopolitics /�d�i�əυ |�pɒlətks/ noun the political relations between different countries and groups of countries geostrategygeostrategy /�d�i�əυ |�str�təd�/ noun the policy of a country based on a combination of geographical and po- litical factors gerontocracygerontocracy /��erənt |�ɒkrəsi/ noun 1. a system of government in which older people are chosen as rul- ers 2. a group of older people who make up a government gerrymandergerrymander /�d�erim�ndə/ verb to change the boundaries of an elec- toral area in order to gain an unfair po- litical advantage in an election

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105 good neighbourliness gerrymanderinggerrymandering /�d�erim�ndərŋ/ noun the reorgani- sation of parliamentary constituencies or electoral districts to get an advan- tage in the next election get outget out /��et �aυt/ verb to produce something � The Royal Commission got out the report in time for the meet- ing. � The party was late in getting out its election manifesto. get roundget round /��et �raυnd/ verb 1. to find the time to do something � hadn’t got round to reading the report 2. to avoid � We tried to get round the em- bargo by shipping from Canada. � Can you advise me how we can get round the quota system? GGGG abbreviation Governor General ghettoghetto /��etəυ/ noun the area of a town where many people of the same ethnic group or background live, sep- arately from the rest of the population ginger groupginger group /�d�nd�ə �ru�p/ noun a group of people within a polit- ical party or organisation who try to make the organisation more radical give awaygive away /��v ə|�we/ verb 1. to give something as a free present 2. to reveal a secret give rise togive rise to /��v �raz tə/ verb to be the cause of something � The deci- sions of the planning committee have given rise to complaints from appli- cants. give upgive up /��v ��p/ verb to agree that someone else should have something that was once yours � gave up their claim to the land � give up sovereignty give waygive way /��v �we/ verb to allow someone else to speak (NOTE: used frequently in the House of Commons when a Member wants to say some- thing when someone else is speak- ing: Will the hon. Gentleman give way? No, I will not give way or I will give way shortly.) GladstoneGladstone /��l�dstəυn/, W. E. (1809–98) leader of the Liberal Party after 1867 and four times prime minis- ter (1868–74, 1880–85, 1886, and 1892–94). He introduced national ed- ucation in Britain (1870).

glasnost

glasnost /��l�znɒst/ noun open- ness in government or freedom of in- formation (NOTE: The term was first used by president Gorbachev to de- scribe the system he developed in Russia after the fall of communism.) global

global /��ləυb(ə)l/ adjective refer- ring to the whole world � global con- flict a world war globalism

globalism /��ləυbəlz(ə)m/ noun the belief that political policies should consider national concerns in the con- text of international situations and is- sues gloss

gloss /�lɒs/ verb words in a docu- ment used to explain it more fully or to explain specific words GNP

GNP abbreviation gross national product go-ahead

go-ahead /��əυ ə|�hed/ noun per- mission to begin to do something go back on

go back on /��əυ �b�k ɒn/ verb not to do what has been promised � Two months later they went back on the agreement. God Save the Queen

God Save the Queen /��ɒd sev ðə �kwi�n/ noun the title of the British national anthem go into

go into /��əυ �ntu�/ verb 1. to enter 2. to examine carefully � The bank wants to go into the details of the council’s loans to the club. � The fraud squad is going into the facts be- hind the property deals. good cause

good cause /��υd �kɔ�z/ noun 1. a group or charity which deserves to be helped � The money collected by the Mayor’s Christmas Fund will go to good causes in the borough. 2. a rea- son which is accepted in law � The court asked the accused to show good cause why she should not be sent to prison. good faith

good faith /��υd �feθ/ noun general honesty good neighbour

good neighbour /��υd �nebə/ noun a country which has good rela- tions with other countries near it good neighbourliness

good neighbourliness /��υd �nebəlinəs/ noun good relations be-

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goods 106 tween a country and those that are near it goodsgoods /�υdz/ plural noun things that are produced to be sold good title

good title /��υd �tat(ə)l/ noun the legal right to own a property go on

go on /��əυ �ɒn/ verb 1. to continue � The staff went on working in spite of the fire. � The chairman went on speaking for two hours. 2. to use to help find something or decide some- thing � Two bank statements are all the tax investigators have to go on. � The Foreign Office has only a report in a Hong Kong newspaper to go on. gov.

gov. abbreviation government governgovern /���v(ə)n/ verb 1. to rule a country � The country is governed by a group of military leaders. � The Chief Minister governs in the name of the Federal Government. 2. to control something � the rules governing elec- tions to the National Assembly 3. to influence something � Their behav- iour will govern our response. governancegovernance /���v(ə)nəns/ noun the theory or activity of governing � The Bill is a threat to the governance of Britain. government

government /���v(ə)nmənt/ noun 1. the way of ruling or controlling a country � People want democratic government. � The leader of the Op- position is promising to provide effec- tive government. 2. an organisation which administers a country or part of a country � The government has de- cided to introduce new immigration laws. � The Labour government intro- duced nationalisation. � Succeeding governments have been unable to deal with the rising crime rate. 3. coming from the government or referring to the government � government inter- vention or intervention by the govern- ment � a government ban on the im- port of arms � a government investi- gation into organised crime � Government officials prevented him leaving the country. � Government policy is outlined in the Green Paper. � Government regulations state that

import duty has to be paid on expen- sive items. governmentalgovernmental /���v(ə)n |�ment(ə)l/ adjective relating to a government governmentalise

governmentalise /���v(ə)n | �mentəlaz/ verb to put a sphere of ac- tivity under the control of a govern- ment Government Chief Whip

Government Chief Whip /���v(ə)nmənt tʃi�f wp/ noun the main whip of the party in power, who reports to the Cabinet and whose job it is to make sure that government bills are passed by Parliament (NOTE: In the House of commons the Government Chief Whip’s official title is Parlia- mentary Secretary to the Treasury and in the House of Lords it is Cap- tain of the Honourable Corps of Gen- tleman-at-Arms.) government contractorgovernment contractor /���v(ə)nmənt kən |�tr�ktə/ noun a company which supplies goods or services to the government on contract (NOTE: government can take a sin- gular or plural verb: the government have decided to repeal the Act; the government feels it is not time to make a statement. Note also that the word Government is used, especial- ly by officials, without the article: Government has decided that the plan will be turned down; the plan is funded by central government.) government economic indicatorsgovernment economic indica- tors /���v(ə)nmənt �i�kənɒmk �ndketəz/ plural noun figures which show how the country’s econo- my is expected to perform government of national unity

government of national unity /���v(ə)nmənt əv �n�ʃ(ə)nəl �ju�nti/ noun a government formed of a coalition of several parties, usual- ly to deal with a specific emergency such as a war governorgovernor /���v(ə)nə/ noun 1. a per- son who governs a state or province � the governor of Uttar Pradesh � Ron- ald Reagan was Governor of Califor- nia before becoming President. 2. a person representing the Crown, e.g. the official in charge of a colony 3. a

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107 Green Line person in charge of a prison � a prison governor � The prisoners applied to the governor for parole. 4. a member of a group responsible for controlling a public institution such as a hospital or school Governor-GeneralGovernor-General /���v(ə)nə �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun a person represent- ing the United Kingdom in a Com- monwealth country which still has the British Queen as head of state. � Lieu- tenant-Governor govtgovt abbreviation government graftgraft /�rɑ�ft/ noun bribery of offi- cials � He was accused of graft when it was learnt that he had tried to bribe the Planning Officer. Grand National AssemblyGrand National Assembly /��r�nd �n�ʃ(ə)nəl ə |�sembli/ noun the legislature in Turkey grantgrant /�rɑ�nt/ noun 1. the act of giv- ing something to someone, perma- nently or temporarily, by a written document � She made a grant of land to her son. 2. money given by the gov- ernment or local authority or other or- ganisation to help pay for something � The institute has a government grant to cover the cost of the development programme. � The local authority has allocated grants towards the costs of the scheme. � Many charities give grants for educational projects. � verb to agree to give someone something or to agree to allow someone to do some- thing � to grant someone permission to build a house or to leave the country � The local authority granted the com- pany an interest-free loan to start up the new factory. � She was granted leave to appeal. � The government granted an amnesty to all political prisoners. grant-aidedgrant-aided /��rɑ�mnt �edd/ ad- jective supported by funds from the government � a grant-aided scheme granteegrantee /�rɑ�n |�ti�/ noun a person who receives money as a grant grant-in-aidgrant-in-aid /��rɑ�nt n �ed/ noun money given by central government to local government to help pay for a project

grantorgrantor /�rɑ�n|�tɔ�/ noun a person who makes a grant of money Grant-Related Expenditure AssessmentGrant-Related Expenditure As- sessment /��rɑ�nt r|�letd k| �spendtʃə ə |�sesmənt/ noun the gov- ernment calculation of what each local authority needs to spend each year. Abbr GREA grass rootsgrass roots /��rɑ�s �ru�ts/ noun the ordinary members of a political party or of society in general � What is the grass-roots reaction to the constitu- tional changes? � The party has con- siderable support at grass-roots level. � The Chairman has no grass-root support. gratagrata � persona GREAGREA abbreviation Grant-Related Expenditure Assessment greatgreat /�ret/ noun � the great and the good important public figures Great HuralGreat Hural /��ret �hjυərəl/ noun the legislative body in Mongolia Great PowerGreat Power /��ret �paυə/ noun a nation that has international political, social, economic and usually military influence Great SealGreat Seal /��ret �si�l/ noun the ceremonial seal, kept originally by the Lord Chancellor, used for authenticat- ing important public documents on behalf of the Queen (NOTE: The use of a seal to authenticate public docu- ments dates back hundreds of years but is now only used for reasons of tradition and ceremony.) greengreen /�ri�n/ adjective supporting or promoting the protection of the envi- ronment � noun a supporter or advo- cate of protecting the environment, es- pecially a member of a political party concerned with environmental issues green cardgreen card /��ri�n �kɑ�d/ noun a work permit needed by a foreigner in the USA greeniegreenie /��ri�ni/ noun a conserva- tionist or environmentalist Green LineGreen Line /��ri�n �lan/ noun in the state of Israel, the pre-1967 border along the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

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Green Paper 108 Green Paper

Green Paper /��ri�n �pepə/ noun in the United Kingdom or Canada, a discussion document from the govern- ment on possible proposals for a new law. Compare White Paper (NOTE: A Green Paper is issued when plans for legislation are at quite an early stage and the government is open to further suggestions. A White Paper is issued generally when plans are more fully developed and it may be very close to the final Bill.) Green Party

Green Party /��ri�n �pɑ�ti/, the Greens /ðə ��ri�nz/ noun the political party existing in several countries, which is concerned mainly with envi- ronmental and health issues greymail

greymail /��remel/ noun a threat used by the defence in a spy trial to re- veal national secrets unless the gov- ernment drops the case against the de- fendant grey vote

grey vote /��re vəυt/ noun older people considered as a group that can be influenced to vote in a specific way � The healthcare issue will affect the grey vote. Grit

Grit /�rt/ noun, adjective in Canada, a Liberal (informal) gross domestic product

gross domestic product /��rəυs də |�mestk �prɒd�kt/ noun the annual value of goods sold and services paid for inside a country. Abbr GDP gross national product

gross national product /��rəυs �n�ʃ(ə)nəl �prɒd�kt/ noun the annual value of goods and services in a coun- try including income from other coun- tries. Abbr GNP grounds

grounds /�raυndz/ noun the basic reasons for believing something or for doing something � She retired on med- ical grounds. � Does he have good grounds for complaint? � There are no grounds for thinking any misconduct has occurred. Group of Eight

Group of Eight /��ru�p əv �et/ noun full form of G8 groupuscule

groupuscule /��ru�pəskju�l/ noun a very small and extreme political group

gubernatorial

gubernatorial /��u�bənə|�tɔ�riəl/ adjective relating to a governor, espe- cially a governor of a US state guerrilla

guerrilla /�ə |�rlə/, guerilla noun a person or small group fighting an ene- my often in a civil war, but not a mem- ber of an official army � After the de- feat of the army, guerrilla groups sprang up all over the country. � Guerrillas have attacked government outposts in many parts of the North. guest country

guest country /��est �k�ntri/ noun a country invited to an international meeting, without the right to vote guidelines

guidelines /��adlanz/ plural noun instructions or suggestions as to how something should be done � The gov- ernment has issued guidelines on in- creases in wages and prices. � The National Union of Teachers has issued guidelines to its members on dealing with claims. � The Secretary of State can issue guidelines for expenditure. � The minister said he was not laying down guidelines for the spending of money which was not earmarked for special projects. guillotine

guillotine /��ləti�n/ noun 1. a mo- tion in the House of Commons to end a debate on a clause of a Bill at an agreed time and generally without al- lowing a full debate 2. the machine formerly used in France for executing criminals by cutting off their heads � verb 1. in the House of Commons, to end a debate at an agreed time, and generally without allowing a full de- bate to take place 2. to execute some- one by cutting his or her head off with a guillotine gulag

gulag /��u�l��/ noun the network of political prisons and labour camps in the former Soviet Union Gulf States

Gulf States /���lf �stets/ noun 1. the countries that border the Persian Gulf and are producers of oil, i.e. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman 2. the states of the southern United States that border the Gulf of Mexico, i.e. Florida, Alabama, Mis- sissippi, Louisiana and Texas

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109 gynocracy gun amnestygun amnesty /���n ��mnəsti/ noun an arrangement where any per- son having a gun illegally can hand the gun in to the police without being prosecuted for it gunboat diplomacygunboat diplomacy /���nbəυt d | �pləυməsi/ noun the attempt to solve international problems by force or by threatening to use force. � diplomacy Gunpowder PlotGunpowder Plot /���n|�paυdə plɒt/ noun a conspiracy by a group of

Roman Catholics, including Guy Fawkes, to blow up Parliament in 1605 gynaecocracygynaecocracy /��an |�kɒləkrəsi/ noun political control by women, or a political system that gives power to women gynarchygynarchy /��anɑ�ki/ noun same as gynaecocracy gynocracygynocracy /�a|�nɒkrəsi/ noun same as gynaecocracy

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H hackhack /h�k/ noun 1. a journalist or writer, especially one who does rou- tine work or work that is not very good 2. a political party member who works for the party uncritically in a routine job Hail to the ChiefHail to the Chief /�hel tə ðə �tʃi�f/ noun the piece of military music played to greet the President of the United States HamasHamas /�h�m�s/ noun a fundamen- talist Islamic Palestinian organisation engaged in resistance to Israel in the Israeli-occupied territories hamlethamlet /�h�mlət/ noun a small vil- lage hammer and sicklehammer and sickle /�h�mə ən �sk(ə)l/ noun a symbol of Soviet Communism representing industrial and agricultural workers, used on the flag of the former Soviet Union hand downhand down /�h�nd �daυn/ verb 1. to pass something from one genera- tion to another � The house has been handed down from father to son since the nineteenth century. 2. to deliver a judgment or decision hand overhand over /�h�nd �əυvə/ verb to pass something to someone � She handed over the documents to the law- yer. HansardHansard /�h�nsɑ�d/ noun the offi- cial report of everything that is said and done in the House of Commons and the House of Lords

COMMENT: These reports were first published by Luke Hansard in 1774 and are now published daily by the Stationery Office. Each page is divid- ed into two numbered columns, so a reference to a particular speech in Hansard could read: Vol.120, No.24, 22 July 1987, Col. 370.

Hansard reporterHansard reporter /�h�n |�sɑ�d r | �pɔ�tə/ noun one of the people who take notes of the debates in Parliament for printing in Hansard hard currencyhard currency /�hɑ�d �k�rənsi/ noun the currency of a country which has a strong economy and which can be changed into other currencies hardlinerhardliner /hɑ�d |�lanə/ noun a per- son who is inflexible, especially over policy � Hardliners in the Govern- ment are pushing the President to refuse to talk to the rebel leader. harmonisationharmonisation /�hɑ�məna | �zeʃ(ə)n/, harmonization noun the process of bringing a number of dif- ferent rules or systems in different countries into a position where they are parallel or similar to one another � harmonisation of tax policies through- out the EU harmoniseharmonise /�hɑ�mənaz/, harmo- nize verb to bring a number of differ- ent rules or systems in different coun- tries into a position where they are similar or parallel to one another hawkhawk /hɔ�k/ noun a person who be- lieves in threatening or using armed force as a means of settling problems between countries. Compare dove hawkishhawkish /�hɔ�kʃ/ adjective favour- ing military force rather than diplo- matic solutions to foreign policy is- sues � The agreement will not satisfy the more hawkish members of the Cabinet. Compare doveish HEHE /�atʃ �i�/ abbreviation His Excel- lency or Her Excellency headhead /hed/ noun 1. the most impor- tant person 2. the most important or main � head clerk � head porter � head salesman � head waiter 3. the

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111 heir apparent top part or first part � Write the name of the company at the head of the list. 4. a person � Allow £10 per head for expenses. � Factory inspectors cost on average £25,000 per head per annum. � verb to be the manager or to be the most important person � to head a de- partment � She is heading a govern- ment delegation to China. headedheaded /�hedd/ adjective having a name and address printed at the top of a piece of paper headhunt

headhunt /�hedh�nt/ verb to look for suitable people and offer them jobs in other companies heading

heading /�hedŋ/ noun the title printed at the beginning of a section of a document head of government

head of government /�hed əv ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun the leader of a country’s government. � Prime Minis- ter head of protocol

head of protocol /�hed əv �prəυtəkɒl/ noun an official in an em- bassy who is concerned with relations with the government of the country where the embassy is and with other embassies head of state

head of state /�hed əv �stet/ noun the official leader of a country, who in some cases is also the head of the gov- ernment, e.g. a king, queen or presi- dent

COMMENT: A head of state may not have much political power and may be restricted to ceremonial duties such as meeting ambassadors, laying wreaths at national memorials, open- ing parliament, etc. The head of gov- ernment is usually the effective ruler of the country, except in countries where the President is the executive ruler, and the head of government is in charge of the administration. In the United Kingdom, the Queen is head of state, and the Prime Minister is head of government. In the United States, the President is both head of state and head of government.

headquarters

headquarters /hed|�kwɔ�təz/ plural noun the main office of an organisa- tion. Abbr HQ heads of agreement

heads of agreement /�hedz əv ə | ��ri�mənt/ noun a draft agreement

containing the most important points but not all the details Health and Safety at Work ActHealth and Safety at Work Act /�helθ ən �sefti ət �w#�k ��kt/ noun the Act of Parliament which regulates what employers must do to make sure that their workers are kept healthy and safe at work Health CanadaHealth Canada /�helθ �k�nədə/ noun the Canadian government de- partment that is responsible for pro- tecting the health and safety of the people of Canada Health Service CommissionersHealth Service Commission- ers /�helθ �s#�vs kə|�mʃənəz/, Health Service Ombudsmen noun the officials who investigate com- plaints from the public about the Na- tional Health Service hearhear /hə/ verb � hear! hear! words used in a meeting to show that you agree with the person speaking hearinghearing /�hərŋ/ noun 1. a case which is being heard by a committee, tribunal or court of law � The hearing about the planning application lasted ten days. 2. the opportunity of speak- ing to an official body about some- thing � He asked to be given a hearing by the full council so that he could state his case. heartlandheartland /�hɑ�tl�nd/ noun 1. a central area of a country or region that has special economic, political, mili- tary or sentimental significance 2. an area of a country where a particular activity or opinion is common � the in- dustrial heartland � The new party has made advances into the Conserv- ative heartlands. heckleheckle /�hek(ə)l/ verb to shout re- marks, insults or questions in order to upset someone who is making a speech hegemonyhegemony /h|��eməni/ noun the leadership by one strong state over a group of other states, usually in the same area heir apparentheir apparent /�eər ə|�p�rənt/ noun an heir whose inheritance can- not be altered by the birth of another heir

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heir presumptive 112 heir presumptiveheir presumptive /�eə pr| �z�mptv/ noun an heir whose inher- itance will pass to another heir if one is born whose entitlement is greater helotismhelotism /�hi�lətz(ə)m/ noun a po- litical or social system in which one group, class or country is systemati- cally oppressed by another hemicyclehemicycle /�hemi|�sak(ə)l/ noun a meeting room with seats in the form of a semicircle � MEPs meet in the hemi- cycle. henceforthhenceforth /hens |�fɔ�θ/ adverb from this time on � Henceforth it will be more difficult to avoid customs ex- aminations. henchmanhenchman /�hentʃmən/ noun someone, especially a man, who is a close supporter or associate of some- one in an important position, often us- ing strong methods to carry out their wishes henchwomanhenchwoman /�hentʃwυmən/ noun a woman who is a close support- er or associate of someone in an im- portant position, often using strong methods to carry out their wishes heptarchheptarch /�heptɑ�k/ noun one of the seven rulers in a heptarchy heptarchyheptarchy /�heptɑ�ki/ noun 1. gov- ernment by seven rulers or leaders 2. a state governed by seven rulers, or a state divided into seven parts, each ruled by a different leader here-here- /hə/ prefix this time or this point hereafterhereafter /hər|�ɑ�ftə/ adverb from this time or point on herebyhereby /hə|�ba/ adverb in this way or by this letter � We hereby revoke the agreement of January 1st 1982. hereditamenthereditament /�her |�dtəmənt/ noun property which can be passed from parents to their children hereditaryhereditary /hə |�redt(ə)ri/ adjective passed from one member of a family to another hereditary officehereditary office /hə|�redt(ə)ri �ɒfs/ noun an official position which is passed from one member of a fami- ly to another

hereinherein /�hər|�n/ adverb in this doc- ument � the conditions stated herein � See the reference herein above. hereinafterhereinafter /�hərn |�ɑ�ftə/ adverb stated later in this document � the con- ditions hereinafter listed hereofhereof /�hər |�ɒv/ adverb of this heretohereto /�hə |�tu�/ adverb to this � ac- cording to the schedule of payments attached hereto � as witness hereto as a witness of this fact heretoforeheretofore /�hətə |�fɔ�/ adverb pre- viously or earlier hereunderhereunder /�hər |��ndə/ adverb be- low this point in a document � See the documents listed hereunder. Her Majesty’s governmentHer Majesty’s government /�h#� �m�d�əstiz ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun the official title of the government of the United Kingdom Her Majesty’s pleasureHer Majesty’s pleasure /�h#� �m�d�əstiz �ple�ə/ noun � detention or during Her Majesty’s pleasure detention for an indefinite period, un- til the Home Secretary decides that a prisoner can be released Her Majesty’s Stationery OfficeHer Majesty’s Stationery Office noun the government department which prints documents for all gov- ernment departments and also pub- lishes and sells books for the govern- ment. Abbr HMSO. Also called The Stationery Office heteronomousheteronomous /�hetə |�rɒnə+əs/ adjective subject to laws and rules im- posed by other people or institutions. Compare autonomous hierarchyhierarchy /�haərɑ�ki/ noun the ar- rangement of an organisation in vari- ous ranks, with fewer and fewer peo- ple in the higher ranks � He started as a local official and rapidly rose through the ranks of the party hierar- chy. hierocracyhierocracy /�haə|�rɒkrəsi/ noun 1. government by clergy 2. a body of clergy that rules a place or country High CommissionHigh Commission /�ha kə | �mʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. in a Common- wealth country, an embassy � the Brit- ish High Commission in Ottawa or the

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113 hold UK High Commission in Ottawa � The High Commission staff were told not to speak to journalists. � She is joining the High Commission as an in- terpreter. 2. the office of a High Com- missioner High CommissionerHigh Commissioner /�ha kə | �mʃ(ə)nə/ noun a person who repre- sents a Commonwealth country in an- other Commonwealth country, having the same rank and the same duties as an ambassador High CourtHigh Court /�ha �kɔ�t/, High Court of Justice /�ha kɔ�t əv �d��sts/ noun the main civil court in England and Wales High Court of JusticiaryHigh Court of Justiciary /�ha kɔ�t əv d�� |�stʃiəri/ noun the highest criminal court of Scotland high flyerhigh flyer /�ha �flaə/ noun 1. a per- son who is very successful or who is likely to get a very important job 2. a share whose market price is rising rap- idly high-levelhigh-level /�ha �lev(ə)l/ adjective involving participation by people who have important positions in their or- ganisation or country � high-level talks highlighthighlight /�halat/ verb to empha- sise an important point � The report highlighted weaknesses in the work of the department. � noun the best part of something � The speech of the Dep- uty Prime Minister was the highlight of the Party Conference. high-profilehigh-profile /�ha �prəυfal/ adjec- tive in or intended to be noticeable to the public, e.g. to attract attention, support or business � a high-profile politician � a high-profile public in- formation campaign High SheriffHigh Sheriff /�ha �ʃerf/ noun the senior representative appointed by the Crown in a county high treasonhigh treason /�ha �tri�z(ə)n/ noun the formal way of referring to treason highwayhighway /�hawe/ noun a main road Highway CodeHighway Code /�hawe �kəυd/ noun the rules which govern the be- haviour of people and vehicles using roads

Highways AgencyHighways Agency /�hawez �ed�ənsi/ noun an executive agency of the Department of Transport that operates, maintains and improves the main roads in Britain highways committeehighways committee /�hawez kə|�mti/ noun the committee of a lo- cal council with deals with roads and paths Highways DepartmentHighways Department /�ha| �wez d |�pɑ�tmənt/ noun the part of a local council that looks after the main roads HilaryHilary /�hləri/ noun one of the four law terms in a year historichistoric /h|�stɒrk/ adjective 1. old or having a long history � The council is trying to redevelop the historic cen- tre of the city. � The building is pre- served as a historic monument. 2. im- portant and likely to be remembered � The MP, opening the town’s first shop- ping precinct, said that it was a histor- ic occasion. HKHK abbreviation House of Keys HLHL /�etʃ �el/ abbreviation House of Lords HMGHMG abbreviation 1. Her Majesty’s Government 2. His Majesty’s Govern- ment HMSHMS /�etʃ �em �es/ abbreviation 1. Her Majesty’s Service 2. His Majes- ty’s Service HMSOHMSO abbreviation Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Hobbes, ThomasHobbes, Thomas /hɒbz/ noun the English philosopher (1588–1679) whose Leviathan defended the right of a ruler to use absolute power in order to keep peace (NOTE: Hobbes said that without government, life for peo- ple in a state of nature or anarchy would be ‘nasty, solitary, brutish and short’.) hochoc � ad hoc holdhold /həυld/ verb � to hold a seat (of a party or candidate) to have a mem- ber elected for a constituency of the same party as the previous member � Labour held the seat with an in- creased majority.

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hold back 114 hold backhold back /�həυld �b�k/ verb to wait or not to go forward hold downhold down /�həυld �daυn/ verb to control strictly or to keep in check � The Government is trying to hold down food prices. � The army has been sent to hold down the rebel are- as. hold outhold out /�həυld �aυt/ verb 1. to of- fer � The negotiators held out the pos- sibility of increased aid. � The chair- man held out the possibility of rapid promotion. 2. to remain in a place or position, while being attacked � The rebels are holding out in the govern- ment radio station. hold overhold over /�həυld �əυvə/ verb to put back to a later date � Discussion of item 4 was held over until the next meeting. holdoverholdover /�həυldəυvə/ noun some- one who remains in a job or other po- sition that has come under different control � A holdover from the previous administration at the Pentagon agen- cy ordered the destruction of classi- fied documents. hold tohold to /�həυld tu�/ verb to keep or limit � the government hopes to hold wage increases to 5% the govern- ment hopes that wage increases will not be more than 5% hold uphold up /�həυld ��p/ verb 1. to show or display � The agreement was held up as an example of good manage- ment-worker relations. 2. to stay at a high level � Share prices have held up well. � Sales held up during the tourist season. 3. to delay � The shipment has been held up at the customs. � Pay- ment will be held up until the contract has been signed. holidayholiday /�hɒlde/ noun a period away from work. � bank holiday homehome /həυm/ noun 1. a place where a person lives 2. someone’s country of origin, or the country where a compa- ny is based homelandhomeland /�həυml�nd/ noun 1. the country where someone was born or where they live and have a sense of be- longing to 2. in South Africa under the

apartheid system, a partly self-govern- ing region set aside for the Black pop- ulation homeland securityhomeland security /�həυml�nd s|�kjυərti/ noun US safety and pro- tection from terrorist attack of a coun- try (NOTE: Following the terrorist at- tack of 11 September 2001, Presi- dent Bush created a new executive department, the Department of Homeland Security.) Home OfficeHome Office /�həυm �ɒfs/ noun the UK government ministry dealing with crime, the police and prisons

COMMENT: In most countries the gov- ernment department dealing with the internal order of the country is called the Ministry of the Interior, with a Min- ister of the Interior in charge.

home rulehome rule /�həυm �ru�l/ noun the right of an area of a country to rule it- self after being governed by another country

COMMENT: Home Rule was the aim of Irish Nationalists between 1870 and 1920 when they were trying to achieve independence for Ireland.

Home SecretaryHome Secretary /�həυm �sekrət(ə)ri/ noun the minister of the UK government in charge of the Home Office, dealing with law and or- der, the police and prisons. Also called Secretary of State for Home Af- fairs hon.hon. abbreviation honourable honest brokerhonest broker /�ɒnst �brəυkə/ noun a person, group or country that helps two sides to come together in a dispute honoraryhonorary /�ɒnərəri/ adjective not paid a salary honorary consulhonorary consul /�ɒnərəri �kɒnsəl/ noun a person who repre- sents one country in a different coun- try but is not paid a salary, and is not a professional diplomat honourablehonourable /�ɒn(ə)rəb(ə)l/ noun the title used when one MP addresses another in the House of Commons � The hon. Member for London East would do well to remember the condi- tions in her constituency. � Will my hon. Friend give way? � The hon.

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115 House of Commons Gentleman is perfectly entitled to ask that question.

COMMENT: Various conventions are at- tached to the use of the word in Parlia- ment. In general, MPs can refer to each other as ‘the hon. Member for…’; the Speaker will refer to all MPs as ‘hon. Members’. To distinguish MPs of one’s own party from those on the oth- er side of the House, an MP will say ‘my hon. Friend’. To distinguish be- tween women and men MPs, you can say ‘the hon. Lady’ or ‘the hon. Gen- tleman’. Lawyers may be addressed as ‘hon. and learned’.

Honours List

Honours List /�ɒnəz lst/ noun a list of the people who have been or are to be awarded honours such as a peer- age or membership of a chivalric order by the British monarch hopper

hopper /�hɒpə/ noun US a box where bills are put after being intro- duced in the House of Representatives horse-trading

horse-trading /�hɔ�s �tredŋ/ noun the negotiations between politi- cal parties or politicians or members of a committee to obtain a general agreement for something � After a pe- riod of horse-trading, the committee agreed on the election of a member of one of the smaller parties as Chair- man. hostile

hostile /�hɒstal/ adjective not friendly, or aggressive � The proposal was given a hostile reception by the main committee. hostile act

hostile act /�hɒstal �kt/ noun an unfriendly action which suggests that the country committing it is an enemy � We consider the violation of our air space a hostile act. hostilities

hostilities /hɒ |�stltiz/ plural noun armed fighting � The president is try- ing to negotiate an end to hostilities in the region. hostility

hostility /hɒ |�stlti/ noun an un- friendly attitude towards someone � Her proposal was greeted by the rest of the committee with hostility. � Members of the public showed their hostility by throwing eggs. hot button

hot button /�hɒt �b�t(ə)n/ noun something that is known to be likely to

provoke a strong response, especially among voters or consumers hot pursuithot pursuit /�hɒt pə |�sju�t/ noun in international law, the right which is sometimes claimed to chase a ship into international waters or to chase suspected criminals across an interna- tional border into another country househouse /haυs/ noun 1. one of the two chambers of a legislature, usually the lower chamber 2. also House one of the two parts of the UK Parliament, ei- ther the House of Commons or the House of Lords � The minister brought a matter to the attention of the House. 3. one of the two chambers of the United States Congress � The bill was passed by both houses and sent to the President for signature. householdhousehold /�haυshəυld/ noun the people living together in a house householderhouseholder /�haυshəυldə/ noun person who occupies a private house House leaderHouse leader /�haυz �li�də/ noun 1. (in the UK) the Leader of the House, a government minister and member of the cabinet, who is responsible for the administration of legislation in the House of Commons or House of Lords, and is the main government spokesman in the House 2. (in the USA) the chief of one of the political parties in the House of Representa- tives House of AssemblyHouse of Assembly /�haυs əv ə| �sembli/ noun the legislative body in Barbados, Dominica, Tasmania and Zimbabwe House of ChiefsHouse of Chiefs /�haυz əv �tʃi�fs/ noun the upper consultative council in Botswana House of CommonsHouse of Commons /�haυs əv �kɒmənz/ noun 1. the lower house of the British Parliament, made up of 659 elected members 2. the lower house of a legislature with two parts such as that in Canada

COMMENT: Members of the House of Commons (called MPs) are elected for five years, which is the maximum length of a Parliament. Bills can be presented in either the House of Com- mons or House of Lords, and sent to

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House of Councillors 116 the other chamber for discussion and amendment. All bills relating to reve- nue must be introduced in the House of Commons, and most other bills are introduced there also.

House of CouncillorsHouse of Councillors /�haυz əv �kaυnsləz/ noun the upper house of the legislature in Japan House of KeysHouse of Keys /�haυs əv �ki�z/ noun the lower house of the legisla- ture of the Isle of Man House of LordsHouse of Lords /�haυs əv �lɔ�dz/ noun the non-elected upper house of Parliament in the United Kingdom, made up of life peers, some hereditary peers and some bishops

COMMENT: The composition of the House of Lords was changed by the House of Lords act 1999; hereditary peers no longer sit there by right, al- though 92 remain, elected by their own party or crossbench (non-party) groups, or as Deputy Speakers, Com- mittee Chairs, or to fill two hereditary royal appointments, the Earl Marshal and the Lord Great Chamberlain. The House of Lords was for centuries the highest court of appeal; now the only appeal from the House of Lords is to the European Court of Justice. Pro- posals for reform introduced in 2003– 4 will remove the ’law lords’ from the House of Lords and create a new Su- preme Court. This is being done to make it quite clear that the judiciary is independent from the other two branches of government.

House of RepresentativesHouse of Representatives /�haυs əv repr|�zentətvz/ noun 1. the lower house of the Congress of the United States of America, made up of 435 elected members 2. the legislative body in many countries, including An- tigua, Australia, Colombia, Cyprus, the Gambia, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, Yemen

COMMENT: The members of the House of Representatives (called Congress- men or Congresswomen) are elected for two years. All bills relating to reve- nue must originate in the House of Representatives; otherwise bills can be proposed in either the House or the Senate and sent to the other chamber for discussion and amendment.

House of the PeopleHouse of the People /�haυz əv ðə �pi�p(ə)l/ noun same as Lok Sabha

House Republican LeaderHouse Republican Leader /�haυz r|�p�blkən �li�də/ noun the head of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives Houses of ParliamentHouses of Parliament /�haυzz əv �pɑ�ləmənt/ 1. the building where the British Parliament meets, contain- ing the chambers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords 2. the British Parliament housinghousing /�haυzŋ/ noun the supply of houses or flats for people to live in � The council provides low-cost hous- ing for families in the borough. � The family lives in council housing. housing associationhousing association /�haυzŋ ə | �səυsieʃ(ə)n/ noun an organisation subsidised by government, which pro- vides cheap housing for people housing departmenthousing department /�haυzŋ d | �pɑ�tmənt/ noun the department of a local authority which deals with coun- cil houses and flats housing listhousing list /�haυzŋ lst/ noun the list of people waiting to be placed in council housing � They have been on the housing list for three years. HowardHoward /�haυəd/, John (b. 1939) Australian prime minister (1996–) HowardHoward /�haυəd/, Michael (b. 1941) Elected as a Conservative to Parlia- ment in 1982, he was Home Secretary from 1993 to 1997 and became leader of the Opposition in 2003 HPHP abbreviation Houses of Parlia- ment HQHQ abbreviation headquarters � The party HQ was surrounded by demon- strators. HRHR abbreviation House of Represent- atives HSEHSE abbreviation Health and Safety Executive HUDHUD /h�d/ abbreviation US Depart- ment of Housing and Urban Develop- ment humanitarian aidhumanitarian aid /hju� |�m�n | �teəriən ed/ noun help in the form of essential basic food and medicines sent to countries suffering from fam- ine or other disasters

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117 Hybrid Bill humanitarian spacehumanitarian space /hju� |�m�n | �teəriən spes/ noun a neutral zone occupied by international aid agencies in a region which is at war human rightshuman rights /�hju�mən �rats/ plural noun the rights of individual men and women to basic freedoms such as freedom of speech and free- dom of association Human Rights ActHuman Rights Act /�hju�mən �rats ��kt/ noun the Act of Parlia- ment (1998) which incorporated the European Convention on Human Rights into British law humble addresshumble address /�h�mbəl ə|�dres/ noun a formal communication from one or both Houses of Parliament to the Queen Hundred DaysHundred Days /�h�ndrəd �dez/ plural noun the first 100 days of a new administration in the USA, seen as a test of that administration’s ability

COMMENT: It was originally applied to the first 100 days of president Roo- sevelt’s administration in 1933, and is now applied to all new administra- tions.

hunghung /h�ŋ/ adjective with no major- ity � hung council, hung parliament a council or parliament in which no single party has enough votes to form a government hunger marchhunger march /�h�ŋ�ə mɑ�tʃ/ noun a march organised by unem-

ployed people to draw attention to their problems hunger strike

hunger strike /�h�ŋ�ə strak/ noun a refusal to eat over a period of time as a form of protest, especially by a prisoner Hural

Hural /�hjυərəl/ noun the legislative body in Mongolia hustings

hustings /�h�stŋz/ noun � at the hustings at a parliamentary election

COMMENT: The hustings were formerly the booths where votes were taken, or the platform on which candidates stood to speak, but now the phrase is used simply to mean ‘at an election’.

Hutton Enquiry

Hutton Enquiry /�h�tən ŋ| �kwaəri/ noun a judicial enquiry headed by Lord Justice Hutton in 2003 into the events surrounding the suicide of a senior government scientist with expertise on weapons of mass destruc- tion in connection with the war with Iraq (NOTE: Lord Hutton found that the BBC had misreported govern- ment actions over the war with Iraq and, to most people’s surprise, made very few criticisms of the govern- ment.) Hybrid Bill

Hybrid Bill /�habrd bl/ noun a parliamentary bill with some provi- sions affecting the public domain and others affecting private interests

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I ICCICC abbreviation International Crim- inal Court ICMICM /�a si� �em/ abbreviation Inter- governmental Committee for Migra- tions IDID abbreviation identity or identifica- tion ID cardID card /�a �di� �kɑ�d/ noun same as identity card idemidem /�dem/ pronoun the same thing or the same person identicidentic /a|�dentk/ adjective refer- ring to diplomatic notes sent, or diplo- matic action taken, by two or more governments in exactly the same form identityidentity /a|�dentti/ noun who someone is identity cardidentity card /a |�dentti kɑ�d/ noun a card carried by citizens of a country or members of a group to prove who they are identity theftidentity theft /a|�dentti θeft/ noun the stealing of personal information that makes it possible to use some- one’s bank account, credit card etc. ideologicalideological /�adiə |�lɒd�k(ə)l/ ad- jective referring to ideology � The two sections of the party have important ideological differences. ideologistideologist, ideologue noun a per- son who follows a particular ideology (often disapproving) ideologyideology /�adi |�ɒləd�i/ noun a set of basic ideas about life and society, such as religious or political opinions � Most political parties are based on ideologies. � Marxist ideology states that a classless society will be estab- lished. IGCIGC abbreviation Intergovernmental Conference

ignore

ignore /� |�nɔ�/ verb to reject a bill of indictment because there is not enough evidence illegal immigrant

illegal immigrant /|�li��(ə)l �m�rənt/ noun a person who enters a country to live permanently without having the permission of the govern- ment to do so ILO

ILO abbreviation International La- bour Organisation immigrant

immigrant /�m�rənt/ noun a per- son who moves into a country to live permanently immigrate

immigrate /�m�ret/ verb to move into a country to live permanently immigration

immigration /�m|��reʃ(ə)n/ noun moving into a country to live perma- nently Immigration Laws

Immigration Laws /�m |��reʃ(ə)n lɔ�z/ plural noun the legislation con- trolling the movement of people into a country to live there immunity

immunity /|�mju�nti/ noun protec- tion against arrest or prosecution � US the protection of members of Con- gress against being sued for libel or slander for statements made on the floor of the House (NOTE: The UK term is privilege.)

COMMENT: Immunity from prosecution is granted to magistrates, counsel and witnesses as regards their statements in judicial proceedings. Families and servants of diplomats may be covered by diplomatic immunity.

impartial

impartial /m |�pɑ�ʃ(ə)l/ adjective not biased towards one group or political party or one side in a dispute or com- petition � to give someone a fair and impartial hearing � A judgment must be impartial.

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119 impunity impartiality

impartiality /m |�pɑ�ʃi|��lti/ noun the state of being impartial � The newspapers doubted the impartiality of the Ombudsman. impartially

impartially /m |�pɑ�ʃ(ə)li/ adverb not showing any bias towards one group or political party or one side in a dispute or competition � ACAS has to act impartially towards the two par- ties in the dispute. impeach

impeach /m |�pi�tʃ/ verb to charge a head of state, minister or judge with treason, bribery or with serious crimes impeachment

impeachment /m |�pi�tʃmənt/ noun the charge of treason, bribery or serious crimes brought against a head of state, judge or minister (NOTE: Im- peachments ended in Britain in the late 18th century, but have continued to be used occasionally under the Constitution of USA. In 1999 im- peachment proceedings against President Clinton failed to gain suffi- cient support in the Senate.) impending

impending /m |�pendŋ/ adjective about to happen soon � The newspa- pers carried stories about the impend- ing general election. imperial

imperial /m |�pəriəl/ adjective re- ferring to an empire � the power of im- perial Rome imperialism

imperialism /m |�pəriəlz(ə)m/ noun (disapproving) 1. the idea or practice of having an empire formed of colonies 2. the practice of control- ling other countries as if they were part of an empire imperialist

imperialist /m |�pəriəlst/ adjective referring to imperialism � noun a per- son who is in favour of empires and imperialism imperialistic

imperialistic /mpiəriə |�lstk/ ad- jective referring to imperialism

COMMENT: Although imperialism is used to refer to states which have or had colonies such as Britain, France, Belgium or the Netherlands, it is now widely used to refer to states which exert strong influence over other states. This influence can be political, military or commercial: cultural imperi- alism.

implicate

implicate /�mplket/ verb to sug- gest or show that someone is involved in something � Several ministers were implicated in the arms-selling scan- dal. import

import noun /�mpɔ�t/ the bringing of foreign goods into a country to be sold � The import of firearms is for- bidden. � verb /m |�pɔ�t/ to bring for- eign goods into a country import duty

import duty /�mpɔ�t �dju�ti/ noun a tax on foreign goods brought into a country. Also called customs duty import levy

import levy /�mpɔ�t �levi/ noun a tax on foreign goods brought into a country, e.g. in the European Union a tax on imports of farm produce from outside the EU import quota

import quota /�mpɔ�t �kwəυtə/ noun a fixed quantity of a particular type of foreign goods which the gov- ernment allows to be brought into the country � The government has im- posed a quota on the import of cars. � The quota on imported cars has been lifted. imports

imports /�mpɔ�ts/ plural noun for- eign goods brought into a country � All imports must be declared to the customs. impose

impose /m |�pəυz/ verb to ask some- one to pay a fine � to impose a tax on bicycles � The court imposed a fine of £100. � They tried to impose a ban on smoking. � The government imposed a special duty on oil. � The customs have imposed a 10% tax increase on electrical items. imposition

imposition /�mpə|�zʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the act of putting a tax on goods or services � Council officials consider having to attending all-night sittings to be an imposition. 2. an unreasona- ble request impound

impound /m |�paυnd/ verb to take something and keep it, usually be- cause something illegal has been done � The lorries were impounded by cus- toms. impunity

impunity /m |�pju�nti/ noun free- dom from threat of punishment

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in abeyance 120 in abeyance

in abeyance /�n ə|�beəns/ noun being out of operation or use for a pe- riod � this law is in abeyance this law in not being enforced at the present time in absentia

in absentia /�n �b |�senʃə/ adverb while someone is not present � The former President was tried and sen- tenced to death in absentia. inalienable

inalienable /n |�eliənəb(ə)l/ adjec- tive which cannot be taken away or given away or sold inaugurateinaugurate /|�nɔ��jυret/ verb to mark the start of someone’s period of office with a formal ceremony inaugurationinauguration /|�nɔ��jυ |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun the formal act of confirming someone in an official position, espe- cially the President of the United States, or a ceremony held for this pur- pose in camerain camera /�n �k�m(ə)rə/ adverb in private or with no members of the public present � The case was heard in camera. incitement

incitement /n|�satmənt/ noun the crime of encouraging, persuading or advising someone to commit a crime � incitement to racial hatred the of- fence of encouraging people to attack others because of their race, by words, actions or writing inclusive

inclusive /n|�klu�sv/ adjective not excluding any group or section of so- ciety � inclusive of tax or not inclusive of VAT � the party conference runs from the 12th to the 16th inclusive it starts on the morning of the 12th and ends on the evening of the 16th inclusive languageinclusive language /n|�klu�sv �l�ŋ�wd�/ noun language that avoids careless discrimination against some people because of gender, class, ethnic group, etc. in the words and de- scriptions used incomes policy

incomes policy /�nk�mz �pɒlsi/ noun an economic policy that plans to control inflation by keeping control of wage levels income tax

income tax /�nk�m t�ks/ noun a tax, mainly on what someone is paid

incomingincoming /�nk�mŋ/ adjective re- cently elected or appointed � the in- coming government, the incoming Minister the new government or the Minister who has just been appointed and is about to start working � The chairman welcomed the incoming committee. � The incoming cabinet was sworn in at the Presidential pal- ace. incompetencyincompetency /n |�kɒmpt(ə)nsi/ noun the state of not being legally able to do something incompetentincompetent /n|�kɒmpt(ə)nt/ ad- jective 1. unable to work well or to perform some duty � The Finance Minister is quite incompetent, but he is the President’s brother-in-law. � The company has an incompetent sales director. 2. not legally able to do something � She is incompetent to sign the contract. incorporateincorporate /n |�kɔ�pəret/ verb 1. to bring something in to form part of a main group or to make a document part of another document � Income from the 1994 acquisition is incorpo- rated into the accounts. � The list of markets is incorporated into the main contract. 2. to form a registered com- pany � a company incorporated in the USA � an incorporated company � J. Doe Incorporated 3. to give legal sta- tus and the right to have a council to a town incorporationincorporation /n|�kɔ�pə|�reʃ(ə)n/ noun act of incorporating something incumbencyincumbency /n |�k�mbənsi/ the sit- uation of being the holder of an elect- ed position incumbency effectincumbency effect /n |�k�mbənsi  |�fekt/ noun the way in which people who have already been elected to an office tend to be re-elected for a fur- ther term incumbentincumbent /n |�k�mbənt/ adjective holding an official position � the in- cumbent President � noun a person who holds an official position � There will be no changes in the governor’s staff while the present incumbent is still in office.

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121 informal vote incursionincursion /n|�k#�ʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a raid or limited military attack on an- other country 2. entry into an area where someone or something should not be indefeasible rightindefeasible right /�ndfi�zb(ə)l �rat/ noun a right which cannot be taken or given away indemnificationindemnification /n |�demnf | �keʃən/ noun a promise of payment for loss or damage independenceindependence /�nd |�pendəns/ noun 1. freedom from rule or control or influence of others � The colony struggled to achieve independence. � Britain granted her colonies inde- pendence in the years after the Second World War. � An independence move- ment grew in the colony. 2. the time when a country became independent from another country � The ten years since independence have seen many changes. Independence DayIndependence Day /�nd | �pendəns de/ noun the day when a country celebrates its independence, e.g. July 4th in the USA independentindependent /�nd |�pendənt/ ad- jective free or not controlled by any- one � The council has asked an inde- pendent consultant to report on the housing department. � The country has been independent since 1956. Indian National CongressIndian National Congress /�ndiən �n�ʃ(ə)nəl �kɒŋ�res/ noun an Indian political party that led the struggle for independence from the British Empire and has dominated the post-independence government Indian SubcontinentIndian Subcontinent /�ndiən �s�b |�kɒntnənt/ noun India, Pakistan and Bangladesh individualindividual /�nd |�vd�uəl/ noun a single person � He was approached by two individuals on a constituency mat- ter. � adjective referring to a single person or thing � The records are kept in individual files. individualismindividualism /�nd | �vd�uəlz(ə)m/ noun the political theory which places most importance on the rights of each person and tries

to free each person from too much so- cial control and restriction industrial

industrial /n |�d�striəl/ adjective re- lating to work industrial development

industrial development /n| �d�striəl d|�veləpmənt/ noun the planning and building of new indus- tries in special areas industrial processesindustrial processes /n |�d�striəl �prəυsesz/ plural noun the methods and systems involved in making prod- ucts in factories Industrial Revolution

Industrial Revolution /n| �d�striəl revə|�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun the pe- riod in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when industry began to de- velop infiltrate

infiltrate /�nfltret/ verb to enter an organisation secretly, without the officials knowing � The club has been infiltrated by right-wing agitators. inflation

inflation /n |�fleʃ(ə)n/ noun the sit- uation where prices rise to keep up with increased money available to buy goods influence

influence /�nfluəns/ noun the ef- fect on someone or something � They said the president was acting under the influence of the Ambassador. � The decision of the court was not influ- enced by the speech of the Prime Min- ister. � We are suffering from the influ- ence of a high exchange rate. � verb to have an effect on someone or some- thing � The House was influenced in its decision by the gravity of the finan- cial crisis. � The price of oil has influ- enced the price of industrial goods. � He was accused of trying to influence the Select Committee. influence peddling

influence peddling /�nfluəns �pedlŋ/ noun offering to use your in- fluence, especially political power, for payment, to help a person or group achieve something influential

influential /�nflu|�enʃəl/ noun hav- ing the power to influence someone or something � He is the chairman of the influential Foreign Affairs Committee. informal vote

informal vote /n |�fɔ�m(ə)l vəυt/ noun a ballot paper which is not filled

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information 122 in or is incorrectly filled in and is therefore declared invalid informationinformation /�nfə |�meʃ(ə)n/ noun details or facts about something or somebody information officeinformation office /�nfə | �meʃ(ə)n �ɒfs/ noun an office where someone can answer questions from the public infringeinfringe /n|�frnd�/ verb to break a law or a right inhabitantinhabitant /n |�h�bt(ə)nt/ noun a person who lives in a building or town or country � Spain has 39 million in- habitants. initiativeinitiative /|�nʃətv/ noun 1. a deci- sion to start doing something � The president took the initiative in asking the rebel leader to come for a meeting. � The minister has proposed several initiatives to try to restart the dead- locked negotiations. 2. (in Switzer- land and the USA) a move by a group of citizens to propose that something should be decided by a referendum injunctioninjunction /n|�d��ŋkʃ(ə)n/ noun a court order telling someone to stop doing something or not to do some- thing � He got an injunction prevent- ing the company from selling his car. � The council applied for an injunction to stop the developer from continuing with the demolition. injusticeinjustice /n|�d��sts/ noun a lack of justice � She complained about the in- justice of the system. InkathaInkatha noun a Zulu political party that was founded in South Africa in 1975 INLAINLA abbreviation Irish National Liberation Army inlandinland /�nlənd/ adjective inside a country � inland freight charges charges for carrying goods from one part of the country to another Inland RevenueInland Revenue /�nlənd �revənju�/ noun the department of the British government dealing with tax � to make a declaration to the Inland Revenue Inland Revenue DepartmentInland Revenue Department /�nl�nd �revə|�nju� d |�pɑ�tmənt/

noun in New Zealand, the government department responsible for the collec- tion and administration of taxes. Abbr IRD inner cabinetinner cabinet /�nə �k�bnət/ noun an informal group of the most impor- tant members of the Cabinet, who un- der some Prime Ministers may meet with the Prime Minister and decide policy away from the rest of the Cabi- net inner cityinner city /�nə �sti/ noun the cen- tral part of a large urban area, often an area of poverty, poor housing and oth- er social problems input taxinput tax /�npυt t�ks/ noun VAT paid on goods or services bought inquireinquire /n |�kwaə/, enquire /ŋ | �kwaə/ verb to ask questions about something � He inquired if anything was wrong. � She inquired about the rate of inflation in other European countries. � The commission is inquir- ing into corruption in the customs service. inquiryinquiry /n |�kwaəri/, enquiry /n | �kwari/ noun an official investigation � There has been a government in- quiry into the loss of the secret docu- ments. inquorateinquorate /n |�kwɔ�ret/ adjective without the required number of people to hold or carry on a meeting � The meeting was declared inquorate and had to be abandoned. in-service trainingin-service training /�n �s#�vs �trenŋ/ noun training offered by an employer to his or her staff � The re- port suggested increasing in-service training facilities in the department. Abbr INSET inspectorinspector /n |�spektə/ noun 1. an official whose job is to check that a particular activity or situation is fol- lows approved standards � inspector of taxes, tax inspector an official of the Inland Revenue who examines tax returns and decides how much tax each person should pay 2. a British police officer of a rank above sergeant inspectorateinspectorate /n|�spekt(ə)rət/ noun a group of inspectors with the same

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123 interest group area of responsibility � the school in- spectorate all local or national in- spectors of schools instituteinstitute /�nsttju�t/ noun 1. an of- ficial organisation 2. the title of a pro- fessional organisation � The Royal In- stitute of British Architects. � verb to start something � to institute proceed- ings against someone institutioninstitution /�nst |�tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. an organisation or society set up for a particular purpose 2. a building for a special purpose institutionalisedinstitutionalised /�nst | �tju�ʃ(ə)nəlazd/, institutionalized adjective 1. unable to live independ- ently after having been in prison, hos- pital or other institution for a long time 2. happening so often that it is considered to be normal even though wrong or harmful � The office of US President has become institutional- ised. instrumentinstrument /�nstrυmənt/ noun 1. a tool or piece of equipment 2. a legal document instrumentalityinstrumentality /�nstrυmen | �t�lti/ noun in the United States, a subsidiary branch of a department or agency insularinsular /�nsjυlə/ adjective 1. refer- ring to islands 2. not interested in an- ything outside one’s immediate sur- roundings insularityinsularity /�nsjυ |�l�rti/ noun indif- ference to anything outside one’s im- mediate surroundings insurableinsurable /n|�ʃυərəb(ə)l/ adjective possible to insure insuranceinsurance /n |�ʃυərəns/ noun the business of insuring insurgencyinsurgency /n |�s#�d�ənsi/ noun a state where many groups fight to try to bring down a government over a long period of time insurgentinsurgent /n|�s#�d�ənt/ noun a per- son who fights to bring down a gov- ernment by force � The army tried to capture the leaders of the insurgents. insurrectioninsurrection /�nsə |�rekʃən/ noun an armed attempt to overthrow a gov-

ernment � The insurrection lasted two weeks. insurrectionistinsurrectionist /�nsə |�rekʃənst/ noun a person who takes part in an armed attempt to overthrow a govern- ment integrationistintegrationist /�nt |��reʃ(ə)nst/ noun someone who works to promote or maintain integration � adjective promoting or maintaining integration intelligenceintelligence /n|�teld�əns/ noun secret information intelligence serviceintelligence service /n |�teld�əns �s#�vs/ noun the government depart- ment which tries to discover other countries’ secrets inter-inter- /ntə/ prefix between inter aliainter alia /�ntə �eliə/ Latin phrase meaning ‘among other things’ intercameralintercameral /�ntə |�k�mərəl/ ad- jective between the two chambers of a bicameral legislature intercontinentalintercontinental /�ntəkɒnt| �nent(ə)l/ adjective between conti- nents interdependentinterdependent /�ntəd|�pendənt/ adjective dependent on each other � Great Britain and the EU are econom- ically interdependent. interestinterest /�ntrəst/ noun 1. special attention � The managing director takes no interest in the staff club. � The government has shown a lot of interest in the scheme. 2. the payment made by a borrower for the use of money, cal- culated as a percentage of the capital borrowed � The bank pays 10% inter- est on deposits. 3. money paid as in- come on investments or loans � to re- ceive interest at 5% � the loan pays 5% interest � deposit which yields or gives or produces or bears 5% interest � account which earns interest at 10% or which earns 10% interest 4. the per- centage to be paid for borrowing 5. the right or title to a property or money in- vested in a company or financial share in, and part control over, a company interest groupinterest group /�ntrəst �ru�p/ noun a group of people who work to- gether for a specific reason, often by putting pressure on the government

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interfere 124 interfere

interfere /�ntə|�fə/ verb to get in- volved or to try to change something which is not your concern intergovernmental

intergovernmental /�ntə |���v(ə)n | �ment(ə)l/ adjective between govern- ments � intergovernmental commu- nications messages passed from one government to another Intergovernmental Conference

Intergovernmental Conference /�ntə��v(ə)nment(ə)l �kɒnf(ə)rəns/ noun 1. a meeting for discussion in which many countries take part 2. a special meeting of all the heads of the governments of the European Union, held every few years to make impor- tant decisions on the future develop- ment of the EU � abbr IGC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change /�ntə|��v(ə)n | ment(ə)l �p�n(ə)l ɒn �klamət tʃend�/ noun an international body set up in 1988 to assess information relating to climate change caused by human activities. Abbr IPCC interim

interim /�ntərm/ adjective serving temporarily until a permanent replace- ment can be elected or appointed Interior

Interior /n |�təriə/ adjective relating to the internal affairs of a country, es- pecially as opposed to its foreign rela- tions internal

internal /n|�t#�n(ə)l/ adjective refer- ring to the inside � an internal memo a memo from one department in an or- ganisation to another � internal af- fairs of a country the way in which a country deals with its own citizens � It is not usual for one country to criticise the internal affairs of another. Internal Revenue Service

Internal Revenue Service /n | �t#�n(ə)l �revənju� �s#�vs/ noun the department of the US government dealing with income tax. Abbr IRS (NOTE: The UK equivalent is the In- land Revenue.) international

international /�ntə |�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ ad- jective involving two or more coun- tries International

International /�ntə |�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ noun any of four international Social- ist, Communist, or Anarchist organi-

sations formed in 1864, 1889, 1919, and 1938 respectively International Court of Justice

International Court of Justice /�ntən�ʃ(ə)nəl �kɔ�t əv �d��sts/ noun the court of the United Nations, which is in The Hague, Netherlands International Criminal Court

International Criminal Court /�ntə|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �krmn(ə)l kɔ�t/ noun the court set up by the United Nations to deal with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by political leaders and those engaged in warfare. Abbr ICC International Development Association

International Development As- sociation /�ntə |�n�ʃ(ə)nəl d | �veləpmənt ə|�səυsieʃ(ə)n/ noun a specialised agency of the United Na- tions that provides credit to nations on less strict terms than the World Bank. Abbr IDA Internationale

Internationale /�ntə |�n�ʃ(ə)|�nɑ�l/ noun the song used as an anthem by Socialists and Communists International Finance Corporation

International Finance Corpora- tion /�ntən�ʃ(ə)nəl �fan�ns �kɔ�pəreʃ(ə)n/ noun a specialised agency of the United Nations that is affiliated with the World Bank and promotes private enterprise in devel- oping nations by providing risk capi- tal. Abbr IFC internationalise

internationalise /�ntə | �n�ʃ(ə)nəlaz/ verb to place some- thing under the protection or control of several countries instead of one country internationalism

internationalism /�ntə | �n�ʃ(ə)nəlz(ə)m/ noun the idea that different countries should try to work together more closely internationalist

internationalist /�ntə | �n�ʃ(ə)nəlst/ noun someone who supports greater cooperation between countries � adjective favouring great- er cooperation between countries International Labour Organisation

International Labour Organisa- tion /�ntə |�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �lebə/ noun the organisation set up by the United Nations which tries to improve work- ing conditions and workers’ pay in member countries. Abbr ILO

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125 interventionism international lawinternational law /�ntən�ʃ(ə)nəl �lɔ�/ noun the laws governing relations between countries International Monetary FundInternational Monetary Fund /�ntə|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �m�nt(ə)ri f�nd/ noun an organisation of the United Nations, which is a type of bank that helps member states in financial diffi- culties, gives financial advice to mem- bers and encourages world trade. Abbr IMF international politicsinternational politics /�ntən�ʃ(ə)nəl �pɒltks/ noun the diplomatic and political interaction between the governments of different countries international relationsinternational relations /�ntə | �n�ʃ(ə)nəl r |�leʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun political activities undertaken be- tween two or more countries � noun the branch of political science that studies relations between different countries International Telecommunication UnionInternational Telecommunica- tion Union noun a specialised agen- cy of the United Nations that promotes international cooperation in telecom- munications and allots radio frequen- cies for various purposes. Abbr ITU internuncialinternuncial /�ntə |�n�nsiəl/ adjec- tive relating to an internuncio of the Roman Catholic Church internunciointernuncio /�ntə |�n�nsiəυ/ noun a diplomatic representative of the pope of a rank below a nuncio interpellateinterpellate /n |�t#�pəlet/ verb to interrupt a parliamentary debate by asking a question on an aspect of gov- ernment policy InterpolInterpol /�ntəpɒl/ noun an interna- tional police organisation through which the member countries co-oper- ate in solving crimes � They warned Interpol that the man was thought to have gone to France or Spain. interpretinterpret /n |�t#�prt/ verb 1. to say what you think something such as a document, law or decision means � The chairman asked the Chief Execu- tive to interpret the clause in the White Paper. 2. to translate what someone has said into another language � My

assistant knows Spanish, so she will interpret for us. interpretationinterpretation /n |�t#�pr|�teʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. what someone thinks is the meaning of something such as a docu- ment, law or decision 2. a translation of what has been said in one language into another Interpretation ActInterpretation Act /n |�t#�pr| �teʃ(ə)n �kt/ noun an Act of Parlia- ment which rules how words used in other Acts of Parliament are to be un- derstood interpreterinterpreter /n |�t#�prtə/ noun a per- son who translates what someone has said into another language � My as- sistant will act as interpreter. � The witness could not speak English and the court had to appoint an interpret- er. interregnuminterregnum /�ntə |�re�nəm/ noun the period between the end of the reign of one king or ruler and the be- ginning of the next interruptinterrupt /�ntə |�r�pt/ verb to try to speak or to shout when someone else is talking

COMMENT: In the House of Commons, an MP is allowed to interrupt another MP only if he wants to ask the mem- ber who is speaking to explain some- thing or to raise a point of order.

interstate controlsinterstate controls /�ntəstet kən |�trəυlz/ noun restrictions on trade or the movement of people between one state and another intervenerintervener /�ntə|�vi�nə/ noun a per- son who gets involved in an action to which he or she was not originally a party interventionintervention /�ntə|�venʃən/ noun 1. acting to make a change � the gov- ernment’s intervention in the foreign exchange markets � the central bank’s intervention in the banking crisis � the Association’s intervention in the la- bour dispute 2. an act of interfering in another country’s affairs � The Minis- ter of Foreign Affairs said the Presi- dent’s remarks were an intervention in the domestic affairs of his country. interventionisminterventionism /�ntə| �venʃənz(ə)m/ noun political inter-

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intitule 126 ference or military involvement by one country in the affairs of another intituleintitule verb to give a title to an Act of Parliament intolerantintolerant /n |�tɒlərənt/ adjective refusing to accept that other people can have different opinions or ways of doing things � Extremist political par- ties tend to be very intolerant. intranationalintranational /�ntrə |�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjective existing or occurring within the boundaries of a single nation intransigentintransigent /n |�tr�nsd�ənt/ ad- jective refusing to change or discuss compromise intra viresintra vires /�ntrə �vari�z/ Latin phrase meaning ‘within the legal powers’ � The minister’s action was ruled to be intra vires. Compare ultra vires introduceintroduce /�ntrə|�dju�s/ verb to present something or to put something forward � He is introducing a Bill in Parliament to prevent the sale of drugs. � The department has intro- duced some new evidence to the Com- mittee. � The education department has decided to introduce vegetarian meals in schools. introductionintroduction /�ntrə |�d�kʃən/ noun an act of presenting something or putting something forward � the intro- duction of new evidence into the case � introduction of a Bill putting for- ward a Bill for discussion in Parlia- ment invadeinvade /n |�ved/ verb 1. to attack and enter another country 2. to enter somewhere in large numbers or in a way that causes problems � Corrup- tion had invaded every area of public life. � to invade someone’s privacy to prevent someone from doing what they want to do without being watched or interrupted by someone else � The press even invaded their privacy on family holidays. invalidateinvalidate /n|�v�ldet/ verb 1. to make something legally or officially unacceptable � Because the company has been taken over, the contract has been invalidated. 2. to show that

something previously said or done is wrong � The recent findings invalidate the earlier study. invalidationinvalidation /n |�v�l |�deʃən/ noun an act of making something legally or officially unacceptable invalidityinvalidity /�nvə |�ldti/ noun 1. the fact of being legally or officially unac- ceptable � the invalidity of the con- tract 2. the condition of being ill and unable to work invasioninvasion /n |�ve�(ə)n/ noun an act of attacking and entering the territory of another country ipso factoipso facto /�psəυ �f�ktəυ/ Latin phrase meaning ‘by this very fact’ or ‘the fact itself shows’ � The writing of the letter was ipso facto an admission that the Minister knew of the case. � He was chairman of the committee at the time of the investigation and ipso facto was seen to be under suspicion. IRAIRA /�arə/ noun an organisation of Irish nationalists who originally fought for an independent Ireland and who still want to achieve the unity of the island of Ireland. Full form Irish Republican Army IRDIRD abbreviation Inland Revenue Department Irish Republican ArmyIrish Republican Army /�arʃ r | �p�blkən �ɑ�mi/ noun full form of IRA IROIRO abbreviation 1. International Refugee Organization 2. international relief organization Iron CurtainIron Curtain /�aən �k#�t(ə)n/ noun the imaginary barrier created by the policy of isolation which prevented freedom of travel and communication between Western and Eastern Europe during the Cold War iron triangleiron triangle /�aən �tra�ŋ�əl/ noun US the close connection be- tween interest groups, executive de- partments and Congressional commit- tees in making policy irredentairredenta /�r|�dentə/ noun a territo- ry that was formerly part of one coun- try but is now ruled by another and is subject to claims that it should be re- turned to its former country

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127 item irredentism

irredentism /�r |�dentz(ə)m/ noun the policy of trying to get back a re- gion which has been lost to another country, or trying to take over a region which is felt to belong to the country because of similar language or culture irredentist

irredentist /�r|�dentst/ noun a supporter of irredentism � The meet- ing was disrupted by Albanian irre- dentists. irregularity

irregularity / |�re�jυ |�l�rti/ noun something which does not conform to the rules irresponsibility

irresponsibility /�rspɒnsə |�blti/ noun a failure to act in a responsible way IRS

IRS abbreviation Internal Revenue Service Islamic Jihad

Islamic Jihad /z |�l�mk d�|�h�d/ noun an Islamic fundamentalist or- ganisation that wants to create an Is- lamic Palestinian state by armed op- position to Israel and opposes pro- Western Arab governments isolation

isolation /�asə |�leʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the situation of a country which is not allied to other countries 2. the situa- tion of being alone or kept apart from other people

isolationismisolationism /�asə|�leʃ(ə)nz(ə)m/ noun the political policy of a country refusing to make alliances with other countries isolationistisolationist /�asə |�leʃ(ə)nst/ noun a person who believes that his or her country should not make alliances with other countries issueissue /�ʃu�/ noun 1. the subject of a dispute or discussion � The speaker was told to deal with the issue being discussed. � The sale of the site raises a completely new issue. 2. an occasion of making new shares available � verb to announce something or make some- thing available officially � to issue a writ against someone � The chair- man’s office issued a statement. � The council was forced to issue a denial. � The government issued a report on London’s traffic. � The Secretary of State issued guidelines for expendi- ture. � The Minister issued writs for li- bel in connection with allegations made in a Sunday newspaper. itemitem /�atəm/ noun 1. something for sale 2. a piece of information 3. a mat- ter for discussion � we will now take item four on the agenda we will now discuss the fourth subject listed on the agenda

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J Janata DalJanata Dal noun an Indian political party founded in India Jefferson, ThomasJefferson, Thomas /�d�efəsən/ noun the American politician and writer (1743–1826) who wrote the Declaration of Independence and had a considerable influence on the Amer- ican Constitution (NOTE: Jefferson was a democrat who wanted an edu- cated population and believed that government ought to be limited by a system of checks and balances.) JergaJerga /�d�#��ə/ � Loya Jerga Jim CrowJim Crow /�d�m �krəυ/ noun dis- crimination against Black people, es- pecially by public segregation jingoismjingoism /�d�ŋ�əυz(ə)m/ noun extreme patriotism Job CentreJob Centre /�d�ɒb �sentə/ noun the government office which lists and helps to fill jobs job creation schemejob creation scheme /�d�ɒb kri| �eʃ(ə)n �ski�m/ noun a government- backed plan to encourage new work for the unemployed John Birch SocietyJohn Birch Society /�d�ɒn �b#�tʃ sə |�saəti/ noun a right-wing political organisation formed in the United States to fight Communism joinjoin /d�ɔn/ verb 1. to put things to- gether � The appendix is joined to the report. 2. to become part of something � They joined the Labour Party. jointjoint /d�ɔnt/ adjective 1. with two or more organisations or people linked together 2. one of two or more people who work together or who are linked � joint managing director � joint own- er � joint signatory joint and severaljoint and several /�d�ɔnt ən �sev(ə)rəl/ adjective as a group to- gether and also separately

joint commission of inquiry

joint commission of inquiry /�d�ɔnt kə |�mʃ(ə)n əv n|�kwaəri/ noun a committee set up to look into something with representatives of var- ious organisations on it joint committee

joint committee /�d�ɔnt kə|�mti/ noun 1. a committee formed of equal numbers of members of the House of Commons and House of Lords 2. US a committee with members of both House of Representatives and Senate, usually set up to investigate a serious problem joint resolution

joint resolution /�d�ɔnt �rezə | �lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun US a motion passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate journal

journal /�d�#�n(ə)l/ noun 1. a diary or record of something which happens each day � The chairman kept a jour- nal during the negotiations. 2. an offi- cial record of the proceedings of a leg- islature such as the House of Com- mons, House of Lords, House of Representatives or Senate � the Offi- cial Journal of the European Union journalist

journalist /�d�#�n(ə)lst/ noun someone who writes articles for a newspaper, or reports for TV or radio � The council chairman asked the journalists to leave the committee room. JP

JP abbreviation Justice of the Peace (NOTE: The plural is JPs.) judge

judge /d��d�/ noun an official of the judicial branch who presides over a law court, and in civil cases decides which party is in the right � a County Court judge � a judge in the Divorce Court � The judge sent him to prison for embezzlement.

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129 just COMMENT: At present the appointment of judges is the work of the Lord Chan- cellor and Prime Minister. Under re- forms announced in 2003–4, all judg- es will be appointed by an Independ- ent Judicial Appointments Commission. The minimum require- ment is that one should be a barrister or solicitor of ten years’ standing. The majority of judges are barristers, but they cannot practise as barristers. The appointment of judges is not a political appointment, and judges remain in of- fice unless they are found guilty of gross misconduct. In the USA, state judges can be appointed by the state governor or can be elected; in the Federal courts and the Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the President, but the appointment has to be approved by Congress.

Judge Advocate-GeneralJudge Advocate-General /�d��d� ��dvəkət �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun a lawyer employed by the state to ad- vise on all legal matters concerning the Army Judge Advocate of the FleetJudge Advocate of the Fleet /�d��d� ��dvəkət əv ðə �fli�t/ noun a lawyer employed by the state to advise on all legal matters concerning the Royal Navy judgementjudgement /�d��d�mənt/, judg- ment noun 1. the ability to make a good decision � The officer was criti- cised for showing lack of judgement. � The Minister’s judgement is at fault. 2. a legal decision or an official deci- sion of a court Judges’ RulesJudges’ Rules /�d��d�z �ru�lz/ plural noun an informal set of rules governing how the police may ques- tion someone suspected of a crime judicaturejudicature /�d�u�dkətʃə/ noun judges and the justice system as a whole judicejudice � sub judice judicialjudicial /d�u� |�dʃ(ə)l/ adjective re- lating to judges and the justice system Judicial BranchJudicial Branch /d�u� |�dʃ(ə)l brɑ�ntʃ/ noun same as judiciary Judicial Committee of the House of LordsJudicial Committee of the House of Lords /d�u�|�dʃ(ə)l kə | �mti əv ðə �haυs əv �lɔ�dz/ noun the highest appeal court in England and Wales (NOTE: Reforms introduced in

2003–4 are likely replace the law lords with a Supreme Court) Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

Judicial Committee of the Privy Council /d�u�|�dʃ(ə)l kə| �mti əv ðə �prvi �kaυns(ə)l/ noun the appeal court for appeals from some Commonwealth countries and colonies judicial review

judicial review /d�u� |�dʃ(ə)l r| �vju�/ noun, noun an examination of a case a second time by a higher court because a lower court has acted wrongly � noun an examination by a court of administrative or legislative decisions taken by an authority or government judiciary

judiciary /�d�υ |�dʃəri/ noun the branch of government concerned with the system of justice. Also called judi- cial branch (NOTE: The other two branches are the executive and the legislative) junior minister

junior minister /�d�u�niə �mnstə/ noun in a government or department, the Under-Secretary of State or Minis- ter of State junta

junta /�d��ntə/ noun a ruling group which has taken power in a country by force � The junta came to power six years ago and is formed of represent- atives of each of the armed forces. (NOTE: The term is used mainly of military governments, and usually in South America; the word is correctly pronounced as /�hυntə/ but this pro- nunciation is not often used in Eng- lish.) jurisdiction

jurisdiction /�d�υərs|�dkʃən/ noun legal power over someone or something jury

jury /�d�υəri/ noun a group of twelve people who decide whether someone is guilty or not guilty on the basis of the evidence they hear in court jury service

jury service /�d�υəri �s#�vs/ noun the duty which each person has of serving on a jury if asked to do so (NOTE: The US term is jury duty.) just

just /d��st/ adjective fair or right � just war war which is considered to be morally right

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justice 130 justicejustice /�d��sts/ noun 1. the legal process of dealing with someone ac- cused of a crime in court 2. a judge or magistrate 3. the title given to a High Court judge � Mr Justice Adams (NOTE: It is sometimes written as J after the judge’s name: Adams J.) Justice DepartmentJustice Department /�d��sts d| �pɑ�tmənt/ noun 1. a department of the Scottish Executive, responsible for all aspects of the legal system and the police 2. US same as Department of Justice

justice of the peacejustice of the peace /�d��sts əv ðə �pi�s/ noun a person without legal training who works as a judge in a lo- cal court. Abbr JP justice systemjustice system /�d��sts �sstəm/ noun the legal process of judging peo- ple and giving punishments in court justiciaryjusticiary /d��s|�tʃəri/ noun the system of justice or legal system � High Court of Justiciary the highest criminal court in Scotland

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K kakistocracykakistocracy /�k�kst |�ɒkrəsi/ noun government by the most unscru- pulous or unsuitable people, or a state governed by such people Kamer

Kamer � Eerste Kamer, Tweede Kamer kangarookangaroo /�k�ŋ�ə|�ru�/ noun the system used when discussing a Bill, where some clauses are not discussed at all, but simply voted on, with the discussion then moving on to the next clause keep downkeep down /�ki�p �daυn/ verb to control or oppress � The generals have managed to keep down the country districts by stationing troops in the ar- ea. Keeper of the Great SealKeeper of the Great Seal /�ki�pər əv ði� ��ret �si�l/ noun same as Lord Chancellor (NOTE: Reforms intro- duced in 2003–4 are likely to abolish the office of Lord Chancellor) Keeper of the SealKeeper of the Seal /�ki�pə əv ð si�l/ noun same as Lord Chancellor (NOTE: Reforms introduced in 2003– 4 are likely to abolish the office of Lord Chancellor) KeneshKenesh � Uluk Kenesh KennedyKennedy /�kendi/, John F. (1917– 63) 35th president of the United States, assassinated in Dallas, Texas, on 22 November 1963 KeynesianismKeynesianism noun the theory that government must compensate for in- sufficient business investment in times of recession by spending on its own projects keynotekeynote /�ki�nəυt/ verb 1. to deliver the most important speech at a confer- ence or meeting 2. to outline an im- portant policy in a speech or report

keynote address

keynote address /�ki�nəυt ə| �dres/, keynote speech /�ki�|�nəυt spi�tʃ/ noun the main speech at a con- ference by an important speaker who sums up the main areas to be dis- cussed kill

kill /kl/ verb to stop discussion of a proposal � The veto in the Security Council killed the resolution. king

king /kŋ/ noun the man who rules in a monarchy (NOTE: often used with a name as a title: King Juan Carlos) kingdom

kingdom /�kŋdəm/ noun a country ruled by a king or queen � the United Kingdom of Great Britain and North- ern Ireland � the kingdom of Saudi Arabia kinglykingly /�kŋli/ adjective suitable for a king or like a king (NOTE: kingly shows approval, as opposed to royal which does not imply approval or condemnation) kingmaker

kingmaker /�kŋ |�mekə/ noun someone with sufficient power to have an influence on who is appointed to important positions, usually within a government kingship

kingship /�kŋʃp/ noun the rule of a king King’s Messenger

King’s Messenger /�kŋz �mesnd�ə/ noun � Queen’s Mes- senger kitchen cabinet

kitchen cabinet /�ktʃn �k�bnət/ noun a private, unofficial committee of ministers, advisers and friends who advise some Prime Ministers or Presi- dents (NOTE: The term was first used to describe the advisors of the Pres- ident of the USA, Andrew Jackson, who used to meet literally in the kitchen of the White House.)

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Knesset 132 Knesset

Knesset noun the legislature in Isra- el knight

knight /nat/ noun a man who has re- ceived a title of honour from the king or queen � verb to make someone into a knight � He was knighted in the Birthday honours list. knighthood

knighthood /�nathυd/ noun the position of being a knight knock-on effect

knock-on effect /�nɒk ɒn  |�fekt/ noun an indirect effect, following on from something � The political unrest had a knock-on effect on the tourist in- dustry. � The coup had a knock-on ef-

fect on the governments of neighbour- ing states. KremlinKremlin /�kremln/ noun a series of buildings surrounded by a high wall in the centre of Moscow, where the offic- es of the main ministers of the Russian Federation are situated (NOTE: often used to mean ‘the Russian Govern- ment’: a Kremlin spokesman said the letter was helpful) Kremlinologist

Kremlinologist, Kremlin-watch- er noun a non-Russian who specialis- es in studying the actions of the Rus- sian political leadership and tries to guess what is really going on in Russia

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L Lab.Lab. abbreviation Labour LaborLabor /�lebə/ noun the Australian Labor Party � adjective relating to the Australian Labor Party LaboriteLaborite /�lebərat/ noun a mem- ber or supporter of the Australian La- bor Party labor unionlabor union /�lebə �jυnjən/ noun US an organisation which represents workers who are its members in dis- cussions about pay and conditions of work with management (NOTE: The UK term is trade union.) labourlabour /�lebə/ noun 1. heavy work (NOTE: The US spelling is labor.) 2. workers in general (NOTE: The US spelling is labor.) � skilled labour workers who have special knowledge or qualifications 3. � labour law, la- bour laws, labour legislation laws relating to the employment of workers (NOTE: The US spelling is labor.) LabourLabour, the Labour Party adjec- tive relating to the Labour Party in the United Kingdom or New Zealand labour forcelabour force /�lebə fɔ�s/ noun all the people who are available to work labour-intensivelabour-intensive /�lebər n | �tensv/ adjective a type of work that needs many people to do it labourismlabourism /�lebərz(ə)m/ noun a political or social movement that works to ensure the rights of workers, or support for such a movement labouristlabourist /�lebərst/ noun a sup- porter of the rights of workers LabouriteLabourite /�lebərat/ noun a mem- ber or supporter of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom or New Zealand labour mobilitylabour mobility /�lebə məυ |�blti/ noun the ability of people to move

easily from one job to another, or from one place to another to find work labour movementlabour movement /�lebə �mu�vmənt/ noun the organisations working for the improvement of work- ing conditions for workers Labour PartyLabour Party /�lebə �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party, one of the main parties in Britain which is on the left of the political spectrum. Also called La- bour

COMMENT: The British Labour Party was founded in 1906 as a fusion of the Independent Labour Party and other workers’ groups, including represent- atives from the Trades Union Con- gress. The Labour Party has been closely allied to the Trades Union Congress in the past. Members of trade unions pay a political levy to support the Party, and some Labour MPs are sponsored by trade unions.

ladies’ galleryladies’ gallery /�lediz ���ləri/ noun an area of the public gallery of the UK House of Commons that is kept for women only LadyLady /�ledi/ noun a title given to the wife of a knight or baronet or baron or earl

COMMENT: In most case, the title is used before the family name without the Christian name. Where the title is used to indicate the daughter of a no- bleman, the Christian name is used. So the wife of Sir Edwin Smith is Lady Smith; the daughter of the Duke of Northumberland is Lady Jane Percy.

Lady MayoressLady Mayoress /�ledi �meə |�res/ noun the wife of a Lord Mayor laissez-fairelaissez-faire, laisser-faire noun the political theory that a government should do nothing to control the econ- omy � Laissez-faire resulted in in- creased economic activity, but con- tributed to a rise in imports.

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lame duck 134 lame duck

lame duck /�lem �d�k/ noun a com- pany or administration which is in dif- ficulties and which needs support � The government has promised a res- cue package for lame duck companies. lame duck administration

lame duck administration or presidency /�lem d�k əd |�mn| �streʃ(ə)n/ noun a US administration towards the end of a President’s sec- ond term, when there is very little in- centive to do much lame duck president

lame duck president /�lem d�k �prezd(ə)nt/ noun a US president in the last part of the term of office, who cannot stand for re-election, and so lacks political force LAMSAC

LAMSAC abbreviation Local Au- thorities Management Services and Computer Committee land

land /l�nd/ noun 1. an area of earth 2. a nation or country � The President welcomed the official delegation from the land of his ancestors. 3. Land one of the regions which make up the fed- eral republic of Germany and also Austria (NOTE: The plural is Länder.)

COMMENT: Under English law, the ownership of all land is vested in the Crown, although individuals or other legal persons may hold estates in land, the most important of which are freehold estates, which amount to ab- solute ownership, and leasehold es- tates, which last for a fixed period of time. Ownership of land usually con- fers ownership of everything above and below the land. The process of buying and selling land is ‘conveyanc- ing’. Any contract transferring land or any interest in land must be in writing. Interests in land can be disposed of by a will.

Landlord and Tenant Act

Landlord and Tenant Act /�l�ndlɔ�d ən �tenənt ��kt/ noun the Act of Parliament which regulates the letting of property landmark

landmark /�l�ndmɑ�k/ noun 1. a fa- mous building or natural feature � The Houses of Parliament and Westmin- ster are well-known London land- marks. 2. an important event or deci- sion � The opening of the new bridge is a landmark in the town’s history.

landmark decisionlandmark decision /�l�ndmɑ�k d|�s�(ə)n/ noun an important legal or political decision land officeland office /�l�nd �ɒfs/ noun a government office that administers and records sales and transfers of pub- lic land land reformland reform /�l�nd r|�fɔ�m/ noun the policy of changing the ownership of agricultural land by government law, so that those owning no land re- ceive some Land RegistryLand Registry /�l�nd �red�stri/ noun the British government office where land is registered landslidelandslide /�l�ndslad/ noun a very large majority obtained in an election � The Socialists won in a landslide. � a landslide victory or win an election success with a very large majority Lands TribunalLands Tribunal /�lɑ�ndz tra | �bju�n(ə)l/ noun a court which deals with compensation claims relating to land LandtagLandtag /�l�nttɑ��/ noun the legis- lative assembly of a German or Aus- trian state land taxland tax /�l�nd t�ks/ noun a tax on the value of land owned laodiceanlaodicean adjective lacking in reli- gious or political commitment � noun someone who has no strong commit- ment to religion or politics lapselapse /l�ps/ noun the ending of a right, contract or offer � verb to stop being valid or to stop being active � The insurance policy lapsed because the premiums had not been paid. � lapsed passport a passport which is out of date late-nightlate-night /�let nat/ adjective hap- pening late at night � The House of Commons had a late-night sitting. � Their late-night negotiations ended in an agreement signed at 3 a.m. lawlaw /lɔ�/ noun 1. a rule by which a country is governed and by which the activities of people and organisations are controlled � A law has to be passed by Parliament. � The government has proposed a new law to regulate the sale of goods on Sundays. 2. all the

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135 leader statutes of a country taken together � inside the law, within the law obey- ing the laws of a country � against the law, outside the law not according to the laws of a country � Dismissing an employee without reason is against the law. � The agents were operating outside the law. � in law according to the law � What are the duties in law of a guardian? � to break the law to do something which is not allowed by law � He is breaking the law by selling goods on Sunday. � You will be break- ing the law if you try to take the goods out of the country without an export li- cence. 3. a general rule law and order

law and order /�lɔ� ənd �ɔ�də/ noun a situation in which the laws of a country are being obeyed by most people � There was a breakdown of law and order following the assassi- nation of the president. Law Centre

Law Centre /�lɔ� �sentə/ noun a lo- cal office with full-time staff who ad- vise and represent people free of charge Law Commission

Law Commission /�lɔ� kə | �mʃ(ə)n/ noun a permanent commit- tee which reviews English law and recommends changes to it law court

law court /�lɔ� kɔ�t/ noun a place where a trial is held or where a judge listens to cases law enforcement

law enforcement /�lɔ� n | �fɔ�smənt/ noun the official activity of making sure that a law is obeyed Law Lords

Law Lords /�lɔ� lɔ�dz/ plural noun the members of the House of Lords who are judges, including the Lord Chancellor and the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (NOTE: Reforms proposed in 2003–4 are likely to remove these law lords from the House of Lords and set up a separate Supreme Court) lawmaker

lawmaker /�lɔ�mekə/ noun a per- son who makes or passes laws, e.g. an MP or a Congressman law-making

law-making /�lɔ� �mekŋ/ noun the making of laws � Parliament is the law-making body in Great Britain.

Law OfficersLaw Officers /�lɔ�r �ɒfs�əz/ plural noun the posts of Attorney-General and Solicitor-General (in England and Wales) and Lord Advocate and Solici- tor-General (in Scotland) law reformlaw reform /�lɔ� r |�fɔ�m/ noun the continuing process of revising laws to make them better suited to the needs of society Law ReportsLaw Reports /�lɔ� r|�pɔ�ts/ plural noun the collection of reports of cases of special interest and importance, which may set legal precedents lay

lay /le/ verb to put or present some- thing � The report of the planning committee was laid before the council. � to lay an embargo on trade with a country to forbid trade with a country � to lay a proposal before the House to introduce a new Bill before Parlia- ment � adjective not belonging to a profession or not trained to a profes- sional standard in a subject � The Committee has a chairman and sever- al lay advisers. lay downlay down /�le �daυn/ verb to state clearly � The conditions are laid down in the document. � The guidelines lay down rules for dealing with traffic of- fences. (NOTE: laying – laid – has laid) LCLC abbreviation Lord Chancellor leadlead /li�d/ verb 1. to be the first or to be in front � The company leads the world in waste disposal. 2. to be the main person in a group � The Parlia- mentary delegation is led by J.M. Jones, MP. 3. to start to do something, especially to start to present a motion for debate � The Home Secretary will lead for the Government in the emer- gency debate. leader

leader /�li�də/ noun 1. someone who is responsible for organising or con- trolling a group of people � our politi- cal and military leaders � a meeting of world leaders � She was appointed leader of the delegation. 2. someone such as a person, company, country or something such as a product that is the most successful of its type � a world leader in biomedical research � indus-

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Leader of the Council 136 try leaders in electronic surveillance systems Leader of the Council

Leader of the Council /�li�də əv ðə �kaυns(ə)l/ noun same as council leader � Councillor Jenkins, Leader of the Council, stated that the report would be examined at the next meet- ing. Leader of the House

Leader of the House /�li�də əv ðə �haυs/ noun the senior government minister and member of the Cabinet, who is responsible for the administra- tion of legislation in the House of Commons or House of Lords, and is the main government spokesman in the House (NOTE: Both people can be referred to as Leader of the House and more specific terms are Leader of the Commons and Leader of the Lords.) Leader of the Opposition

Leader of the Opposition /�li�də əv ð �ɒpə|�zʃ(ə)n/ noun the head of the largest party opposing the govern- ment leadership

leadership /�li�dəʃp/ noun 1. the quality of being a good leader � He showed leadership in defending the party against attacks by splinter groups. 2. the position of leader � There are six candidates for the lead- ership of the party. � The leadership contest is wide open. 3. the few people who are the most important members of a party or group � None of the party leadership appeared at the meeting. leading

leading /�li�dŋ/ adjective most im- portant � He was the leading figure in the movement to increase pensions. lead to

lead to /�li�d tə/, lead up to /�li�d ��p tu�/ verb to be the cause of � The discussions led to a big argument be- tween the management and the union. � We received a series of approaches leading up to the takeover bid. leaflet

leaflet /�li�flət/ noun a sheet of paper advertising something, usually a sin- gle sheet perhaps folded in two � Party workers distributed leaflets to all the householders in the constituency. � verb to give leaflets to people in an area � They leafleted all the houses in

the electoral ward early on the morn- ing of the election. leafletingleafleting /�li�flətŋ/ noun the activ- ity of giving out leaflets leagueleague /li��/ noun a group of people or states with similar aims, who come together to form a group and take ac- tion to further their aims League of NationsLeague of Nations /�li�� əv �neʃ(ə)nz/ noun the group of states which joined between the First and Second World Wars in a group similar to the present United Nations leakleak /li�k/ noun the unofficial passing of secret information or information which has not yet been published to newspapers or television stations � verb to pass information unofficially to newspapers or television stations � The details of the plan have been leaked to the press to test public reac- tion. � Information about the govern- ment plans has been leaked to the Sun- day papers. leakageleakage /�li�kd�/ noun the unoffi- cial release of secret information, usu- ally to the media leakproofleakproof /�li�kpru�f/ adjective not allowing secret information to be made public unofficially � No commit- tee is leakproof. leakyleaky /�li�ki/ adjective allowing se- cret information to be made public un- officially leaveleave /li�v/ noun 1. permission to do something � The representative of the construction company asked leave of the council to show a detailed plan of the proposed development. � ‘by your leave’ with your permission 2. � leave of absence permission to be absent from work or, in the case of an MP, to be away from the House of Commons leftleft /left/, Left noun 1. the political parties which hold ideas in favour of change and furthering the interests of the working class and the poor 2. the political ideas which support change, especially in the interests of the work- ing class and the poor � swing to the left a movement of support towards socialist principles � on the left with

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137 Legislative Council views that are more strongly progres- sive and less conservative � She’s al- ways been on the left of the Tory party.

COMMENT: The division of political par- ties and political ideas into left, right and centre dates from the French Revolution when deputies in the Na- tional Assembly sat on the left or right of the chamber according to their views. It was easiest to apply these la- bels when socialists (left) parties faced conservative (right) parties in the middle years of the twentieth cen- tury. Some commentators say the old divisions of left and right are less and less relevant in the modern world, but they continue to be used.

leftism

leftism /�leftz(ə)m/ noun belief in a policy of liberal, socialist or commu- nist political and social change or re- form leftist

leftist /�leftst/ adjective (usually disapproving) supporting the views of the left � The minister is showing left- ist tendencies. � noun a person with left-wing ideas left-of-centre

left-of-centre /�left əv �sentə/ ad- jective relating to political views that are slightly left-wing left wing

left wing /�left �wŋ/ noun the peo- ple who are more strongly socialist than others of their party � the left wing of the Labour Party. left-wing

left-wing /�left �wŋ/ adjective strongly favouring the left � She was criticised for abandoning her left- wing principles. � The party caucus has been infiltrated by left-wing activ- ists. left-winger

left-winger /left �wŋə/ noun a per- son with left-wing political ideas legal

legal /�li��(ə)l/ adjective 1. accord- ing to the law or allowed by the law � The company’s action was completely legal. 2. referring to the law � legal advice Legal Aid scheme

Legal Aid scheme /�li��(ə)l �ed ski�m/ noun the British government scheme where a person with very little money can have legal advice paid for by the state legalisation

legalisation /�li��əla |�zeʃ(ə)n/, le- galization noun the process of mak-

ing something legal that was previous- ly not legal legaliselegalise /�li��əlaz/, legalize verb to make something legal � a proposal to legalise certain drugs legalitylegality /l|���lti/ noun the fact of something being legal � They ques- tioned the legality of the police action. legallylegally /�li��əli/ adjective according to the law � In Australia, you are le- gally obliged to vote. � legally bind- ing enforced by law � signed a legally binding agreement legal systemlegal system /�li��(ə)l �sstəm/ noun the way in which the laws of a particular country are used to judge people in court legatelegate /�le�ət/ noun an official rep- resentative of a government, especial- ly a diplomat legationlegation /l |��eʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a group of diplomats representing their country in another country at a lower level than an embassy 2. a building in which a group of diplomats below the rank of ambassador works legislegis � corpus legis legislatelegislate /�led�slet/ verb to make a law � Parliament has legislated against the sale of drugs or to prevent the sale of drugs. legislationlegislation /�led� |�sleʃ(ə)n/ noun laws or written rules which are passed by a parliament and implemented by the courts

‘…the greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation’ [Jeremy Bentham]

legislativelegislative /�led�slətv/ adjective relating to laws and the process or function of making new laws � the leg- islative processes � Parliament has a legislative function. Legislative AssemblyLegislative Assembly /�led�slətv ə|�sembli/ noun the low- er house of the legislature in Austral- ian states, Canadian provinces, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador Legislative BranchLegislative Branch /�led�slətv brɑ�ntʃ/ noun same as legislature Legislative CouncilLegislative Council /�led�slətv �kaυns(ə)l/ noun the upper house of

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legislative day 138 the legislature in some Common- wealth countries, e.g. in most South Asian and Australian states legislative daylegislative day /�led�slətv de/ noun US the time from the start of a meeting of one of the Houses of Con- gress to its adjournment. The House of Representatives usually adjourns at the end of each day, but the Senate may not, so that the Senate’s legisla- tive day can last several calendar days. legislative vetolegislative veto /�led�slətv �vi�təυ/ noun in the USA, a clause written into legislation which gives powers to government agencies stat- ing that Congress may override a deci- sion taken by the agency using of these powers legislatorlegislator /�led�sletə/ noun a per- son who makes or passes laws, e.g. an MP or a Congressman legislaturelegislature /�led�slətʃə/ noun 1. a body such as a parliament which makes laws � Members of the legisla- ture voted against the proposal. Also called Legislative Branch (NOTE: The other two branches are the ex- ecutive and the judicial.) 2. the build- ing where a parliament meets � The protesters marched towards the State Legislature. legitimationlegitimation /l |�d�t|�meʃ(ə)n/ noun the way in which a political sys- tem or part of a political system is giv- en the respect of the people so that it can do its work with authority (NOTE: One of the functions of parliament is said to be legitimation because laws made by parliament are the work of elected representatives of the peo- ple.) legitimiselegitimise /l|�d�tmaz/, legiti- mize verb to make something legiti- mate and give it authority � The sup- port of the Prime Minister has legiti- mised attacks on the party activists. legitimistlegitimist /l|�d�tmst/ noun a per- son who supports the return to the throne of the rightful king or the right- ful descendant of the last king LeninismLeninism /�lennz(ə)m/ noun Communist ideas put forward by the

Russian follower of Marx, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870 – 1924) who ruled Russia after the Revolution of 1917 (NOTE: Lenin believed that Marxism could be applied successfully only if the proletariat was led by an intellec- tual group which formed the main leadership of a governing and au- thoritarian party.) Leninist

Leninist /�lennst/ adjective refer- ring to Leninism � noun a person who supports and believes in Leninism lese majesty

lese majesty /�laz �m�d�əsti/ noun a criminal offence against a ruler or head of state letters patent

letters patent /�letəz �petənt/ plu- ral noun an official document from the Crown, which gives someone the exclusive right to do something, espe- cially making and selling an invention leveller

leveller /�lev(ə)lə/ noun somebody who wants everyone in society to be equal levy

levy /�levi/ noun a tax or extra pay- ment placed on goods or services � verb to collect a tax or an extra pay- ment � to levy a duty on the import of computer parts � The government has decided to levy a tax on imported cars. liability

liability /�laə |�blti/ noun the state of being legally responsible for paying for damage or loss � The council has admitted liability but the amount of damages has not yet been agreed. liable

liable /�laəb(ə)l/ adjective being le- gally responsible for paying for dam- age or loss Lib.

Lib. abbreviation Liberal Lib DemLib Dem /�lb �dem/ abbreviation Liberal Democrat liberal

liberal /�lb(ə)rəl/ adjective 1. allow- ing freedom to people or not control- ling people � The government has adopted a very liberal attitude to- wards tax reform. (NOTE: To show the difference between the different meanings of the adjective, people sometimes say ‘liberal with a small l’ when not referring to political ideas.) 2. generous � He has given a liberal donation to party funds. � noun a per-

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139 lieutenant son who believes in individual free- dom and the improvement of society Liberal

Liberal /�lb(ə)rəl/ adjective relating to the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom, Canada, or Australia � noun a member or supporter of the Liberal Party, e.g. in the United King- dom, Canada, or Australia liberal democracy

liberal democracy /�lb(ə)rəl d | �mɒkrəsi/ noun a political system that has free elections, many political par- ties, political decisions made by an in- dependent legislature, independent judges, and law enforcement by the state Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrat /�lb(ə)rəl �deməkr�t/ noun a member of the British Liberal and Social Democratic Party Liberal Democratic Party

Liberal Democratic Party /�lbrəl demə|�kr�tk �pɑ�ti/ noun a British political party formed in 1988 from the existing Liberal Party and some members of the Social Demo- cratic Party (NOTE: often called the Lib Dems) liberalism

liberalism /�lb(ə)rəlz(ə)m/ noun the ideals and beliefs of liberals Liberal Party

Liberal Party /�lb(ə)rəl �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party which supports some social change, some involve- ment of the state in industry and wel- fare, but opposes the centralisation of government and has no fixed connec- tions with either workers or employers (NOTE: The British Liberal Party de- veloped from the Whig Party of the 17th and 18th centuries. The name Liberal was applied from the middle of the 19th century onwards.) Liberal Party of Australia

Liberal Party of Australia /�lb(ə)rəl �pɑ�ti əv ɒs |�treliə/ noun a conservative Australian political party which has almost always been in coa- lition with the National Party liberation

liberation /�lbə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of being set free from an op- pressive regime liberation theology

liberation theology /�lbə | �reʃ(ə)n θi |�ɒləd�i/ noun the religious theory developed in Latin America,

which involves the church in finding solutions to social problems libertarianlibertarian /�lbə|�teəriən/ noun someone who believes that people should have complete freedom to think and act as they wish libertyliberty /�lbəti/ noun freedom � lib- erty of the individual the freedom for each person to act within the law � lib- erty of the press the freedom of news- papers to publish what they want with- in the law without censorship � liber- ty of the subject the right of a citizen to be free unless convicted of a crime which is punishable by imprisonment � at liberty 1. free or not in prison � They are still at liberty while waiting for charges to be brought. 2. free to do something � You are at liberty to com- plain if you are not satisfied with the service of the department.

‘…liberty is the right to do everything which the laws allow’ [Montesquieu]

licencelicence /�las(ə)ns/ noun 1. official permission to do something or to use something � He granted his neighbour a licence to use his field. (NOTE: The US spelling is license.) 2. an official document showing that someone has permission to do something (NOTE: The US spelling is license.) � im- port licence, export licence a docu- ment which allows goods to be im- ported or exported � licence to sell liquor, liquor licence a document giv- en by a Magistrates’ Court allowing someone to sell alcohol licenselicense /�las(ə)ns/ verb to give someone official permission to do something � licensed to sell beers, wines and spirits � to license a compa- ny to produce spare parts � She is li- censed to drive a bus. � She is licensed to run an employment agency. � noun US spelling of licence lie upon the tablelie upon the table /�la � |�pɒn ðə �teb(ə)l/ verb (of a petition) to have been put before the House of Com- mons (NOTE: After a petition has been presented by an MP it is said to ‘lie upon the table’.) lieutenantlieutenant /lef |�tenənt/ noun a US police or fire department officer of a

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lieutenant governor 140 rank above sergeant � The party lead- er’s main lieutenant has decided to quit Parliament. lieutenant governorlieutenant governor /lef|�tenənt ���v(ə)nə/ noun 1. an elected official in a US state government of a rank be- low governor 2. an official appointed by the Canadian federal government who acts for the Crown as the repre- sentative of the British monarch in a Canadian province Lieutenant-GovernorLieutenant-Governor /lef|�tenənt ���v(ə)nə/ noun 1. a representative of the British Crown in states or provinc- es of countries which are members of the Commonwealth � the Lieutenant- Governor of Nova Scotia 2. US a dep- uty to the governor of a state life peerlife peer /�laf pə/ noun a member of the House of Lords who is appoint- ed for life, and whose title is not inher- ited when he or she dies life peeresslife peeress /�laf �pəres/ noun a woman who is a life peer limitrophelimitrophe adjective on the border between countries or areas (French) LincolnLincoln /�lŋkən/, Abraham (1809– 65) 16th president of the United States. 16th president of the United States, he led the North to victory in the US Civil War, and announced the emancipation of slaves in the southern states (1863). His Gettysburg Ad- dress, delivered on 19 November 1863, became one of the great texts of US history. He was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC. Line of ControlLine of Control /�lan əv kən | �trəυl/ noun the line separating the ar- eas of the disputed territory of Kash- mir controlled by India and Pakistan, established in 1972 lingua francalingua franca /�lŋ�wə �fr�ŋkə/ noun a language which serves as the language of communication between different countries or different regions linkagelinkage /�lŋkd�/ noun progress to- wards an objective which depends on concessions made by the various par- ties on other related issues

list systemlist system /�lst �sstəm/ noun � party list system living standardsliving standards /�lvŋ �st�ndədz/ plural noun � standard of living Lloyd GeorgeLloyd George /�lɔd �d�ɔ�d�/, Dav- id, 1st Earl of Dwyfor (1863–1945) the last Liberal prime minister of the United Kingdom (1916–22) Lloyd’s RegisterLloyd’s Register /�lɔdz �red�stə/ noun a list showing details of all the ships in the world lobbylobby /�lɒbi/ noun 1. � division lob- by 2. a group of people which tries to influence MPs or the passage of legis- lation � the car lobby people who try to persuade MPs that cars should be encouraged and not restricted � the environmentalist lobby group who try to persuade MPs that the environ- ment must be protected, pollution stopped, etc. 3. the group of journal- ists attached to the House of Com- mons, who are given information in regular official meetings by senior ministers or their assistants � verb to ask someone such as an MP or local official to do something on your be- half � A group of local businessmen has gone to London to lobby their MPs on the problems of unemploy- ment in the area. lobby correspondentlobby correspondent /�lɒbi kɒr | �spɒndənt/ noun a journalist who is one of those attached to the House of Commons who receive information from ministers in regular official meetings lobby fodderlobby fodder /�lɒbi �fɒdə/ noun or- dinary MPs who vote as their party tells them without thinking lobbyistlobbyist /�lɒbist/ noun a person who is paid to represent a pressure group lobby systemlobby system /�lɒbi �sstəm/ noun the system of employing professional lobbyists to attempt to influence polit- ical policy local authoritylocal authority /�ləυk(ə)l ɔ� |�θɒrti/ noun a section of elected government which runs an area, e.g. a district council

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141 Lord Chancellor Local CommissionerLocal Commissioner /�ləυk(ə)l kə |�mʃ(ə)nə/, Local Government Ombudsman /�ləυk(ə)l ���v(ə)nmənt �ɒmbυdzmən/ noun an official who investigates com- plaints against local authorities local councillocal council /�ləυk(ə)l �kaυnsəl/ noun same as council noun 2 local electionlocal election /�ləυk(ə)l  |�lekʃən/ noun the elections to choose repre- sentatives for local government or for a town, city or county council. Also called municipal elections local governmentlocal government /�ləυk(ə)l ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun administration and politics at the level below national government, e.g. county and borough councils

COMMENT: Local government in Eng- land and Wales is a two-tier system: county councils, with non-metropoli- tan district councils under them, and metropolitan district councils which are self-governing large urban areas. In Scotland there are nine large Re- gional Councils instead of county councils.

Local Government OmbudsmanLocal Government Ombuds- man /�ləυk(ə)l ���v(ə)nmənt �ɒmbυdzmən/ noun same as Local Commissioner Locke, John

Locke, John /lɒk/ noun the English philosopher (1632–1704) who justi- fied the overthrow of royal power in England and the creation of a system based on the power of parliament (NOTE: Locke believed that the power of a government was based on a contract between the government and the people, and that if the gov- ernment broke their side of the con- tract the people did not have to obey it.) LodgeLodge /lɒd�/ noun the official resi- dence of the Australian prime minister in Canberra logrolllogroll /�lɒ�rəυl/ verb to agree with political colleagues that each will sup- port the other’s piece of legislation logrollinglogrolling /�lɒ�rəυlŋ/ noun an un- derstanding between colleagues in a legislature that each will support the other’s piece of legislation

Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha noun the lower house of Parliament in India (NOTE: The upper house is the Rajya Sabha.) London Mayor

London Mayor /�l�ndən meə/ noun the directly elected mayor of Greater London, a job first created in 2000 (NOTE: Ken Livingstone was elected first mayor of London in 2000 as an independent candidate, having failed to secure the nomination of the Labour Party. He was re-elected, this time as a Labour candidate, in 2004.) loophole

loophole /�lu�phəυl/ noun a mistake in a law or contract which allows peo- ple to avoid their obligations � The measure was largely introduced to close a loophole in the law. lord

lord /lɔ�d/ noun 1. a member of the House of Lords 2. Lord a title given to barons and to the sons of dukes or marquesses

COMMENT: When used for a baron, the title is given with the family name: Lord Smith; but when used for the son of a duke or marquess, the Christian name is used as well: Lord James Stuart.

Lord Advocate

Lord Advocate /�lɔ�d ��dvəkət/ noun a member of the government who is one of the two Law Officers in Scotland Lord Chamberlain

Lord Chamberlain /�lɔ�d �tʃembəln/, Lord Great Chamber- lain noun a hereditary peer with vari- ous ceremonial duties especially for the sovereign (NOTE: Under the changes to the House of Lords, the Lord Chamberlain remains a mem- ber of the House despite being an hereditary peer.) Lord Chancellor

Lord Chancellor /�lɔ�d �tʃɑ�nsələ/ noun a member of the government and cabinet who presides over the de- bates in the House of Lords, is respon- sible for the administration of justice, plays an important role in appointing judges, and who is the most important judge in England (NOTE: In 2003 the government announced plans to abolish the office of Lord Chancellor, which was thought to be incompati-

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Lord Chief Justice 142 ble with the independence of the ju- diciary.) Lord Chief JusticeLord Chief Justice /�lɔ�d tʃi�f �d��sts/ noun the chief judge of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court, and second most important judge after the Lord Chancellor Lord JusticeLord Justice /�lɔ�d �d��sts/ noun the title given to a judge who is a member of the House of Lords (NOTE: It is sometimes written as LJ after the name: Smith LJ) Lord Justice ClerkLord Justice Clerk /�lɔ�d �d��sts �klɑ�k/ noun the second most impor- tant judge in the Scottish High Court of Justiciary (NOTE: It is sometimes written as LJ after the name: Smith LJ) Lord Justice GeneralLord Justice General /�lɔ�d �d��sts �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the most important judge in the Scottish High Court of Judiciary Lord LieutenantLord Lieutenant /�lɔ�d lef|�tenənt/ noun a person who is a representative of the Crown in a county Lord MayorLord Mayor /�lɔ�d �meə/ noun in the United Kingdom except Scotland, the mayor of a large city such as London or Dublin, elected for a year by other councillors. � Lord Provost Lord of AppealLord of Appeal /�lɔ�d əv ə|�pi�l/, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary /�lɔ�d əv ə|�pi�l n �ɔ�d(ə)n(ə)ri/ noun one of the law lords who sit as judges in the House of Lords when the House is act- ing as a Court of Appeal (NOTE: Re- forms proposed in 2003–4 are likely to remove these law lords from the House of Lords and set up a sepa- rate Supreme Court.) Lord of Appeal in OrdinaryLord of Appeal in Ordinary /�lɔ�d əv ə|�pi�l n �ɔ�d(ə)n(ə)ri/ noun same as Lord of Appeal Lord OrdinaryLord Ordinary /�lɔ�d �ɔ�d(ə)n(ə)ri/ noun a judge of the upper house of the Scottish Court of Session Lord PresidentLord President /�lɔ�d �prezdənt/ noun a judge of the Scottish Court of Session Lord President of the CouncilLord President of the Council /�lɔ�d �prezdənt əv ðə �kaυns(ə)l/ noun a senior member of the govern-

ment and member of the House of Lords who is the head of the Privy Council Office and has other duties given by the Prime Minister Lord Privy SealLord Privy Seal /�lɔ�d �prvi �si�l/ noun a senior member of the govern- ment, often a member of Cabinet, with duties given by the Prime Minister Lord Protector

Lord Protector /�lɔ�d prə |�tektə/ noun the title taken by Oliver Cromwell during the Protectorate Lord ProvostLord Provost /�lɔ�d �prɒvəst/ noun in Scotland, the chairperson of the city councils of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ab- erdeen and Dundee, elected by the other councillors. � Lord Mayor LordsLords /lɔ�dz/ plural noun the House of Lords as a whole, or the members of the House of Lords � The Bill goes before the Lords next week. � The Lords voted to amend the Bill. Lords Spiritual

Lords Spiritual /�lɔ�dz �sprtʃuəl/ noun the archbishops and bishops who are members of the House of Lords, not associated with a political party (NOTE: The Archbishop of Can- terbury, the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester and 21 other bishops, in order of seniority, are the Lords Spir- itual.) Lords Temporal

Lords Temporal /�lɔ�dz �temp(ə)rəl/ noun the members of the House of Lords who are not bishops loselose /lu�z/ verb 1. not to win some- thing such as an election, vote or court case � The government lost the vote of no confidence. � The government is going to lose the next election. � He lost his appeal to the House of Lords. � She lost her case for compensation. � the motion was lost the motion did not receive enough votes to be ap- proved 2. not to have something any more � He lost his seat at the last elec- tion. � The Opposition lost several seats in the council election. 3. to have less money � He lost £25,000 in his fa- ther’s computer company. 4. to drop to a lower price � The dollar lost two cents against the pound. � Gold shares lost 5% on the market yesterday.

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143 Lumpenproletariat loudspeaker vanloudspeaker van /laυd|�spi�kə v�n/ noun a vehicle with a loud- speaker so that political or other mes- sages can be delivered to people in the streets and adjacent houses (NOTE: The US term is sound truck.) lower chamberlower chamber /�ləυə �tʃembə/, lower house noun one of the two parts of a parliament that has two chambers, e.g. the British House of Commons or the American House of Representatives. � upper chamber (NOTE: In practice the House of Com- mons is now far more important than the House of Lords, although it is still called the lower house. The Senate and House of Representatives in the USA are considered ’co-equal’, but the Senate is still the upper house there.) Loya JergaLoya Jerga /�lɔə �d�#��ə/ noun the Grand Council in Afghanistan, which is a type of parliament loyalloyal /�lɔəl/ adjective continuing to support somebody or something � He

has been loyal to the party, even though the leader criticised him in public. loyalist

loyalist /�lɔəlst/ noun a person who continues to support something, especially a king or political party Loyalist

Loyalist /�lɔəlst/ noun a Northern Ireland Protestant who supports the continuation of Northern Ireland’s po- litical union with Britain loyally

loyally /�lɔəli/ adverb in a way that supported something even in difficult situations � She has served the council loyally for ten years. loyalty

loyalty /�lɔəlti/ noun support given out of a sense of duty and respect � All the members of the government have sworn an oath of loyalty to the Presi- dent. Lumpenproletariat

Lumpenproletariat noun in the philosophy of Marxism, the ordinary workers who are not strongly interest- ed in Marxism

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M Maastricht Treaty

Maastricht Treaty /�mɑ�strkt �tri�ti/ noun the treaty of 1st Novem- ber 1993 by which the member states of the European Community estab- lished the European Union. It signifi- cantly extended the scope of the previ- ous treaties, preparing the way for the adoption of the single European cur- rency, adopting a Social Chapter which gave rights to workers, strengthening European institutions and suggesting further scope for de- velopment in the fields of education, justice, defence and foreign policy. The British Prime Minister at the time, John Major, signed the treaty with the exclusion of the Single Currency and the Social Chapter. In trying to have the treaty ratified by Parliament, Ma- jor’s Conservative government almost fell from power. Also called Treaty of Maastricht (NOTE: Maastricht is a town in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.) MacDonald

MacDonald /mək |�dɒnəld/, Ram- say (1866–1937) a founder member of the Labour Party and the United Kingdom’s first Labour prime minis- ter (1924, 1929–35) mace

mace /mes/ noun a large ornamen- tal stick, made of gold or silver, which is ceremonially placed on the table in the House of Commons or House of Lords, or in some local council cham- bers to show that business can begin

COMMENT: The significance of the mace in the House of Commons is so great that if it is not on the table, no business can be done. The mace is carried by the Serjeant at Arms in offi- cial processions. It is kept under the table in the House of Commons and placed on the table at the beginning of each sitting. It is taken off the table

when the House goes into Committee. In the House of Lords, the mace is placed on the Woolsack. Local author- ities usually also have maces which are carried in front of the mayor on ceremonial occasions by the mace- bearer, and often placed on the table at full council meetings. In the US House of Representatives, the mace is placed beside the Speaker’s chair when the House is in session. There is no mace in the Senate, but a ceremo- nial gavel is placed on the vice-presi- dent’s desk when the Senate is in ses- sion.

mace-bearer

mace-bearer /�mes �beərə/ noun the official who carries a mace in pro- cession Machiavellian

Machiavellian /�m�kiə |�veliən/ ad- jective using trickery and dishonesty to achieve what you want. Compare Byzantine

COMMENT: The Italian writer, Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) published a book The Prince in 1516. In it Machia- velli encouraged rulers to ignore all the rules of morality in the pursuit of power, but to try at the same time to appear to be acting morally.

machine

machine /mə |�ʃi�n/ noun 1. a com- plicated mechanical tool which can do difficult, heavy and repetitive jobs bet- ter than an individual person 2. the people and system used to achieve or control something � to get the party machine geared up for the next elec- tion � the Allied war machine � an ef- fective propaganda machine machinery

machinery /mə|�ʃi�nəri/ noun an es- tablished organisation or system for achieving something � the local gov- ernment machinery or the machinery of local government � the machinery for awarding government contracts � The council’s administrative machin-

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145 majority vote ery seems to have broken down in this case. MacmillanMacmillan /mək |�mlən/, Harold, 1st Earl of Stockton (1894–1986) prime minister of the United Kingdom (1957–63). twice Conservative prime minister (1957–63) during which time many former British colonies became independent. Madam

Madam /�m�dəm/ noun a formal way of addressing a woman, especial- ly one whom you do not know, some- times used in front of the title of a post � Madam Chairman a formal way of addressing the chair of a committee who is a woman � Madam Speaker the correct way to address a woman Speaker in the Commons Magna CartaMagna Carta /�m��nə �kɑ�tə/ noun the Great Charter, granted by King John in 1215, which gave his subjects political and personal freedoms

COMMENT: The Magna Carta is sup- posed to be the first step taken to- wards democratic rule, since it gave political power to the aristocracy and reduced the power of the King to over- ride the law. It did not give power to the ordinary people, but confirmed the rights of the individual to own property and receive impartial justice.

maiden speech

maiden speech /�med(ə)n �spi�tʃ/ noun the first speech by a new MP in the House of Commons mailbagmailbag /�melb��/ noun US same as postbag mainstream

mainstream /�menstri�m/ noun the opinions held by a majority of peo- ple � He is in the mainstream of Con- servative politics. � Environmentally- friendly policies quickly entered the mainstream. majesty

majesty /�m�d�əsti/ noun an im- pressive or royal quality, or appear- ance � the majesty of the State Open- ing of Parliament Majesty

Majesty /�m�d�əsti/ noun a title given to a King or Queen � His Majes- ty, the King � Their Majesties, the King and Queen � ‘Your Majesty, the Ambassador has arrived’ � on Her Majesty’s Service words printed on

official letters from government de- partments. Abbr OHMS. � Her Majes- ty’s Stationery Office majeuremajeure /m� |��#�/ � force majeure MajlisMajlis noun the Consultative Assem- bly in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Turkmenistan, which is a type of par- liament MajorMajor /�med�ə/, John (b. 1943) Conservative prime minister of the United Kingdom(1990–97) majoritarianmajoritarian /mə|�d�ɒrt |�eəriən/ adjective relating to control by the majority in any group of people � noun someone who supports the view that a group should be controlled in the way decided on by the majority of its members majoritymajority /mə |�d�ɒrti/ noun 1. a larger group than any other � a major- ity of members more than 50% of MPs or councillors � the cabinet ac- cepted the proposal by a majority of ten to seven ten members of the cabi- net voted to accept and seven voted against 2. the age at which someone becomes responsible for his or her ac- tions and can be given the rights and responsibilities of an adult

COMMENT: The age of majority in the UK and US is eighteen.

majority decisionmajority decision /mə |�d�ɒrti d| �s�(ə)n/ noun a decision made after a vote according to the wishes of the larger group majority leadermajority leader /mə|�d�ɒrti �li�də/ noun US the spokesman for the ma- jority party in the House of Represent- atives or the Senate, elected by other members of the party majority rulemajority rule /mə |�d�ɒrti ru�l/ noun control of a group of people ac- cording to the decision of the majority of its members majority systemmajority system /mə|�d�ɒrti �sstəm/ noun the system of voting where half the votes plus one more must be cast for a proposal for it to be accepted majority votemajority vote /mə |�d�ɒrti vəυt/ noun a vote for or against a proposal of more than half of the people voting

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majority whip 146 majority whipmajority whip /mə|�d�ɒrti wp/ noun US one of the assistants to ma- jority leaders in the House of Repre- sentatives or the Senate, whose re- sponsibility is to make sure the mem- bers of their party vote maladministrationmaladministration /�m�ləd |�mn| �streʃ(ə)n/ noun managing a busi- ness or a government organisation in a bad or dishonest way � The ombuds- man found the council guilty of maladministration. malcontent

malcontent /�m�lkəntent/ noun someone who is unhappy or not satis- fied with a particular system manage

manage /�m�nd�/ verb 1. to direct or to be in charge of a business or or- ganisation � to manage a department � to manage a branch office 2. to suc- ceed in doing something 3. to use money or time successfully managementmanagement /�m�nd�mənt/ noun 1. the activity of directing or running a business � to study manage- ment � good management or efficient management 2. a group of managers or directors managermanager /�m�nd�ə/ noun 1. the head of a department 2. a person in charge of a branch or shop 3. a politi- cian who helps in the detailed business of running a political party or a legis- lative body 4. US a member of the House of Representatives or Senate, elected to represent the chamber in a conference to discuss differences of opinion over a bill mandarin

mandarin /�m�ndərn/ noun � Whitehall mandarin an important British civil servant (informal) mandate

mandate /�m�ndet/ noun the au- thority given to a person or group to do something for somebody else � The government has a mandate from the people to carry out the plans put for- ward in its manifesto. (NOTE: In the case of a democratic government the mandate is given by the elec- tors.) � to seek a new mandate to try to be re-elected to a position � verb 1. to give a government the authority to carry out policies � The government

has been mandated to revise the tax system. 2. to give a person authority to vote for a group � The delegates were mandated to vote on behalf of their membership. mandatorymandatory /�m�ndət(ə)ri/ adjec- tive required by law � a mandatory pension provision mandatory meetingmandatory meeting /�m�ndət(ə)ri �mi�tŋ/ noun a meet- ing which must be held, or a meeting which all members have to attend manhood suffragemanhood suffrage /�m�nhυd �s�frd�/ noun the right to vote given to all adult men Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny /�m�n |�fest �destəni/ noun a belief held in the 19th century that the United States had the God-given right to expand into and control the whole North American continent manifestomanifesto /�m�n |�festəυ/ noun a written public statement of the aims and policies of a group or party � The Labour Party manifesto was published at the beginning of the election cam- paign. � Will the government imple- ment all its manifesto promises? Mansion HouseMansion House /�m�nʃən haυs/ noun the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London manualmanual /�m�njuəl/ noun 1. a book which explains how a piece of equip- ment works 2. US a book which ex- plains the organisation and procedures of the Houses of Congress MaoismMaoism /�maυz(ə)m/ noun the communist ideas developed by Mao Zedong

COMMENT: Maoism is different from Marxism, because it is based on the wisdom of the people as a whole. Par- ty officials and technical experts can be criticised if they do not follow the people’s wishes. Maoists also believe that Communist principles may be adapted to different circumstances in different countries, though the basic aim of imposing Communism is most important and is to be achieved by force if necessary.

MaoistMaoist /�maυst/ adjective referring to Maoism � noun a person who fol- lows the ideas taught by Mao Zedong

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147 matter Mao ZedongMao Zedong /�maυ ze �dɒŋ/ noun a dictator (1893–1976) who was chairman of the People’s Republic of China form 1949 until his death and head of the Chinese Communist Party. He developed Marx’s ideas of com- munism into Maoism. Also called Chairman Mao marchmarch /mɑ�tʃ/ noun a political pro- test in the form of an organised walk through the streets by a group of peo- ple in support of a cause marchioness

marchioness /�mɑ�ʃə |�nes/ noun the wife or widow of a marquess marginalmarginal /�mɑ�d�n(ə)l/ adjective not very large � The rate increases had only a marginal effect on the council’s loan repayments. � noun also mar- ginal constituency or marginal seat a constituency where the sitting MP has a small majority � The swing in several crucial marginals showed that the government was going to lose the election. � MPs representing mar- ginal seats are worried about the gov- ernment’s poor showing in the opin- ion polls. marketmarket /�mɑ�kt/ noun 1. a place where goods are sold, often in the open air 2. a place where a product might be sold or a group of people who might buy a product � the home market � overseas markets � We want to increase our activity in the Europe- an Market. 3. the trade or business in a particular type of goods � the prop- erty market � the job market 4. the economic system of buying and sell- ing goods � We need to let prices find their market level. market forcesmarket forces /�mɑ�kt �fɔ�sz/ plural noun economic pressure caused by free trade and not governed by the action of the government � The gov- ernment decided to stop paying subsi- dies to the farmers and to leave food supply to market forces mark upmark up /�mɑ�k ��p/ verb � to mark up a bill US to make changes to a bill as it goes through committee marquessmarquess /�mɑ�kws/ noun a mem- ber of the nobility, the rank below a

duke (NOTE: The wife of a marquess is a marchioness.) marshalmarshal /�mɑ�ʃ(ə)l/ noun 1. in some US cities, the head of the fire or police service 2. in some US cities, a law en- forcement officer martialmartial /�mɑ�ʃ(ə)l/ adjective relating to war, fighting or military forces � martial music martial lawmartial law /�mɑ�ʃ(ə)l �lɔ�/ noun the rule of a country or part of a country by the army on the orders of the main government, the ordinary law having been suspended � The president im- posed or declared martial law in two provinces. � The government lifted martial law. MartinMartin /�mɑ�tn/, Paul (b. 1938) Ca- nadian prime minister (2003–) Marx, KarlMarx, Karl /mɑ�ks/ noun the Ger- man philosopher (1818–83) who lived most of his life in London and whose ideas were the inspiration for commu- nism (NOTE: Marx believed that peo- ple all over the world would eventual- ly live in a state of perfect liberation, free from government, social class and misleading ideas. Lenin, Stalin and Mao changed Marx’s ideas in or- der to maintain themselves as dicta- tors.) MarxismMarxism /�mɑ�ks |�z(ə)m/ noun the communist ideas of Karl Marx Marxism-LeninismMarxism-Leninism /�mɑ�ksz(ə)m �lennz(ə)m/ noun Marxism adapted by the inclusion of Lenin’s ideas that imperialism is the final stage of capitalism and that the focus of class struggle should shift from industrialised to nonindustrial- ised societies MarxistMarxist /�mɑ�ksst/ adjective refer- ring to Marxism � a Marxist analysis of economic history � The book is an account of Marxist ideology. � noun a person who supports the ideas of Karl Marx Master of the RollsMaster of the Rolls /�mɑ�stə əv ðə �rəυlz/ noun the judge who pre- sides over the Court of Appeal mattermatter /�m�tə/ noun a problem or issue to be discussed � the most im-

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matters arising 148 portant matter on the agenda � We shall consider first the matter of last month’s fall in prices. � matter of concern an issue which causes con- cern � verb to be important � Does it matter if the staff are paid a day late? matters arising

matters arising /�m�təz ə |�razŋ/ plural noun a section in a meeting, where problems or questions which refer to items in the minutes of the pre- vious meeting can be discussed mayor

mayor /meə/ noun 1. a person who is elected by the public as the official in control of a city, as in London or New York (NOTE: ‘Mayor’ is also used in English to apply to persons holding similar positions in other countries: the Mayor of Berlin; the Mayor of Paris; the Mayor of New York.) 2. an honorary title held for a year by a town councillor who has been elected to the position by the other councillors. The Mayor may act as chair of the council and has a role in civic, social and char- itable activities in the town. � � Lord Mayor

COMMENT: Previously, a mayor was the head of the elected government of a town and the head of the majority party. The mayor’s responsibilities have now been taken over by the Council Leader, and the office of may- or is largely ceremonial. It is an hon- our often given to a long-serving or distinguished councillor. In Scotland, a mayor is called a Provost. In the USA, mayors are elected by popular vote, and appoint their team to run the various departments in a city. In 1999 Londoners voted in a referendum to have a directly-elected mayor with lim- ited powers over transport and police. Other towns and cities have also been given the power to have such an offi- cial, but only one in three have chosen to do so after referendums have been held.

mayoral

mayoral /�meər(ə)l/ noun referring to a mayor � mayoral duties mayoralty

mayoralty /�meər(ə)lti/ noun the position of a mayor mayoress

mayoress /meər |�es/ noun the wife of a mayor, or another woman chosen by the mayor as an official partner for the term of office

mayor-makingmayor-making /�meə �mekŋ/ noun a ceremony which takes place at a council’s Annual Meeting, when the new mayor is invested with the chain of office MbekiMbeki /əm |�beki/, Thabo (b. 1942) president of South Africa (1999–) McCarthyismMcCarthyism /mə |�kɑ�θiz(ə)m/ noun the policy of searching for Com- munists or Communist sympathisers in the USA in the 1950s (NOTE: Sena- tor Joseph McCarthy was the lead- ing figure on the committee which questioned Americans, among them prominent figures from the world of films and entertainment, about their political beliefs, and ruined their ca- reers if they showed communist sympathies. McCarthyism was strongly opposed in the 1950s by many people in America and thor- oughly discredited by the 1960s.) means of productionmeans of production /�mi�nz əv prə|�d�kʃən/ plural noun in Marxism, the raw materials, machinery and oth- er things needed to manufacture goods means testmeans test /�mi�nz test/ noun a test to see if someone is entitled to government financial assistance be- cause they have a low income measuremeasure /�me�ə/ noun 1. a way of calculating size or quantity 2. an ac- tion taken to deal with a problem, e.g. a law passed by Parliament � a gov- ernment measure to reduce crime in the inner cities � This is one of a series of measures to be introduced in the next session of Parliament. � as a pre- cautionary measure to prevent some- thing taking place � verb 1. to find out the size or quantity of something 2. � to measure the government’s or the company’s performance to judge how well the government or the com- pany is doing mediamedia /�mi�diə/ noun the newspa- pers, radio and television � The main way that people learn about politics today is through the media. mediate

mediate /�mi�diet/ verb to try to make the two sides in an argument come to an agreement � to mediate be-

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149 memorandum tween the manager and staff � to me- diate in a dispute mediation

mediation /�mi�d |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun an attempt by a third party to make the two sides in an argument agree � The employers refused an offer of govern- ment mediation. mediatise

mediatise /�mi�diətaz/ verb to take control of another country while al- lowing its ruler to have some part in governing it mediator

mediator /�mi�diəetə/ noun a per- son who attempts to make the two sides in an argument agree megalomania

megalomania /�me�ələυ |�meniə/ noun extreme pleasure in someone’s own power or importance megalomaniac

megalomaniac /�me�ələυ | �meni�k/ adjective, noun a person who takes extreme pleasure in their own power and importance member

member /�membə/ noun 1. a person who belongs to a group or a society 2. a Member of Parliament, or a member of Congress � the member for Oxford � the newly elected member for Wind- sor 3. a person elected to a local coun- cil � The members asked for a report from the planning officer. � Officers must carry out the wishes of members. 4. an organisation or country which belongs to a group � the members of the United Nations � the member countries of the European Free Trade Association � the member companies of a trade association Member of Congress

Member of Congress /�membə əv �kɒŋ�res/ noun someone who is elected to the US Congress, especially to the House of Representatives Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament /�membər əv �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun a person elected to represent the people of an area of the United Kingdom in parliament. Abbr MP

COMMENT: Any British subject over 21 is eligible for election as an MP, but the following are disqualified: peers, ministers of the Church of Scotland, persons holding a paid job granted them by the monarch, judges, civil servants, bankrupts, people who are

insane, and some categories of pris- oners.

Member of the European ParliamentMember of the European Par- liament /�membə əv ðə �jυərəpi�ən �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun a person elected to represent the people of an area of Eu- rope in the European Parliament. Abbr MEP Member of the Northern Ireland AssemblyMember of the Northern Ire- land Assembly /�membə əv ð �nɔ�ð(ə)n �aələnd/ noun a person elected to represent the people of an area of Northern Ireland in the de- volved representative body. Abbr MNIA Member of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parlia- ment /�membə əv ð �skɒtʃ �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun a person elected to represent the people of an area of Scotland in the devolved assembly. Abbr MSP Member of the Welsh AssemblyMember of the Welsh Assem- bly /�membə əv ð welʃ/ noun a per- son elected to represent the people of an area of Wales in the devolved rep- resentative body. Abbr MWA Members’ GalleryMembers’ Gallery /�membəz ���ləri/ noun the seats in the House of Commons for visitors invited by Members of Parliament membershipmembership /�membəʃp/ noun 1. the fact of belonging to a group � membership qualifications � condi- tions of membership � to pay your membership or your membership fees � Is Iceland going to apply for mem- bership of the European Union? 2. all the members of a group � The mem- bership was asked to vote for the new president. Member StateMember State /�membə stet/ noun one of the countries that is part of the European Union memomemo /�meməυ/ noun a short note memorandummemorandum /�memə|�r�ndəm/, memo /�meməυ/ noun 1. a short writ- ten statement about a subject from of- ficials to other officials � a memoran- dum to all the Chief Officers about the new arrangements 2. a written com- munication circulated among diplo- mats, especially one that summarises

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memorial 150 a country’s position on an issue 3. a written summary of a legal document 4. a memo (formal) memorial

memorial /m |�mɔ�riəl/ noun 1. a written statement of facts presented by a group of citizens, asking a legisla- ture such as a parliament or town council to perform some action 2. a ceremony which is performed in order to remember an important event or person, or a building or statue which is created to remember something or somebody Memorial Day

Memorial Day /mə|�mɔ�riəl de/ noun a public holiday in the USA to remember those who died in wars, cel- ebrated at the end of May memorialise

memorialise /m |�mɔ�riəlaz/ verb to present a memorial accompanying a petition to a person or group in power memorialist

memorialist /m|�mɔ�riəlst/ noun someone who writes, supports or presents a memorial accompanying a petition MEP

MEP abbreviation Member of the European Parliament (NOTE: The plu- ral is MEPs.) mercenary

mercenary /�m#�s(ə)n(ə)ri/ noun a soldier who fights for a foreign coun- try for money meritocracy

meritocracy /�mer|�tɒkrəsi/ noun a society where people of ability have higher status than people of inherited wealth and good birth merit system

merit system /�mert �sstəm/ noun in the USA, the way in which the majority of civil servants and ap- pointments to the federal bureaucracy are permanent specialists who win their jobs by a competitive selection process (NOTE: Most of the important figures in the federal bureaucracy are appointed by the spoils system, which means they are temporary ap- pointments made by the incoming President.) mesocracy

mesocracy /mez|�ɒkrəsi/ noun a society governed by the middle class Met

Met /met/ abbreviation Metropolitan Police

metropolismetropolis /m |�trɒpəls/ noun a very large town, usually the capital of a country metropolitanmetropolitan /�metrə |�pɒlt(ə)n/ adjective referring to a large city metropolitan countymetropolitan county /�metrə | �pɒlt(ə)n �kaυnti/ noun in England, any of the six large urban administra- tive units that existed in the system of local government in force between 1974 and 1986 metropolitan districtmetropolitan district /�metrə | �pɒlt(ə)n �dstrkt/ noun in England, any of the principal units of local gov- ernment that used to be metropolitan counties, each with an elected council Metropolitan District CouncilMetropolitan District Council /�metrəpɒlt(ə)n �dstrkt �kaυns(ə)l/ noun in England and Wales, a large administrative area cov- ering an urban area Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan Police /�metrəpɒlt(ə)n pə |�li�s/ noun the po- lice force of Greater London

COMMENT: The higher ranks in the Metropolitan Police are Deputy As- sistant Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, and Commissioner.

Metropolitan Police CommissionerMetropolitan Police Commis- sioner /�metrəpɒlt(ə)n pə |�li�s kə | �mʃ(ə)nə/ noun the head of the Met- ropolitan Police MFNMFN abbreviation most-favoured na- tion MHAMHA abbreviation Member of the House of Assembly MI5MI5, MI6 noun the British govern- ment intelligence agencies (NOTE: The US equivalent is the Central In- telligence Agency.)

COMMENT: MI5 (or the Security Serv- ice) is concerned with national securi- ty, in particular counter-terrorism and counter-espionage. MI6 (or the Secret Intelligence Service) is concerned with obtaining information about other countries which may be of use to the government’s defence, security, eco- nomic and foreign services.

Middle AmericaMiddle America /�md(ə)l ə | �merkə/ noun a section of the middle class in the United States regarded as politically conservative with tradition- al social and moral values

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151 Minister-President Middle EastMiddle East /�md(ə)l �i�st/ noun countries to the east of Egypt and west of Pakistan Middle EnglandMiddle England /�md(ə)l �ŋ�lənd/ noun a section of the middle class in England regarded as political- ly conservative with traditional social and moral values middle-of-the-roadmiddle-of-the-road /�md(ə)l əv ðə �rəυd/ adjective not extreme (informal) � middle-of-the-road polit- ical opinions midtermmidterm /�mid|�t#�m/ adjective re- lating to the middle of a term of office militantmilitant /�mltənt/ adjective, noun very actively supporting and working for a cause � The speaker was shouted down by militant environmental cam- paigners. Militant TendencyMilitant Tendency /�mltənt �tendənsi/ noun a former Trotskyite faction of the Labour Party, active in the 1970s and 1980s militarisemilitarise /�mltəraz/ verb to greatly strengthen a country’s armed forces militarismmilitarism /�mltərz(ə)m/ noun 1. strong influence or control by military leaders on the government or policies of a country or state 2. a government policy of greatly strengthening a country’s armed forces militarymilitary /�mlt(ə)ri/ adjective refer- ring to the armed services � a period of military rule government by the army � The country was ruled by a military government for nine years. � The military dictatorship has agreed to return to civilian rule next year. � noun � the Military the Army military attachémilitary attaché /�mlt(ə)ri ə | �t�ʃe/ noun an army officer who works in an embassy and reports on military affairs to his or her home gov- ernment Mill, John StuartMill, John Stuart /ml/ noun the British philosopher (1806–73) whose best known work of political philoso- phy is On Liberty (NOTE: Mill argued that people should be free to do any- thing they liked as long as it did not harm others.)

Min.

Min. abbreviation 1. Minister 2. Min- istry minibudget

minibudget /�mni |�b�d�t/ noun a statement of the government’s finan- cial position and plans made at some point before the main annual budget minimum wage

minimum wage /�mnməm �wed�/ noun the lowest hourly wage which a company can legally pay its workers, set at a rate decided by the government minister

minister /�mnstə/ noun a senior diplomat below the rank of ambassa- dor Minister

Minister, Minister of the Crown noun a member of a government who is in charge of a department � a gov- ernment minister � the Minister of In- formation or the Information Minister � the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Foreign Minister � the Minister of Jus- tice or the Justice Minister

COMMENT: In the USA, heads of gov- ernment departments have the title of secretary: the Secretary for Com- merce; in the UK, ministers in charge of government departments have the title of Secretary of State: the Secre- tary of State for Defence.

Minister for the Civil Service

Minister for the Civil Service /�mnstə fə ð �sv(ə)l �s#�vs/ noun a former British government post, now combined with that of Prime Minister ministerial

ministerial /�mn |�stəriəl/ adjec- tive referring to a minister � ministeri- al responsibilities � The ministerial car was waiting at the airport. ministerial tribunal

ministerial tribunal /�mnstəriəl tra|�bju�n(ə)l/ noun a sort of court set up by a government minister to hear appeals from local courts of a similar sort Minister of StateMinister of State /�mnstə əv �stet/ noun a member of a govern- ment who is in charge of a section of a government department. Also called junior minister, Under-Secretary of State Minister-President

Minister-President /�mnstə �prezdənt/ noun in Germany, the ti- tle of the premier in a Land

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Minister without Portfolio 152 Minister without Portfolio

Minister without Portfolio /�mnstə w|�ðaυt pɔ�t|�fəυliəυ/ noun a minister who does not have respon- sibility for any particular department ministry

ministry /�mnstri/ noun 1. a de- partment of state in the government � a ministry official or an official from the ministry � She works in the Minis- try of Finance or the Finance Ministry. � He is in charge of the Ministry of In- formation or of the Information Minis- try. (NOTE: In Britain and the USA, important ministries are called de- partments: the Department of Trade; the Commerce Department.) 2. a government � during the Wilson ministry when the government head- ed by Prime Minister Wilson was in office Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence /�mnstri əv d |�fens/ noun a government depart- ment in charge of the armed forces Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs /�mnstri əv �fɒrn ə |�feəz/ noun a government department dealing with a country’s relations with other coun- tries (NOTE: The UK equivalent is the Foreign Office and the US equiva- lent is the State Department.) minor

minor /�manə/ noun a person less than eighteen years old � Minors can- not vote in a general election. minoritarianism

minoritarianism /ma |�nɒr| �teəriən�(ə)m/ noun support for or political action on behalf of a minority minority

minority /ma|�nɒrti/ noun 1. a number or quantity which is less than half of the total � A minority of council members opposed the chairman. � Only a small minority of football sup- porters get involved in violence. � in the minority being fewer than half � the small parties are in the minority on the local council 2. a small group of people who differ in some way from a large group � It’s only a minority of the supporters who are violent and causing trouble. 3. a part of a society that differs from the rest of it in some way, especially in ethnic background, religion or culture 4. being less than eighteen years old, or the time when

someone is less than eighteen years old � A person is not liable for debts contracted during minority. minority government

minority government /ma |�nɒrti ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun a government which does not have majority over all other groups in the House of Com- mons minority leader

minority leader /ma|�nɒrti �li�də/ noun US the person who speaks for the minority party in the House or Senate, elected by other members of the party minority report

minority report /ma |�nɒrti r | �pɔ�t/ noun a statement of their views made by a small number of people who hold an opposing view from the rest of the group asked to consider something � Two of the members of the Royal Commission disagreed with the others and submitted a minority report. minority whip

minority whip /ma|�nɒrti �wp/ noun US one of the assistants to mi- nority leaders in the House or Senate, whose responsibility is to make sure the members of their party vote minute

minute /�mnt/ noun a note or doc- ument about a subject � Have you read his minute about the report? I have asked the Chief Education Officer to prepare a minute about the discus- sions. � verb to put something into the record of a meeting � The chairman’s remarks about the auditors were min- uted. minutebook

minutebook /�mntbɒk/ noun a book in which the minutes of a meet- ing are kept miscellaneous

miscellaneous /msə|�leniəs/ ad- jective not all of the same sort � mis- cellaneous items � a box of miscella- neous pieces of equipment � miscella- neous expenditure miscount

miscount noun /�mskaυnt/ a mis- take in counting � verb /ms|�kaυnt/ to make a mistake in counting � The votes were miscounted, so the ballot had to be taken again. misgovern

misgovern /ms|���v(ə)n/ verb to govern badly

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153 moderation misgovernmentmisgovernment /ms | ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun bad government misinterpretmisinterpret /�msn |�t#�prt/ verb to understand something wrongly � The protestors misinterpreted the in- structions of the police. misinterpretationmisinterpretation /�msn |�t#�pr | �teʃ(ə)n/ noun a wrong understand- ing of something � clause which is open to misinterpretation a clause which can be wrongly interpreted misleadmislead /ms|�li�d/ verb to make someone understand something wrongly � The instructions in the doc- ument are quite misleading. � The wording of the Bill is misleading and needs to be clarified. � The minister misled the House in his statement on the affair. misrepresentmisrepresent /�msrepr |�zent/ verb to report facts or statements or opinions wrongly � The Minister com- plained that the TV news report had misrepresented him. misrepresentationmisrepresentation /�ms | �reprzen |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun a wrong statement, especially in order to trick someone misrulemisrule /ms |�ru�l/ noun bad govern- ment � 13 years of misrule missionmission /�mʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a special purpose for which someone is sent somewhere � Her mission was to try to persuade the rebels to accept the gov- ernment’s terms. 2. an important plan or goal � a mission to end child pover- ty � mission in life a personal goal � It was her mission in life to see a Labour MP elected for her constituency for the first time. 3. a group of people who visit another country for a special pur- pose, generally on government or offi- cial business � a trade mission to Ja- pan � The members of the government mission are staying in the embassy. 4. an embassy or consulate or building where representatives of a foreign country work � The crowd gathered outside the gates of the British Mis- sion. misunderstandingmisunderstanding /�ms�ndə | �st�ndŋ/ noun a mistake � There was

a misunderstanding over the date of the next meeting. MLAMLA abbreviation Member of the Legislative Assembly MMP

MMP abbreviation Mixed Member Proportional MNAMNA abbreviation Member of the National Assembly (of Quebec) MNIA

MNIA abbreviation Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly mobmob /mɒb/ noun 1. a large violent crowd � The embassy was burned down by a mob of students. � The po- lice fired on the mob of demonstrators. 2. (old) the lower classes of society mobilise

mobilise /�məυblaz/, mobilize verb 1. to get the armed forces ready for war 2. to encourage people to take decisions or protest about something � The opposition is trying to mobilise public opinion against the draft legis- lation. mobocracymobocracy /mɒb|�ɒkrəsi/ noun 1. political control exercised by a mob 2. a place where a mob has political con- trol mob rulemob rule /�mɒb �ru�l/ noun 1. the rule of a town or country by an angry crowd or by the lower classes 2. (old) rule by the lower classes of society MoD

MoD abbreviation Ministry of De- fence moderatemoderate /�mɒd(ə)rət/ adjective not extreme or not very large � a mod- erate increase in government spend- ing � She holds very moderate politi- cal views. � We had only moderate success in our negotiations. � noun a person with moderate ideas or opin- ions � The moderates were defeated by the extremists. � verb to make something less extreme � The rebels were forced to moderate their de- mands. moderationmoderation /�mɒdə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the avoidance of extremes or be- coming less extreme � The negotiators practised moderation in their dealings with the enemy. 2. a reduction � a moderation in the speed of political change

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Modernisation Committee 154 Modernisation CommitteeModernisation Committee /�mɒdəna |�zeʃ(ə)n kə |�mti/ noun a Select Committee of the House of Commons set up 1997 to recommend changes in the practices and proce- dures of the House to meet modern standards modus vivendimodus vivendi /�məυdəs v| �vendi�/ Latin phrase meaning ‘way of living’, an informal agreement be- tween parties to exist peacefully to- gether � After years of confrontation, they finally have achieved a modus vivendi. molemole /məυl/ noun someone who anonymously reveals sensitive infor- mation about the organisation they work for monarchmonarch /�mɒnək/ noun a royal rul- er of a country, e.g. a king, queen or emperor monarchicmonarchic /mɒ |�nɑ�kk(ə)l/, mo- narchical adjective referring to or in favour of a monarchy monarchismmonarchism /�mɒnəkz(ə)m/ noun 1. the belief in monarchy as a system of government 2. the system of government in which a monarch has power monarchistmonarchist /�mɒnəkst/ noun a person who supports or believes in rule by a monarch monarchymonarchy /�mɒnəki/ noun 1. rule by a king or queen � The monarchy was overthrown in the revolution, and the king replaced by a president. 2. a country ruled by a king or queen � Belgium, Sweden and Britain are monarchies. Monday ClubMonday Club /�m�nde kl�b/ noun a club for right-wing members and supporters of the Conservative Party in Britain (NOTE: Their first meetings were held at lunchtime on Mondays.) moneymoney /�m�ni/ noun coins or bank notes Money BillMoney Bill /�m�ni bl/ noun 1. a Bill which authorises expenditure from the Exchequer 2. a Bill which authorises the levy of taxes money marketmoney market /�m�ni �mɑ�kt/ noun the business of lending and bor-

rowing money carried on by the banks and other financial institutions money supplymoney supply /�m�ni sə |�pla/ noun the amount of money which ex- ists in a country monocracymonocracy /mɒn|�ɒkrəsi/ noun a form of government in which one per- son rules alone Monopolies CommissionMonopolies Commission, Mo- nopolies and Mergers Commis- sion noun the British body which ex- amines takeovers of one company by another, and mergers between compa- nies to make sure that a monopoly is not being created monopolisationmonopolisation /mə|�nɒpəla | �zeʃ(ə)n/, monopolization noun complete control of the trade in partic- ular goods or services monopolymonopoly /mə|�nɒpəli/ noun a situ- ation where one person or company has the complete control of trade in particular goods or the supply of a par- ticular service � to have the monopoly of alcohol sales or to have the alcohol monopoly � The company has the ab- solute monopoly of imports of French wine. (NOTE: A more common US term is trust.) Monroe doctrineMonroe doctrine /m�n |�rəυ �dɒktrn/ noun US the principle that the USA has an interest in preventing outside interference in the internal af- fairs of American states, especially from Europe (NOTE: So called be- cause it was first proposed by Presi- dent Monroe in 1823.) moral majoritymoral majority /�mɒrəl mə | �d�ɒrti/ noun in the USA, a group of people with conservative Christian be- liefs and political opinions moratoriummoratorium /�mɒrə|�tɔ�riəm/ noun a temporary stop to an activity, espe- cially by official agreement � The Conference called for a moratorium on killing seals. (NOTE: The plural is moratoria.) morning hourmorning hour /�mɔ�nŋ aυə/ noun US the period at the beginning of each day’s sitting of Congress, when mem- bers can make a short speech on any topic they choose

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155 multiparty most-favoured nationmost-favoured nation /�məυst �fevəd �neʃ(ə)n/ noun a country which is given the best trade terms by another country. Abbr MFN � most- favoured-nation clause an agreement between two countries that each will offer the other the best possible terms in commercial contracts Mother of ParliamentsMother of Parliaments /�m�ðə əv �pɑ�ləmənts/ noun the British Parlia- ment at Westminster motionmotion /�məυʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a pro- posal which will be put to a meeting for that meeting to vote on, e.g. a pro- posal to the House of Commons or Congress � to propose or to move a motion � to speak against or for a mo- tion � The meeting voted on the mo- tion. � subsidiary motion, substan- tive motion � the motion was car- ried or defeated by 220 votes to 196 the motion was approved or not ap- proved � to table a motion to put for- ward a proposal for discussion � mo- tion to suspend the rules a motion to speed up the passage of a bill, by lim- iting debate on it and not allowing any amendments � motion to reconsider a vote a motion at the end of a discus- sion of any bill, but especially one passed with a close vote, so that a sec- ond vote has to be taken to settle the matter 2. an application to a judge in court, asking for an order in favour of the person making the application movemove /mu�v/ verb to ask a meeting to vote on a proposal � She moved the proposal for new street lighting. � He moved that the accounts be agreed. � I move that the meeting adjourn for ten minutes. (NOTE: The US term is move for: Congressman Smith moved for a measure to be consid- ered.) � to move the previous ques- tion to propose that the previous mo- tion should be discussed again, so that the debate on the current question is dropped movementmovement /�mu�vmənt/ noun 1. a change, especially an improvement � movements in the money markets � cy- clical movements of trade 2. a group of people working towards the same

aim, though not necessarily members of a political party � the British La- bour Movement � He was the founder of the movement for the reunification of his country. 3. the process of chang- ing place or position � free movement of labour 4. a part of a military opera- tion � The satellites observed troop movements. � The forces closed in on two sides in a pincer movement. mover

mover /�mu�və/ noun a person who proposes a motion � The mover of this resolution has said that it is a matter of public safety. � movers and shak- ers the people who are powerful or in- fluential in making things happen MP

MP /�em �pi�/ abbreviation Member of Parliament or military police (NOTE: The plural is MPs.) MSPMSP abbreviation Member of the Scottish Parliament (NOTE: The plural is MSPs.) multilateral

multilateral /�m�lti |�l�t(ə)rəl/ ad- jective involving more than two coun- tries, people or groups � multilateral nuclear disarmament multilateralismmultilateralism /�m�lti | �l�t(ə)rəlz(ə)m/ noun the belief that a policy should only be followed by several countries acting together multilaterally

multilaterally /�m�lti|�l�t(ə)rəli/ adverb between more than two parties or countries � The group of western nations agreed multilaterally to re- duce import tariffs. multilateral nuclear disarmament

multilateral nuclear disarma- ment /�m�lti|�l�t(ə)rəl �nju�kliə ds| �ɑ�məmənt/ noun an agreement be- tween several countries to stop mak- ing or holding nuclear weapons multinational

multinational /�m�lti|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjective referring to several coun- tries � a multinational peacekeeping force � noun a large company operat- ing in several countries multipartite

multipartite /�m�lti |�pɑ�tat/ adjec- tive involving more than two political parties or countries multiparty

multiparty /�m�lti |�pɑ�ti/ adjective where several political parties exist in the same country � a multiparty de-

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multiple voting 156 mocracy � Multiparty elections will be held next year. multiple votingmultiple voting /�m�ltp(ə)l �vəυtŋ/ noun the illegal practice of voting in more than one constituency in an election multiracialismmultiracialism /�m�lti| �reʃ(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun the practice of fully including people of various eth- nic groups in all aspects of a society municipalmunicipal /mju�|�nsp(ə)l/ adjec- tive referring to a town which has its own local government � The finance department supervises the collection of municipal taxes. � She works in the municipal offices. municipal bondmunicipal bond /mju� |�nsp(ə)l �bɒnd/ noun a financial investment of- fered by a city or other local govern- ment to the general public, usually to pay for improvements to public facili- ties municipalisemunicipalise /mju�|�nspəlaz/ verb 1. to bring something such as a public service or area of land under

the control of a city or other locally governed area 2. to give a city or other area responsibility for government in local matters municipality

municipality /mju�|�ns|�p�lti/ noun a town or city with its own local government municipal law

municipal law /mju�|�nsp(ə)l lɔ�/ noun law which is in operation within a state. Compare international law mutineer

mutineer /�mju�t |�nə/ noun a per- son who takes part in a mutiny mutinous

mutinous /�mju�tnəs/ adjective likely to disobey orders � mutinous backbenchers mutiny

mutiny /�mju�tni/ noun the refusal to obey the orders of somebody in a position of authority such as the offic- ers in the army or navy � verb to refuse to obey the orders of somebody in authority MWAMWA abbreviation Member of the Welsh Assembly (NOTE: The plural is MWAs.)

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N NAFTANAFTA /�n�ftə/ abbreviation North American Free Trade Agreement NALGONALGO abbreviation National As- sociation of Local Government Offic- ers namename /nem/ verb to refer formally by name to a Member of Parliament who has behaved in a way regarded as unsuitable, which leads to that MP be- ing unable to enter the House of Com- mons for a period as a punishment � The Secretary of State was named in the divorce case. nanny statenanny state /�n�ni stet/ noun a system of government which provides everything for the citizens and tells the citizens how they should behave NatNat /n�t/ noun a member of the Na- tional Party in Australia or New Zea- land, or of the former National Party in South Africa, or a member of par- liament belonging to the National Par- ty nationnation /�neʃ(ə)n/ noun a country and the people living in it. � nation state nationalnational /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjective re- ferring to a particular country � noun a person who is a citizen of a state national accountsnational accounts /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl ə | �kaυnts/ plural noun the record of a country’s finances National AnthemNational Anthem /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl ��nθəm/ noun a piece of music, usu- ally with words which are sung to it, which is used to represent the nation officially and is played at official cer- emonies National AssemblyNational Assembly /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl ə | �sembli/ noun the lower body of the legislature in many countries, includ- ing Benin, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burki-

na Faso, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Cu- ba, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guyana, Hungary, Kenya, South Ko- rea, Kuwait, Laos, Lesotho, Maurita- nia, Mauritius, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Quebec, Senegal, Sey- chelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Thai- land, Togo and Vietnam National Assembly for WalesNational Assembly for Wales /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl ə|�sembli fə |� welz/ noun the devolved government for Wales, made up of elected members, with the power to introduce secondary legisla- tion in areas such as health and educa- tion in Wales National Audit OfficeNational Audit Office /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �ɔ�dt �ɒfs/ noun an independent body, headed by the Comptroller and Auditor-General, which examines the accounts of government departments National CongressNational Congress /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �kɒŋ�res/ noun the legislature in Ec- uador and Venezuela National CouncilNational Council /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �kaυns(ə)l/ noun the upper house of the legislature in Namibia, Nepal and Slovakia National FrontNational Front /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl fr�nt/ noun a right-wing political group with racist opinions National GuardNational Guard /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �ɑ�d/ noun in the USA, the state militia or volunteer army which can be called on to act on the orders of the federal gov- ernment National GuardsmanNational Guardsman /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl ��ɑ�dzmən/ noun US in the USA, a member of the National Guard National Health ServiceNational Health Service /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �helθ �s#�vs/ noun a Brit- ish organisation which provides medi-

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National Institutes of Health 158 cal services free of charge or at a low cost, to the whole population. Abbr NHS National Institutes of Health

National Institutes of Health /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �nsttju�ts əv �helθ/ noun an agency of the US federal gov- ernment that conducts and supports medical research and programmes de- signed to improve people’s health. Abbr NIH National Insurance

National Insurance /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl n |�ʃυərəns/ noun a British tax on in- come which pays for medical care, hospitals and unemployment benefits National Insurance contributions

National Insurance contribu- tions /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl n |�ʃυərəns �kɒntrbju�ʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun mon- ey paid both by an employee and an employer to the National Insurance system nationalisation

nationalisation /�n�ʃ(ə)nəla| �zeʃ(ə)n/, nationalization noun the act of taking control of a private indus- try by the state nationalise

nationalise /�n�ʃ(ə)nəlaz/, na- tionalize verb to put a private indus- try under state ownership and control nationalised industry

nationalised industry /�n�ʃ(ə)nə | �lazd �ndəstri/ noun a company which was once privately owned, but now belongs to the state nationalism

nationalism /�n�ʃ(ə)nə|�lz(ə)m/ noun 1. the desire for political inde- pendence by people who have the same culture � Basque nationalism 2. the feeling of great pride in one’s country nationalist

nationalist /�n�ʃ(ə)nəlst/ noun 1. a person who wants his or her ethnic group or country to be politically in- dependent � a Welsh nationalist � the Scottish Nationalist Party 2. a person who is very proud of his or her country or feels it is better than other countries nationality

nationality /�n�ʃə |�n�lti/ noun the legal state of being the citizen of a country � he is of United Kingdom nationality he is a citizen of the Unit- ed Kingdom � he has dual nationali- ty he is a citizen of two countries at the same time

National PartyNational Party /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party representing the interests of the nation National Party of AustraliaNational Party of Australia /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �pɑ�ti əv ɒs|�treliə/ noun in Australia, a conservative political party that has usually formed a coali- tion with the Liberal Party of Australia National People’s CongressNational People’s Congress /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �pi�pəlz �kɒŋ�res/ noun the legislature in China NationalratNationalrat /�n�ʃə |�nɑ�lr�t/ noun 1. the lower house of the legislature in Austria 2. the lower house of the fed- eral legislature in Switzerland National Security CouncilNational Security Council /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl s|�kjυərəti �kaυns(ə)l/ noun in the United States, a council that decides on policies designed to maintain national security, consisting of the president, the secretary of state, the national security adviser, and sen- ior military and intelligence officers. Abbr NSC national socialismnational socialism /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �səυʃəlz(ə)m/ noun the ideology of the German Nazi Party, including na- tional expansion, totalitarian govern- ment and racial purity National Socialist PartyNational Socialist Party /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �səυʃəlst �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party founded in Germany in 1919 and led by Adolf Hitler. Also called Nazi Party National State AssemblyNational State Assembly /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl stet ə |�sembli/ noun the legislature in Sri Lanka National Union of Civil and Public ServantsNational Union of Civil and Public Servants /�n�ʃ(ə)nəl �ju�njən əv �sv(ə)l ən �p�blk/ noun a trade union representing civil serv- ants replaced by the Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union. Abbr NUCPS Nation of IslamNation of Islam /�neʃ(ə)n əv �zlɑ�m/ noun a movement of African Americans who follow Islam and be- lieve that Black Americans have Is- lamic origins. Abbr NoI nation statenation state /�neʃ(ə)n stet/ noun a country which is an independent po- litical unit, usually formed of people

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159 neighbour with the same language and traditions � The 19th century saw the rise of many European nation states. nationwide

nationwide /�n�ʃ(ə)nə|�lazd �ndəstri/ adjective, adverb across the whole of a country � A nationwide opinion poll suggested that the Oppo- sition is losing support in marginal constituencies. � They’re gaining ground nationwide. native

native /�netv/ noun 1. a person who comes originally from a place or was born there � She lives in London, but she is a native of Denmark. 2. an original inhabitant of a colony (offen- sive) � The colonists captured the na- tives and sold them into slavery. 3. � to go native to cease to represent the interests of the United Kingdom, and instead to start to believe in the poli- cies of the country where you are working (of officials) native land

native land /�netv l�nd/ noun the country where someone was born nativism

nativism /�netvz(ə)m/ noun 1. a policy, especially in the United States, of favouring the interests of native cit- izens of a country over those of immi- grants 2. a policy of protecting tradi- tional and local cultures NATO

NATO /�netəυ/ abbreviation North Atlantic Treaty Organization natural-born subject

natural-born subject /�n�tʃ(ə)rəl bɔ�n �s�bd�kt/ noun formerly, a per- son born in the UK or a Common- wealth country who was a British citi- zen by birth naturalisation

naturalisation /�n�tʃ(ə)rəla | �zeʃ(ə)n/, naturalization noun the granting of the citizenship of a state to someone who has come into the coun- try from abroad � She has applied for naturalisation. � You must fill in the naturalisation papers. naturalise

naturalise /�n�tʃ(ə)rəlaz/, natu- ralize verb to make someone a citizen of another country naturalised

naturalised /�n�tʃ(ə)rəlazd/, nat- uralized adjective having become a citizen of another country � He is a naturalised American citizen.

natural rightnatural right /�n�tʃ(ə)rəl �rat/ noun a freedom which people ought to enjoy to have something or do some- thing, and which is thought to be theirs simply because they are human beings NaziNazi /�nɑ�tsi/ noun a person who was a member of the Nazi Party Nazi PartyNazi Party /�nɑ�tsi �pɑ�ti/ noun same as National Socialist Party NazismNazism /�nɑ�tsz(ə)m/ noun the be- lief in racist and nationalist ideas and support for authoritarian government NDPBNDPB abbreviation non-departmen- tal public body Near EastNear East /�nə �i�st/ noun the coun- tries at the eastern end of the Mediter- ranean (NOTE: Now often called the Middle East.) negative instrumentnegative instrument /�ne�ətv �nstrυmənt/ noun a form of Statuto- ry Instrument which can be over-ruled by either House of Parliament negotiatenegotiate /n|��əυʃiet/ verb � to negotiate with someone to discuss a problem formally with someone, so as to reach an agreement � The manage- ment refused to negotiate with the un- ion. negotiating committeenegotiating committee /n| ��əυʃietŋ kə |�mti/ noun a group of representatives of management who discuss pay and hours of work with representatives of the workers negotiationnegotiation /n |��əυʃi |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun a discussion between two people or two groups who disagree, intended to reach an agreement between them � to enter into negotiations, to start negotiations to start discussing a problem � to resume negotiations to start discussing a problem again, after talks have stopped for a time � to break off negotiations to refuse to go on discussing a problem � to conduct negotiations to negotiate negotiatornegotiator /n|��əυʃietə/ noun a person who tries to reach an agree- ment with someone neighbour

neighbour /�nebə/, neighbouring state noun a country which is next to another, sharing a common border

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nemine contradicente 160 (NOTE: The US spelling is neighbor or neighboring state.) nemine contradicentenemine contradicente /�nemne �kɒntr�d|�sente/, nem con /�nem �kɒn/ Latin phrase meaning ‘with no one speaking against something’: a phrase used to show that no one spoke against the proposal, although some may have abstained in the vote � The motion was adopted nem con. Com- pare unanimous neo-neo- /ni�əυ/ prefix meaning ‘new’ or ‘in a new form’ � a neo-fascist move- ment � a neo-Nazi organisation neocolonialismneocolonialism /�ni�əυkə | �ləυniəlz(ə)m/ noun a policy by which a strong country tries to influ- ence or control weaker countries which are independent neoconneocon /�ni�əυkɒn/ noun US same as neoconservative neoconservativeneoconservative /�ni�əυkən | �s#�vətv/ noun someone who began to support conservative policies in the mid-1980s as a reaction to the social changes of the 1960s-70s neofascismneofascism /�ni�əυ |�f�ʃz(ə)m/ noun 1. modern support for Fascist beliefs 2. the beliefs of white groups or movements that hold racist views, especially those involved in violence towards non-white people neofascistneofascist /�ni�əυ |�f�ʃst/ adjective relating to neofascism � noun some- one who has Fascist or white racist opinions neo-Nazineo-Nazi /�ni�əυ |�nɑ�tsi/ noun 1. someone who supports Nazi beliefs 2. a white person who has racist views, especially one involved in violence to- wards non-white people net gainnet gain /�net ��en/ noun the total number of seats gained in an election after subtracting the number of seats lost � The government lost twenty seats and gained thirty one, making a net gain of eleven. neutralneutral /�nju�trəl/ adjective 1. not taking sides in a dispute � The confer- ence agreed to refer the dispute to a neutral power. � The UN sent in neu- tral observers to observe the elections.

2. referring to a country which refuses to take part in wars or which does not join in a war � During the Second World War, Switzerland and Sweden remained neutral. � The navy was ac- cused of having attacked neutral ship- ping. � Neutral states in the area have tried to bring an end to the war. � noun a country which is neutral neutralismneutralism /�nju�trəlz(ə)m/ noun a policy of being neutral neutralityneutrality /nju� |�tr�lti/ noun being neutral neverendumneverendum /�nevə |�rendəm/ noun 1. the practice of holding of referen- dums on the same subject on many oc- casions 2. a referendum on a subject on which there have been referendums before New Democratic PartyNew Democratic Party /nju� �demə |�kr�tk �pɑ�ti/ noun one of the main political parties in Canada, rep- resenting the interests of the working class New LabourNew Labour /�nju� �lebə/ noun the British Labour Party as it has devel- oped since 1995, abandoning the prin- ciple of state ownership and moving towards a greater acceptance of a free- market economy New LeftNew Left /�nju� �left/ noun a politi- cal movement, mainly among students and intellectuals in the United States and Europe during the 1960s and 1970s, that wanted radical social and economic change New National PartyNew National Party /�nju� �n�ʃ(ə)nəl �pɑ�ti/ noun in South Afri- ca, a political party formed in 1998 when the National Party changed its name to distance itself from its apart- heid policies in the past New RightNew Right /�nju� �rat/ noun a con- servative political movement that de- veloped in the United States during the late 1960s, with a commitment to established religion, patriotism, and less control from government news agencynews agency /�nju�z �ed�ənsi/ noun an office which distributes news to newspapers and television compa- nies

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161 nominee newspeaknewspeak /�nju�spi�k/ noun lan- guage that is designed to conceal the truth, especially when used by bureau- crats and politicians NFNF abbreviation National Front NGONGO abbreviation non-governmen- tal organization NICNIC /�en a �si�/ abbreviation Nation- al Insurance contributions nihilismnihilism /�nahlz(ə)m/ noun 1. the general rejection of accepted social practices and beliefs 2. the belief that all authority is corrupt and must be re- jected in order to establish a just soci- ety NimbyismNimbyism /�nmbiz(ə)m/ noun the practice of objecting to something such as a road, airport or housing be- ing developed near where someone lives (NOTE: Nimby stands for ‘not in my backyard’.) NIONIO abbreviation Northern Ireland Office NLFNLF abbreviation National Libera- tion Front nono /nəυ/ noun in the House of Com- mons, a vote against a motion � The proposal received a resounding ‘No’ vote. � the No lobby, the Noes lobby the room in the House of Commons which MPs pass through when they vote against a motion � the Noes have it the announcement that a motion has been defeated No. 10 Downing StreetNo. 10 Downing Street, No. 10 � Number 10 No. 11 Downing StreetNo. 11 Downing Street, No. 11 � Number 11 nobilitynobility /nəυ |�blti/ noun all noble families, taken as a group noblenoble /�nəυb(ə)l/ noun a person from a family which has been given a title such as lord noblemannobleman /�nəυb(ə)lmən/, noble- woman /�nəυb(ə)lwυmən/ noun a person who has a title such as lord or duchess nodnod /nɒd/ verb to move the head for- wards to show agreement � When the chairman asked her if she would head the subcommittee, the treasurer nod-

ded. � the proposal went through on the nod the motion was carried with- out any discussion and no formal vote � to nod through to agree that an MP’s vote is recorded, even if he or she has not personally gone through the voting lobby, e.g. when an MP is present in the Houses of Parliament but is too ill to go into the chamber no-fly zoneno-fly zone /nəυ �fla �zəυn/ noun an area of sky which the military forc- es of other countries are ordered not to use. � exclusion zone NoINoI abbreviation Nation of Islam Nolan CommitteeNolan Committee /�nəυlən kə| �mti/ noun same as Committee on Standards in Public Life nomenklaturanomenklatura noun 1. in Commu- nist governments, the class consisting of the people holding positions of au- thority in the bureaucracy 2. in Com- munist countries, the system for ap- pointing people to senior positions in the bureaucracy, controlled by com- mittees in the Communist Party nominatenominate /�nɒmnet/ verb to sug- gest someone or name someone for a job � She was nominated as Labour candidate. � to nominate someone to a post to appoint someone to a post without an election � to nominate someone as proxy to name someone to act for you, especially in a vote nominationnomination /�nɒm|�neʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the act of suggesting or naming someone for a job � He was proposed for nomination as Labour candidate. � nominations close at 10.00 a.m. the last time for nominating someone is 10.00a.m. 2. a person who has been nominated � There were a number of nominations for the post of Deputy Leader. nominativenominative /�nɒmnətv/ adjective appointed or suggested for election to an office or position. Abbr nom. nomineenominee /�nɒm |�ni�/ noun a person who has been nominated � She is the Party leader’s nominee for the post.

COMMENT: In the UK, a person who is nominated as a candidate for local or national elections, has to have the sig- natures of local residents as his or her

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non-aggression 162 sponsors, and, in the case of national elections, has to deposit a sum of money which is forfeited if not enough votes are received. In the United States, the executive (i.e. the Presi- dent) nominates people to federal of- fices such as members of the Su- preme Court or the cabinet, but these nominations are subject to confirma- tion by the Senate. Most nominations are accepted without discussion, but some are debated, and some are not confirmed. If the executive nominates someone to a federal post in one of the states without consulting the sen- ators for that state, they can object to the nominee by saying that he is ‘per- sonally obnoxious’ to them.

non-aggression

non-aggression /�nɒn ə |��reʃ(ə)n/ noun a policy of not using force against another country � a non-ag- gression treaty a treaty between two countries who agree not to attack each other nonaligned

nonaligned /�nɒnə |�land/ adjective not formally associated with any ma- jor world power noncooperation

noncooperation /�nɒnkəυ |�ɒpə | �reʃ(ə)n/ noun the practice of refus- ing to pay taxes or obey other laws as a protest non-departmental public body

non-departmental public body /�nɒn �di�pɑ�tment(ə)l �p�blk �bɒdi/ noun an organisation set up to carry out a specific role within government responsibilities, but which is not a government department or part of one. Abbr NDPB non-governmental organisation

non-governmental organisa- tion /�nɒn ���v(ə)nment(ə)l �ɔ��əna |�zeʃ(ə)n/ noun a pressure group or charity which is not fully funded by a government and which may work with the government on a local, national or international level. Abbr NGO non-intervention

non-intervention /�nɒn �ntə | �venʃ(ə)n/ noun a policy of not be- coming involved in the internal affairs of another country � The USA has fol- lowed a policy of non-intervention. non-proliferation treaty

non-proliferation treaty /�nɒn prə |�lfə|�reʃ(ə)n �tri�ti/ noun an agreement to prevent the use of nucle-

ar weapons spreading to countries which do not have them non-residentnon-resident /�nɒn �rezdənt/ noun a person who does not live in a place, or a company which is not offi- cially based in a place � He has a non- resident account with a French bank. � She was granted a non-resident visa. nonstate actornonstate actor /�nɒnstet ��ktə/ noun a person or group whose actions are not controlled by a state or govern- ment, e.g. an international terrorist group nonvoternonvoter /nɒn|�vəυtə/ noun some- body who does not vote or is not eligi- ble to vote northnorth /nɔ�θ/ � the North 1. the north of a country 2. the developed coun- tries of the world � the North-South divide North American Free Trade AssociationNorth American Free Trade As- sociation /�nɔ�θ ə|�merkən fri� �tred ə |�səυsieʃ(ə)n/ noun the trade agreement between Canada, Mexico and the United States which allows goods to be taken from one country to another free of taxes. Abbr NAFTA North Atlantic Treaty OrganisationNorth Atlantic Treaty Organi- sation /�nɔ�θ ət|�l�ntk �tri�ti �ɔ��ənazeʃ(ə)n/ noun the alliance set up in 1949 to link various countries in a common political and military al- liance to provide mutual defence in the case of attack by Communist countries. The members in 2004 were expanded by the inclusion of a number of the former Communist countries of the Warsaw Pact. The members are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slove- nia, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the USA. Abbr NATO Northern AllianceNorthern Alliance /�nɔ�ð(ə)n ə | �laəns/ noun a loose grouping of Af- ghan military forces that ended Tali- ban rule in Afghanistan in 2001 Northern Ireland AssemblyNorthern Ireland Assembly /�nɔ�ð(ə)n �aələnd ə |�sembli/ noun

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163 nullification the devolved elected representative body set up in 1999 in Belfast with limited powers to make laws for Northern Ireland (NOTE: The North- ern Ireland Assembly has been una- ble to work effectively because of continued distrust between the polit- ical parties in Northern Ireland and has been suspended for longer than it has been in effective operation.) Northern Ireland Executive

Northern Ireland Executive /�nɔ�ð(ə)n �aələnd � |�zekjυtv/ noun the devolved government of Northern Ireland, suspended from 14 October 2002 Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office /�nɔ�ð(ə)n �aələnd �ɒfs/ noun dur- ing devolution, a UK government de- partment responsible for constitution- al and security issues in Northern Ire- land. Abbr NIO North-South dialogue

North-South dialogue /�nɔ�θ saυθ �daəlɒ�/ noun discussions be- tween the industrialised countries of the northern hemisphere and the de- veloping countries of the southern hemisphere North-South DivideNorth-South Divide /�nɔ�θ saυθ d |�vad/ noun the political and eco- nomic differences between industrial- ised countries of the northern hemi- sphere and the developing countries of the southern hemisphere Northstead

Northstead /�nɔ�θsted/ � Chiltern Hundreds note

note /nəυt/ noun 1. a brief piece of writing 2. an official document with a particular purpose notice

notice /�nəυts/ noun 1. a piece of written information � The company receptionist pinned up a notice about the pension scheme. 2. the official passing of information to someone, especially warning that something may happen such as a that a contract is going to end, that a worker will leave his job or that a tenant must leave the property he or she is living in � The Leader of the Opposition has given notice that he will seek an emergency debate on the economy. � The Minister asked for notice of the question.

notice of motion

notice of motion /�nəυts əv �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun a document telling the other party to a case that an appli- cation will be made to the court notwithstanding

notwithstanding /�nɒtwð| �st�ndŋ/ adverb, preposition with- out being affected by something � The debate proceeded notwithstanding the objections of the Opposition members or the objections of Opposition mem- bers notwithstanding. (NOTE: can be used before or after the phrase to which it refers) nuclear deterrent

nuclear deterrent /�nju�kliə d| �terənt/ noun a nuclear weapon which it is hoped will prevent attacks from other countries because of fears that it will be used nuclear disarmament

nuclear disarmament /�nju�kliə ds |�ɑ�məmənt/ noun the process of reducing or getting rid of nuclear weapons and/or the capacity to manu- facture them nuclear energy

nuclear energy /�nju�kliə �enəd�i/ noun electricity made using a nuclear process nuclear-free zone

nuclear-free zone /�nju�kliə fri� �zəυn/ adjective an area where the people say they will not allow nuclear power stations or nuclear weapons to be placed nuclear proliferation

nuclear proliferation /�nju�kliə prə |�lfə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun the spread of nuclear weapons to countries who have previously not possessed them nuclear test

nuclear test /�nju�kliə �test/ noun a test on a nuclear weapon nuclear test ban

nuclear test ban /�nju�kliə �test �b�n/ noun a decision to stop the test- ing of nuclear weapons nuclear war

nuclear war /�nju�kliə �wɔ�/ noun a war using nuclear weapons NUCPS

NUCPS abbreviation National Un- ion of Civil and Public Servants null

null /n�l/ adjective of no value � to render a decision null to make a de- cision useless or to cancel a decision nullification

nullification /�n�lf |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of making something useless or of no value

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nullify 164 nullifynullify /�n�lfa/ verb to make some- thing of no value or force Number 10Number 10 /�n�mbə |� ten/ noun No 10, Downing Street, the official home of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (NOTE: It is used informally to refer to the Prime Minister) � he is hoping to move into Number Ten af- ter the election he is expecting to be elected Prime Minister Number 11Number 11 /�n�mbər |�levən/ noun No 11, Downing Street, the official home of the Chancellor of the Ex-

chequer of the United Kingdom (NOTE: It is used informally to refer to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.) � he’s set his sights on Number 11 he would like to become Chancellor of the Exchequer numerical ordernumerical order /nju� |�merk(ə)l �ɔ�də/ noun the arrangement of records in order of their numbers � The documents are filed in numerical order. nuncionuncio /�n�nsiəυ/ noun an ambassa- dor of the Pope

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O OASOAS abbreviation Organization of American States oath of allegianceoath of allegiance /�əυθ əv ə | �li�d�əns/ noun 1. a promise to be loy- al or to obey the orders of a country or ruler 2. an oath sworn by all MPs be- fore they can take their seats in the House of Commons, unless they af- firm instead. � affirm � to take the oath to swear allegiance to the Queen before taking a seat in the House of Commons as an MP � after taking the oath, the new MP signs the test roll obedienceobedience /ə |�bi�diəns/ noun the practice of doing what someone asks you to do � Every citizen should show obedience to the laws of the state. � The army swore obedience to the pres- ident. objectionobjection /əb |�d�ekʃən/ noun a statement of opposition to something objectorobjector /əb |�d�ektə/ noun a person who opposes something. � conscien- tious objector observerobserver /əb |�z#�və/ noun 1. some- one who is appointed to act as a wit- ness to an important event such as an election, sometimes in another coun- try, to see that it has been carried out fairly � United Nations observers were stationed on the ceasefire line. 2. someone who attends a meeting to lis- ten but not to take part � Two official observers attended the meeting. � In- ternational observers were present during the general elections. obstructobstruct /əb |�str�kt/ verb to get in the way or to stop something progress- ing � MPs attempted to obstruct the passage of the Bill. obstructionobstruction /əb |�str�kʃən/ noun an act of preventing some actions from

being taken � The MPs were success- ful in their obstruction of the Bill. obstructiveobstructive /əb|�str�ktv/ adjective trying to prevent something deliber- ately � MPs complained of the ob- structive behaviour of some right- wingers. obtainobtain /əb |�ten/ verb to be a rule or to have a legal status � a rule obtain- ing in international law � This right does not obtain in the House of Com- mons. occupationoccupation /�ɒkjυ |�peʃ(ə)n/ noun an invasion of a country or place by an army, which then stays there to keep control � army of occupation an army which invades a country and then stays there to keep control occupyoccupy /�ɒkjυpa/ verb to invade a place or building or country and stay there � The protesters occupied the ra- dio station. � The enemy army occu- pied the south of the country. � occu- pying forces armed forces which in- vade a country and then stay there Ofcom

Ofcom /�ɒfkɒm/ noun a regulatory body for the telecommunications and broadcasting industries office

office /�ɒfs/ noun 1. a British gov- ernment department � the Home Of- fice the ministry dealing with the in- ternal affairs of the country, including the police and the prisons 2. a post or position � She holds or performs the office of treasurer. � high office an im- portant position or job � the high of- fices of state the most important min- isterial posts in the British govern- ment (the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, the Home Secretary) 3. the set of rooms where an organisation

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office holder 166 works or where business is done 4. a room where someone works and does business office holderoffice holder /�ɒfs �həυldə/ noun an official in a government position Office of Fair TradingOffice of Fair Trading /�ɒfs əv feə �tredŋ/ noun the British govern- ment department which protects con- sumers against unfair or illegal busi- ness officerofficer /�ɒfsə/ noun 1. a person who has an official position, e.g. a person working in a local government depart- ment � Detailing the expenditure will necessitate a high cost in officer time. � The report was drawn up by the of- ficers on the instructions of the coun- cil. � The members ignored the advice of the officers. � police officer 2. a usually unpaid official of a club or so- ciety � the election of officers of an as- sociation officialofficial /ə|�fʃ(ə)l/ adjective 1. done because it has been authorised by a government department or organisa- tion � on official business � He left of- ficial documents in his car. � She re- ceived an official letter of explanation. 2. done or approved by a director or by a person in authority � This must be an official order – it is written on the de- partment’s notepaper. � the strike was made official the local strike was approved by the main trade union of- fice � noun a person working in a cen- tral or local government department � Airport officials inspected the ship- ment. � Government officials stopped the import licence. � The council members met with officials to discuss the implementation of the new policy. (NOTE: In the UK, a distinction is made between an official, who is an appointed employee of the govern- ment, and elected representatives. In US English, even the President is an official.) � high official an impor- tant person in a government depart- ment � minor official a person in a low position in a government depart- ment officialdomofficialdom /ə |�fʃ(ə)ldəm/ noun (usually disapproving) officials work-

ing together in a set way � The whole plan has been obstructed by official- dom. officialese

officialese /ə |�fʃə |�li�z/ noun the language used in government docu- ments, often regarded as difficult to understand Official Journal

Official Journal /ə |�fʃ(ə)l �d�#�n(ə)l/ noun in the European Un- ion, the published record of all the reg- ulations and directives that have been produced officially

officially /ə |�fʃ(ə)li/ adverb in an of- ficial way � Officially he knows noth- ing about the problem, but unofficially he has given us a lot of advice about it. official mediator

official mediator /ə |�fʃ(ə)l �mi�dietə/ noun the government offi- cial who tries to make the two sides in an industrial dispute agree Official Receiver

Official Receiver /ə |�fʃ(ə)l r | �si�və/ noun the government official whose job is to deal with bankrupt companies Official Report

Official Report /ə |�fʃ(ə)l r|�pɔ�t/ noun the exact record of what is said and done in the House of Commons and House of Lords. � Hansard official secret

official secret /ə |�fʃ(ə)l �si�krət/ noun a piece of information which is important to the state and which it is a crime for an official to tell someone who has no right to know about it Official Secrets Act

Official Secrets Act /ə |�fʃ(ə)l �si�krəts ��kt/ noun the Act of Parlia- ment which makes it a crime for any- one to make public secret information relating to the state Official Unionist Party

Official Unionist Party /ə |�fʃ(ə)l �ju�njənst �pɑ�ti/ noun same as Ul- ster Unionist Party officio

officio /ə |�fʃəυ/ � ex officio off licence

off licence /�ɒf � |�as(ə)ns/ noun 1. a licence to sell alcohol to be drunk away from the place where it is bought 2. a shop which sells alcohol to be tak- en away for drinking elsewhere off-message

off-message /�ɒf �mesd�/ adjec- tive not following the official policy of a political party or other organisation

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167 one-party state OFSTEDOFSTED /�ɒfsted/ noun the govern- ment department that monitors educa- tional standards in schools and colleg- es in England and Wales. Full form Office for Standards in Education OHMSOHMS abbreviation On Her Majes- ty’s Service 000000 a statement saying how much in- come you have to the tax office OireachtasOireachtas noun the national par- liament of Ireland, consisting of the president and two chambers: the lower is the Dáil Eireann and the upper, the Seanad Eireann Old CommonwealthOld Commonwealth /əυld �kɒmənwelθ/ noun the oldest mem- bers of the Commonwealth, e.g. Can- ada and Australia Old LabourOld Labour /əυld �lebə/ noun the British Labour Party, as it existed dur- ing most of the 20th century, support- ing traditional socialist principles such as state ownership and opposi- tion to a free market economy. Com- pare New Labour oligarcholigarch /�ɒl�ɑ�k/ noun a member of an oligarchy oligarchicaloligarchical /�ɒl|��ɑ�kk(ə)l/, oli- garchic /�ɒl |��ɑ�kk/ adjective refer- ring to an oligarchy oligarchyoligarchy /�ɒl�ɑ�ki/ noun 1. gov- ernment by a small group of people 2. a small ruling group � The country is ruled by an oligarchy called the ‘fif- teen families’. 3. a state ruled by a small group ombudsmanombudsman /�ɒmbυdzmən/ noun an official who investigates com- plaints by the public against govern- ment departments or other large or- ganisations

COMMENT: There are in fact several ombudsmen: the main one is the Par- liamentary Commissioner, but there are also others, such as the Health Service Commissioners, who investi- gate complaints against the Health Service, and the Local Commission- ers or Local Government Ombuds- men who investigate complaints against local authorities. Although ombudsmen will make their recom- mendations to the department con- cerned, and may make their recom-

mendations public, they has no power to enforce them. The Parliamentary Commissioner may only investigate complaints which are presented through an MP, but the Local Govern- ment Ombudsmen can be ap- proached directly, or through a local councillor. A member of the public first brings the complaint to a councillor or MP, and if they cannot get satisfaction from the department against which the complaint is made, then the matter is passed to the Ombudsman.

one man one voteone man one vote /�w�n m�n �w�n �vəυt/ noun the democratic principle that each person entitled to vote has a single vote, equal to all the others one minute speechone minute speech /�w�n �mnət �spi�tʃ/ noun US a short speech by a member of the House of Representa- tives on any subject at the beginning of the day’s business One-Nation ConservatismOne-Nation Conservatism /�w�n �neʃ(ə)n kən|�s#�və|�tz(ə)m/ noun the belief that Conservatives should include every willing person in the life and opportunity of our country and get support from all classes by un- dertaking social reforms to help the working class

COMMENT: The One Nation Conserva- tive tradition, with its emphasis on so- cial justice, was started by Benjamin Disraeli. In his novel Sybil (1845) he had described the rich and the poor as ‘Two nations between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each other’s habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones, or inhabit- ants of different planets; who are formed by a different breeding, are fed by different food, are ordered by differ- ent manners, and are not governed by the same laws’.

1922 Committee1922 Committee /�nanti�n �twenti �tu� kə |�mti/ noun a commit- tee formed of all backbench Conserv- ative MPs in the House of Commons, who meet regularly and question min- isters and other party leaders (NOTE: The equivalent in the Labour Party is the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP).) one-party stateone-party state /�w�n �pɑ�ti �stet/ noun a country in which only

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on-message 168 one party is allowed to exist, although voters generally have a choice of can- didates all from the same party on-messageon-message /�ɒn �mesd�/ adjec- tive following the official policy of a political party or other organisation OPECOPEC /�əυpek/ n an organisation of oil-producing countries. Full form Or- ganization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (NOTE: The members are Algeria, Gabon, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emir- ates, and Venezuela.) open door policyopen door policy /�əυpən dɔ� �pɒlsi/ noun a trading policy by which a country allows free trade with all other countries open-endedopen-ended /�əυpən �endd/ ad- jective with no fixed limit or restric- tions to what has been agreed � an open-ended agreement (NOTE: The US term is open-end.) open governmentopen government /�əυpən ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun a system in which most decisions by government and most government records are available for any citizen to read open hearingopen hearing /�əυpən �hərŋ/ noun a court case or meeting which is open to the public and to journalists openingopening /�əυp(ə)nŋ/ noun 1. a cer- emony to celebrate the start of a public event � The Queen attends the State Opening of Parliament every year, 2. the act of making something open � adjective the first of several similar things � the chairman’s opening re- marks � The opening speech from the Home Secretary was interrupted by Opposition shouts. open societyopen society /�əυpən sə |�saəti/ noun a society in which people can say what they think freely and openly opinionopinion /ə|�pnjən/ noun a belief or set of beliefs held by people about an issue opinion pollopinion poll /ə |�pnjən pəυl/ noun a study of the opinions of a small care- fully chosen group of people, so as to guess the opinion of the whole popu- lation � Politicians take very careful

note of the opinion polls in the run-up to a general election. opinion researchopinion research /ə|�pnjən r | �s#�tʃ/ noun the study of the changing opinions of a population based on in- terviewing small representative groups opponentopponent /ə |�pəυnənt/ noun a per- son who is against you or who votes against what you propose � The pro- nuclear group tried to discredit their opponents in the debate. oppose

oppose /ə |�pəυz/ verb to try to stop something happening � A minority of committee members opposed the mo- tion. � We are all opposed to the gov- ernment’s plan. � The Speaker op- posed the opposition’s application for an adjournment. opposed business

opposed business /ə|�pəυzd �bzns/ noun matters for discussion in the House of Commons which an MP objects to oppositionopposition /�ɒpə |�zʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the action of trying to stop something or of not agreeing to something � There was considerable opposition to the plan for reorganising the local boundaries. � The voters showed their opposition to the government by vot- ing against the proposal in the refer- endum. 2. Opposition the largest po- litical party which opposes the gov- ernment � The Opposition tried to propose a vote of censure on the Prime Minister. � The spokesman for the Op- position or the Opposition spokesman answered the Minister’s allegations. � Leader of the Opposition, Opposi- tion Leader the head of the largest political party opposing the govern- ment 3. Opposition a group of par- ties which oppose the government Opposition DayOpposition Day /�ɒpə|�zʃ(ə)n de/ noun a day on which a debate is held on a subject chosen by the Opposition Opposition front bench

Opposition front bench /�ɒpə | �zʃ(ə)n fr�nt bentʃ/ noun 1. the seats for the Opposition Shadow Cab- inet 2. the members of the Opposition Shadow Cabinet � An Opposition front bench spokesman asked why the

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169 orders Government had been so slow in in- vestigating the affair. oppressoppress /ə|�pres/ verb to rule cruelly and unfairly, especially by limiting the personal freedom of the citizens � The dictator has stayed in power by using the army and police force to oppress the people. oppressionoppression /ə |�preʃ(ə)n/ noun cruel and unfair rule and control oppressiveoppressive /ə |�presv/ adjective us- ing cruel and unfair methods of gov- ernment � Under the dictator’s op- pressive regime, the ordinary citizens were afraid to speak out against the system. oppressoroppressor /ə|�presə/ noun a ruler who governs in a cruel or unjust way � The people rose in revolution to over- throw their oppressors. opt outopt out /�ɒpt �aυt/ verb to decide not to take part in a group, activity or agreement, or to stop taking part � Un- der John Major the UK opted out of some provisions of the Maastricht Treaty such as the Social Chapter. opt-outopt-out /�ɒpt aυt/ noun a decision or permission not to take part in some- thing Orange OrderOrange Order /�ɒrnd� �ɔ�də/ noun a Protestant organisation that strongly supports Protestantism in Ireland, es- pecially Northern Ireland orderorder /�ɔ�də/ noun 1. a general state of calm, where everything is working as planned. � law and order 2. an of- ficial statement asking someone to do something � on the orders of some- one because someone has officially asked � On the orders of the Chief Constable, the demonstrators dis- persed. 3. the arrangement of records such as filing cards or invoices � filed in date or alphabetical order 4. the ar- rangement of business in the House of Commons. � order of business, or- der of the day 5. � to bring a meet- ing to order, to come to order (of a meeting) to get a meeting back to dis- cussing the agenda again after an in- terruption � Order! Order! a call by the Speaker of the House of Commons

to bring the meeting to order 6. a gen- eral social or political situation at a particular time � a threat to the estab- lished order � a time of great changes to the existing social order 7. a request for goods to be supplied � to give a supplier an order or to place an order with a supplier for military equipment 8. a document which allows money to be paid to someone � She sent us an order on the Chartered Bank. Order BookOrder Book /�ɔ�də bυk/ noun a list showing the House of Commons’ business for each day of the rest of the session of Parliament Order in CouncilOrder in Council /�ɔ�də n �kaυns(ə)l/ noun a decision made by the Queen in Council, on the advice of her ministers, in an area which does not need the agreement of Parliament order of businessorder of business /�ɔ�də əv �bzns/ noun the timetable showing what the House of Commons has to do for that day

COMMENT: The normal order of busi- ness of the House of Commons be- gins with prayers, followed by mes- sages from the Queen or official mes- sages from foreign governments, motions for writs to hold by-elections, private business and Question Time, when ministers answer questions about the work of their departments. Following this, various matters can be discussed, including debate on mo- tions and public Bills.

order of precedenceorder of precedence /�ɔ�də əv �presd(ə)ns/ noun the arrangement of things or people according to their importance � The item on finance takes precedence over all other items on the agenda. order of the dayorder of the day /�ɔ�də əv ð de/ noun a matter which the House of Commons has decided will be dis- cussed on an agreed day order paperorder paper /�ɔ�də �pepə/ noun a piece of paper showing the timetable to be followed that day in the House of Commons � As the Prime Minister rose to speak his supporters waved their order papers in great excitement. ordersorders /�ɔ�dəz/ plural noun second- ary legislation made by ministers, un-

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ordinance 170 der powers given by Act of Parlia- ment, which still has to be approved by Parliament before coming into force ordinance

ordinance /�ɔ�dnəns/ noun 1. a law or rule made by an authority 2. US a rule made by a town council which is effective only within the town ordinarily

ordinarily /�ɔ�d(ə)n(ə)rli/ adverb � ordinarily resident usually resident in some country ordinary resolution

ordinary resolution /�ɔ�d(ə)n(ə)ri �rezə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a matter or deci- sion which can be agreed by a simple majority of those voting organ

organ /�ɔ��ən/ noun 1. an organisa- tion that is responsible on behalf of a larger institution for a particular job 2. the newspaper, magazine or other reg- ular publication of a particular organi- sation, which gives official informa- tion � the official organ of the associ- ation Organization of African Unity

Organization of African Unity /�ɔ��əna|�zeʃ(ə)n əv ��frkən �ju�nəti/ noun an organisation of Af- rican states, replaced in 2002 by the African Union Országgyülés

Országgyülés noun the legislature in Hungary OSCE

OSCE abbreviation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe OSD

OSD abbreviation Office of the Sec- retary of Defense outcome

outcome /�aυtk�m/ noun the result � We are waiting for the outcome of the enquiry. � The outcome of the de- bate was in doubt. outcry

outcry /�aυtkra/ noun a strong pub- lic protest Outer House

Outer House /�aυtə haυz/ noun a part of the Scottish Court of Session, formed of five judges outgoing

outgoing /aυt|��əυŋ/ adjective a person or group that is about to leave office � the outgoing president outlaw

outlaw /�aυtlɔ�/ verb to say that something is not allowed by law � The government has proposed a bill to out- law drinking in public. � noun former-

ly, a person who was excluded from society as a punishment outline planning permissionoutline planning permission /�aυt(ə)lan �pl�nŋ pə |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun general permission to build a property on a piece of land, but not fi- nal because there are no details outpolloutpoll /aυt |�pəυl/ verb to receive more votes than an opponent in an election outreachoutreach /�aυtri�tʃ/ noun services or advice for members of the public who find travel difficult, provided out- side a hospital or government offices in the places where people live outvoteoutvote /aυt|�vəυt/ verb to defeat someone in a vote � He was outvoted 3 to 1. Oval OfficeOval Office /�əυvəl �ɒfs/ noun the room in the White House which is the personal office of the President of the United States (NOTE: It is also used to mean the President in person: The Oval Office was not pleased by the attitude of the Senate.) overalloverall /�əυvər |�ɔ�l/ adjective cover- ing everything � The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for running the council’s affairs. overall majorityoverall majority /�əυvərɔ�l mə | �d�ɒrti/ noun a majority of votes or seats, which is more than all the votes and seats of the opposition taken to- gether � The government had an over- all majority of two. � After the elec- tion, the ruling coalition lost its over- all majority. Also called straight majority overclassoverclass /�əυvəklɑ�s/ noun the governing or ruling class of a country over-populatedover-populated /�əυvə �pɒpjυletd/ adjective having too many people overrepresentoverrepresent /�əυvərepr|�zent/ verb to give more representation to a group than is reasonable based on its size � The present system tends to overrepresent the majority party. � Males are overrepresented in the House of Commons. overriding interestoverriding interest /�əυvəradŋ �ntrəst/ noun a more important con-

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171 OVP cern than any other � National securi- ty is the overriding interest in this case. overthrowoverthrow verb /�əυvə |�θrəυ/ to re- move a government or leader sudden- ly from power � The regime was over- thrown in a military coup. � noun

/�əυvəθrəυ/ the sudden removal of a government or leader � The army was involved in the overthrow of the presi- dent. OVPOVP abbreviation Office of the Vice President

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P pacifism

pacifism /�p�sfz(ə)m/ noun the belief that war is wrong pacifist

pacifist /�p�sfst/ noun a person who believes that war is wrong � ad- jective believing that war is wrong pacify

pacify /�p�sfa/ verb 1. to make someone who is angry or upset feel happier � The announcement was clearly intended to pacify angry resi- dents. 2. to end war or fighting in a place and establish peaceful condi- tions pack

pack /p�k/ verb to fill a committee or other group with members who are sympathetic to your views � The left- wing group packed the general pur- poses committee with activists. packaging

packaging /�p�kd�ŋ/ noun a way of introducing someone or something to the public in order to create a fa- vourable impression pact

pact /p�kt/ noun an agreement be- tween two parties or countries � The countries in the region signed a non- aggression pact. � The two minority parties made an electoral pact not to oppose each other in agreed constitu- encies. page

page /ped�/ verb to send an elec- tronic message to someone on a pager � noun in the US Congress, a High School student employed to support members and get work experience pager

pager /�ped�ə/ noun, noun a small electronic device for receiving mes- sages when a person cannot be con- tacted by phone, e.g. when they are in a meeting or in Parliament � received a pager message (NOTE: Pagers are a useful way of getting messages to people in the House of Commons

and House of Lords discreetly and without making a noise.) paid-up memberpaid-up member /�ped �p �membə/ noun a person who has paid to be a member of a political party or other organisation pairpair /peə/ noun an agreement be- tween two MPs from opposite sides of the House of Commons not to vote on a motion, so allowing one of them to be away from the House during a vote if necessary � She was not able to find a pair, so had to come back from Paris to attend the debate. � verb to arrange for two MPs from opposite sides of the House of Commons to agree that if one of them is away from the House in an emergency the other one will not vote � He was paired with John Smith. palacepalace /�p�ls/ noun 1. a large house, especially one where a ruler or leader lives or used to live 2. the royal family, especially the British royal family � a Palace spokesman Palace of WestminsterPalace of Westminster /�p�ləs əv �westmnstə/ noun the Houses of Parliament, together with the area round them

COMMENT: The Palace was the main home of the kings of England from the middle of the 11th century until 1512, by which time most governing and ju- dicial functions took place there. After private chapels were abolished in 1547, the Royal Chapel of St Stephen within the Palace of Westminster was handed over to the Commons as a meeting place, until 1834 when most of the Palace was burned down. The present Houses of Parliament were built during the next 30 years. The chamber of the House of Commons was destroyed in a German air attack in 1941 and rebuilt after the Second World War.

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173 Parliamentary Commissioner palace revolutionpalace revolution /�p�ls �revə | �lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a change of leader or ruler achieved by those who are al- ready part of the ruling group pamphletpamphlet /�p�mflət/ noun a small book, often about a political issue pan-pan- /p�n/ prefix covering all � pan- African, pan-American covering all Africa or all America Pan-AfricanPan-African /�p�n ��frkən/ ad- jective relating to all the nations of Af- rica pantisocracypantisocracy /�p�nts |�ɒkrəsi/ noun a community in which everyone shares power and is equal Papal NuncioPapal Nuncio /�pep(ə)l �n�nsiəυ/ noun an ambassador sent by the Pope to a country paperpaper /�pepə/ noun 1. a written re- port or proposal � The Treasurer asked his deputy to write a paper on new funding. � The planning department prepared a paper for the committee on the possible uses of the site. 2. a news- paper 3. an official document paper tigerpaper tiger /�pepə �ta�ə/ noun a person, organisation or country which appears to be strong and powerful but is in fact weak parastatalparastatal /p�rə |�stet(ə)l/ adjec- tive performing a function usually as- sociated with a government under in- direct government control � a par- astatal utility company ParisParis /�p�rs/ � Treaty of Paris parish councilparish council /�p�rʃ �kaυnsəl/ noun the smallest unit of local govern- ment, representing a group of at least 200 people in a village or small town parish meetingparish meeting /�p�rʃ �mi�tŋ/ noun a meeting which must be held once a year in a parish and which all electors in the parish may attend parish pump politicsparish pump politics /�p�rʃ p�mp �pɒltks/ noun local politics, concerning only minor local issues Parl.Parl. abbreviation 1. Parliament 2. parliamentary parliamentparliament /�pɑ�ləmənt/ noun 1. the elected group of representatives who form the legislative body which

makes the laws of a country � the Dáil or Irish parliament � Mother of Par- liaments the British Parliament at Westminster 2. Parliament in the UK, the body formed of the House of Commons and House of Lords. � Act of Parliament, Houses of Parlia- ment � to open Parliament to start a new session of Parliament � Te Queen opened the new Parliament yesterday. Parliament ActParliament Act /�pɑ�ləmənt �kt/ noun an Act passed in 1911 that pre- vented the House of Lords from hav- ing the power to veto the financial pro- posals of the Commons and from holding up other legislation for more than two years. It also made the maxi- mum length of a parliament five years. parliamentarianparliamentarian /�pɑ�ləmen| �teəriən/ noun 1. a member of one of the Houses of Parliament � A delega- tion of British parliamentarians was invited to visit Canada. 2. one of two officials of the US Congress who at- tend all debates and advise on proce- dure: the House Parliamentarian and the Parliamentarian of the Senate parliamentarianismparliamentarianism /�pɑ�ləmen| �teəriənz(ə)m/ noun government of a country by a parliament parliamentaryparliamentary /�pɑ�lə |�ment(ə)ri/ adjective referring to parliament parliamentary agentparliamentary agent /�pɑ�ləment(ə)ri �ed�(ə)nt/ noun an expert, usually a lawyer, who advises people who are not MPs on how to get a Bill through Parliament parliamentary calendarparliamentary calendar /�pɑ�lə| �ment(ə)ri �k�lndə/ noun a timeta- ble of events in Parliament, with dates for discussion of each Bill Parliamentary CommissionerParliamentary Commissioner /�pɑ�lə |�ment(ə)ri kə|�mʃ(ə)nə/, Par- liamentary Commissioner for Ad- ministration /�pɑ�ləment(ə)ri kə| �mʃ(ə)nə fər ədmn|�streʃ(ə)n/ noun the official who investigates complaints by the public against gov- ernment departments. Also called Ombusdman Parliamentary CommissionerParliamentary Commissioner for Standards /�pɑ�ləment(ə)ri kə |

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parliamentary counsel 174 �mʃ(ə)nə fə �st�ndədz/ noun an of- ficial whose job is to supervise the Register of Members’ Interests and to advise the Committee on Standards and Privileges about issues relating to the MPs’ code of conduct. Also called Ombudsman parliamentary counselparliamentary counsel /�pɑ�ləment(ə)ri �kaυnsəl/, parlia- mentary draftsman /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri �drɑ�ftsmən/ noun a law- yer who is responsible for drawing up parliamentary Bills. Also called par- liamentary draftsman parliamentary diaryparliamentary diary /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri �daəri/ noun the list of days of the week, showing what busi- ness is to take place in Parliament on each day parliamentary draftsmanparliamentary draftsman /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri �drɑ�ftsmən/ noun same as parliamentary counsel parliamentary etiquetteparliamentary etiquette /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri �etket/ noun the formal rules of behaviour in Parliament Parliamentary Labour PartyParliamentary Labour Party /�pɑ�lə|�ment(ə)ri �lebə �pɑ�ti/ noun the group formed of all Labour Party members elected to Parliament. Abbr PLP parliamentary partyparliamentary party /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri �pɑ�ti/ noun the members of a political party who are also Mem- bers of Parliament Parliamentary Private SecretaryParliamentary Private Secre- tary /�pɑ�lə |�ment(ə)ri �pravət �sekrətri/ noun the most junior rank of minister, acting as a general helper to a particular Cabinet minister. Abbr PPS Parliamentary privilegeParliamentary privilege /�pɑ�ləment(ə)ri �prvld�/ noun the right of a Member of Parliament or Member of the House of Lords to speak freely to the House without the possibility of being sued for slander Parliamentary SecretaryParliamentary Secretary /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri �sekrətri/, Parliamentary Under-Secretary /�pɑ�lə |�ment(ə)ri ��ndə �sekrətri/ noun a government member such as an MP or a member of the House of Lords who works in a

department headed by a Secretary of State or Minister of State (NOTE: To avoid confusion, they are called Par- liamentary Under-Secretaries in de- partments where the head of the de- partment is a Secretary of State.) Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury /�pɑ�lə |�ment(ə)ri �sekrətri tə ð �tre�əri/ noun in the House of Commons, the Government Chief Whip. � Captain of the Hon- ourable Corps of Gentleman-at- Arms parliamentary sketch

parliamentary sketch /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri sketʃ/ noun a short hu- morous article in a newspaper on events that have recently taken place in Parliament Parliamentary Under-Secretary

Parliamentary Under-Secre- tary /�pɑ�lə |�ment(ə)ri ��ndə �sekrətri/, Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State noun � Parlia- mentary Secretary parliamentary year

parliamentary year /�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri jə/ noun the year of a ses- sion of Parliament, running from the Opening of Parliament, usually in the autumn, until the recess usually in the following summer participation

participation /pɑ� |�ts|�peʃ(ə)n/ noun the way in which people become involved in the political process by voting, campaigning, joining political parties and generally playing an active part in politics (NOTE: The low turn- out in recent local and general elec- tions has led people to express con- cerns about the level of participation in British politics.) particularism

particularism /pə|�tkjυlərz(ə)m/ noun the policy of allowing political divisions within a country or federa- tion to be self-governing, without re- gard to what effect this may have on the larger body partisan

partisan /�pɑ�tz(ə)n, �pɑ�t|�z�n/ noun 1. a person who supports a poli- cy or political party strongly � She’s a partisan of the campaign for more women Members of Parliament. 2. an armed supporter of a political group

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175 pass which is fighting against the ruling government partisan alignment

partisan alignment /�pɑ�tz(ə)n ə | �lanmənt/ noun the long-term con- nection between a person and a partic- ular political party for which they reg- ularly vote (NOTE: Partisan alignment seems to be in decline in most mod- ern democracies.) partisan dealignment

partisan dealignment /�pɑ�tz(ə)n �diə |�lanmənt/ noun the way in which in recent years people have been less willing to vote regular- ly for a particular political party partition

partition /pɑ�|�tʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of dividing up a country party

party /�pɑ�ti/ noun a political group which joins together to gain represen- tation and political power and which is united by common goals and ideas � the party line the official policy of a political party, which must be fol- lowed by its members and supporters � to toe the party line to say what the party expects you to say or not to have a different view from the official party policy � He was expelled from the par- ty for refusing to toe the party line. party headquarters

party headquarters /�pɑ�ti hed | �kwɔ�təz/ noun the central office of a political party � The leader called a meeting of the national committee at the party headquarters. party leader

party leader /�pɑ�ti �li�də/ noun the head of a political party, who usually becomes head of government if the party wins power

COMMENT: Normally a party leader has a great deal of power when it come to making appointments and deciding policy. This power has increased in re- cent years as the influence of the par- ty conference has declined. Party leaders must still consult widely among their colleagues before they make important decisions. In the end, they have been appointed by the party membership and can be dismissed by them if they get out of touch with party opinion.

party line

party line /�pɑ�ti �lan/ noun the of- ficial policy of a political party or oth- er organisation

party list systemparty list system /�pɑ�t lst �sstəm/ noun an electoral system used for constituencies which have more than one representative, in which a voter votes for a list of candi- dates belonging to a particular party rather than for an individual candi- date. Seats are then given to each party according to their share of the vote in that constituency and to each candi- date according to the position they have been given by their party on the list. The next candidate on a party’s list fills any vacancy that occurs in mid-term. Also called list system (NOTE: This system has been used for British elections to the European Parliament since1999.)

COMMENT: Under the list system, each party draws up a list of candidates, and the electors vote for the party list, not for individual candidates. The par- liament is then formed of candidates from each party’s list in proportion to the total number of votes which the party has received. British elections to the European Parliament are conduct- ed under a party list system.

party manparty man /�pɑ�ti m�n/ noun a man who is a loyal member or supporter of a political party party personparty person /�pɑ�ti �p#�s(ə)n/ noun a loyal member or supporter of a political party party political broadcastparty political broadcast /�pɑ�ti pə|�ltk(ə)l �brɔ�dkɑ�st/ noun a short television or radio programme in which a political party talks about po- litical issues, especially during an election party politicsparty politics /�pɑ�ti �pɒltks/ noun the situation where decisions are made or actions taken in line with the policies of a particular party, rather than independently or in the general interest party womanparty woman /�pɑ�ti �wυmən/ noun a woman who is a loyal member or supporter of a political party passpass /pɑ�s/ noun a piece of paper al- lowing someone to go into a building or area � You need a pass to enter the Ministry offices. � All members of staff must show a pass. � verb 1. to vote to

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passable 176 make a law � Parliament passed the Bill which has now become law. � The Congress passed the bill over the pres- ident’s veto. 2. to approve something � The Director of Finance has to pass an invoice before it is paid. � The loan has been passed by the council. 3. to be successful in an exam or test passablepassable /�pɑ�səb(ə)l/ adjective re- ferring to proposed legislation that is likely to be passed or made law passagepassage /�p�sd�/ noun 1. the process of passing through a system � They tried to obstruct the Bill’s pas- sage through the House of Commons. 2. a piece of writing � The censor re- moved several passages from the newspaper report. passive resistancepassive resistance /�p�sv r| �zst(ə)ns/ noun resistance to authori- ty using peaceful methods such as demonstration or noncooperation rather than violence passportpassport /�pɑ�spɔ�t/ noun an offi- cial document with a photograph proving that you are a citizen of a country, which you usually have to show when you travel from one coun- try to another (NOTE: Passports now contain biometric data on the holder as a means of preventing identity fraud and can be checked electroni- cally.) patentpatent /�petənt, �p�tənt/ noun of- ficial permission to be the only person to have the right to produce something which you have invented � verb to re- ceive a patent patentedpatented /�petəntd, �p�təntd/ adjective protected by a patent patenteepatentee /�petən |�ti�/ noun a person who has received a patent Patent OfficePatent Office /�pet(ə)nt �ɒfs/ noun the government office which is- sues patents paternalismpaternalism /pə|�t#�n(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun a style of government or man- agement which limits individual choice and personal responsibility patrialpatrial /�petriəl/ noun 1. ((under the 1971 Immigration Act)) a person who has the right to live in the United

Kingdom because he or she was born before 1 January 1983 and has a par- ent who was born in the UK 2. ((be- fore the 1981 British Nationality Act)) a person who had the right to live in the United Kingdom because he or she was born, adopted, registered or natu- ralised in the United Kingdom patriarchalpatriarchal /�petri |�ɑ�k(ə)l/ adjec- tive referring to a patriarchy patriarchypatriarchy /�petriɑ�ki/ noun ruled or controlled by men patriatepatriate /�petriet/ verb to transfer control to the home country � The Ca- nadian constitution was formally pa- triated in 1982. patriotpatriot /�p�triət/ noun a person who proudly supports his or her country patrioticpatriotic /�p�tri |�ɒtk/ adjective re- ferring to patriotism � It is every citi- zen’s patriotic duty to learn the words of the National Anthem. patriotismpatriotism /�p�triətz(ə)m/ noun the feeling of great pride and support for your country. Compare chauvin- ism patronagepatronage /�p�trənd�/ noun the right to give government posts or hon- ours to people � The Prime Minister has considerable patronage. patronage secretarypatronage secretary /�p�trənd� �sekrət(ə)ri/ noun the official of the Prime Minister’s staff who deals with giving people honours and govern- ment jobs PAUPAU abbreviation Pan American Un- ion paxpax /p�ks/ noun a period of peace and stability under the influence of a particular powerful country or empire � pax Brittanica Paymaster-GeneralPaymaster-General /�pe |�mɑ�stə �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the government minister who heads the office that acts as paying agent for government de- partments PCPC /�pi� �si�/ abbreviation 1. personal computer 2. police constable 3. politi- cally correct 4. privy council PCPPCP /�pi� si� �pi�/ abbreviation Pro- gressive Conservative Party

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177 people PCSPCS abbreviation Public and Com- mercial Services Union PDPD abbreviation police department peacepeace /pi�s/ noun 1. the state of not being at war � After six years of civil war, the country is now at peace. � The peace treaty was signed yesterday. � Both sides claimed the other side broke the peace agreement. 2. the state of being quiet or calm

‘…there never was a good war or a bad peace’ [Benjamin Franklin]

Peace CorpsPeace Corps /�pi�s �kɔ�/ noun a US government organisation that trains volunteers to work in developing countries on educational and agricul- tural projects peaceful coexistencepeaceful coexistence /�pi�sf(ə)l �kəυ�|�zstəns/ noun a situation where countries may be in complete disagreement, but exist together with- out threatening war peace processpeace process /�pi�s �prəυses/ noun the gradual establishment of peace by a process of negotiation be- tween people who have been at war PeelPeel /pi�l/, Sir Robert (1788–1850) prime minister of Great Britain (1834–35 and 1841–46) and, s Home Secretary (1822–27 and 1828–30), the person who created the London police force, later known as ‘bobbies’ or ‘peelers’. He founded the modern Conservative Party and it won the 1841 election. peerpeer /pə/ noun 1. a member of the House of Lords (NOTE: A peer is dis- qualified from standing for election to the House of Commons, but can re- nounce the peerage in order to be able to stand for election as an MP.) 2. a person who is in the same group or rank as another � a teacher well re- spected by her peers peeragepeerage /�pərd�/ noun 1. all peers, taken as a group 2. the position of be- ing a peer � Three new peerages were created in the New Year’s Honours List. � He was elevated to the peerage in 1993. Peerages ActPeerages Act /�pərd�z �kt/ noun an Act passed in 1963 that al-

lowed hereditary peers to refuse their title for life. It also admitted female hereditary peers to the House of Lords and allowed the admittance of all Scottish Peers.

COMMENT: The Act was introduced be- cause Tony Benn, a Labour MP, want- ed to continue to be an MP after he in- herited the title of Viscount Stansgate. At the time this status automatically disqualified him from continuing to be an MP although he was entitled to be- come a Member of the House of Lords.

peeresspeeress /pər |�es/ noun a female member of the House of Lords penalpenal /�pi�n(ə)l/ adjective referring to punishment � penal code a set of laws governing crime and its punish- ment penal institutionpenal institution /�pi�n(ə)l �nsttju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a place where criminals are kept, e.g. a prison penalise

penalise /�pi�nəlaz/, penalize verb to punish someone for breaking a rule or law � The government penalised councils for overspending. � The con- tractors were penalised for late deliv- ery. penal system

penal system /�pi�n(ə)l �sstəm/ noun the system of punishments relat- ing to different crimes pendingpending /�pendŋ/ adverb while waiting for � Pending the council’s de- cision, rates should be paid in the usu- al way. � Pending advice from our lawyers, we sent a simple letter of ac- knowledgement. PentagonPentagon /�pentə�ən/ noun the building used by Department of De- fense in Washington (NOTE: The building has five sides, hence the name, which is also used to mean the Defense Department itself: Pen- tagon officials stated that the supply of arms was illegal; Sources close to the Pentagon refused to comment on the story.) peoplepeople /�pi�p(ə)l/ plural noun 1. hu- man beings seen as a group � young people � old people � Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the procession. � Most people voted for

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People’s Assembly 178 the new constitution. 2. all the mem- bers of a nation � the government of the people, by the people, for the peo- ple � The President promised to serve the people. (NOTE: The plural peo- ples means ‘members of several na- tions’: the peoples of southern Afri- ca.) � a man or woman of the people a leader or politician who understands what is important to ordinary people � noun someone’s business assistants and advisers � Ask your people to con- tact me next week. People’s AssemblyPeople’s Assembly /�pi�pəlz ə | �sembli/ noun the legislature in Egypt People’s BureauPeople’s Bureau /�pi�pəlz �bjυərəυ/ noun the embassy of the Libyan Republic People’s CouncilPeople’s Council /�pi�pəlz �kaυnsəl/ noun the legislature in Syria People’s PartyPeople’s Party /�pi�pəlz �pɑ�ti/ noun the name given to some political parties, e.g. in Austria people’s republicpeople’s republic /�pi�pəlz r| �p�blk/ noun a Socialist or Commu- nist republic perper /p#�, pə/ preposition 1. at a rate of 2. out of � The rate of imperfect items is about fifteen per hundred. � The birth rate has fallen to twenty per thousand. per capitaper capita /pə �k�ptə/ adjective, adverb for each person � average in- come per capita, per capita income the average income of one person per centper cent /pə �sent/ adjective, ad- verb out of each hundred or for each hundred � Eighty per cent (80%) of crimes are solved. (NOTE: It is usually written % after numbers.) perestroikaperestroika /�pere |�strɔkə/ noun a period of political and economic re- form that took place in the 1980s in the former Soviet Union periodperiod /�pəriəd/ noun a particular length of time � the post-war period periodicperiodic /�pəri|�ɒdk/, periodical /�pəri|�ɒdk(ə)l/ adjective happening regularly from time to time � the peri- odic rise of extreme right-wing groups Permanent SecretaryPermanent Secretary /�p#�mənənt �sekrətri/ noun a chief

civil servant in a government depart- ment or ministry (NOTE: The Canada term is Deputy Minister.)

COMMENT: Permanent Secretaries are appointed by the Prime Minister but are responsible to the Secretary of State in charge of the relevant depart- ment.

permitpermit /�p#�mt/ noun an official document which allows someone to do something � export permit, im- port permit an official document which allows goods to be exported or imported per procurationemper procurationem /�p#� prɒkjυr�ts |�əυnəm/ Latin phrase meaning ‘with the authority of.’ Abbr p.p. per seper se /�p#� �se/ Latin phrase meaning ‘on its own’ or ‘by itself’ � Fixing the rates is not per se a matter for the Housing Committee, though they may wish to offer an opinion. persecutepersecute /�p#�skju�t/ verb to treat someone cruelly or unfairly on politi- cal, religious or racial grounds persecutionpersecution /�p#�s |�kju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun cruel or unfair treatment of someone on political, religious or ra- cial grounds personperson /�p#�s(ə)n/ noun a human being personapersona /p#�|�səυnə/ Latin word meaning person � persona grata a person who is acceptable to a govern- ment, used especially of foreign diplo- mats � persona non grata a person who is not acceptable to a govern- ment, used especially of foreign diplo- mats � The Military Attaché was de- clared persona non grata and asked to leave the country. personal allowancespersonal allowances /�p#�s(ə)n(ə)l ə|�laυənsz/ plural noun the part of a person’s income which is not taxed � allowances against tax or tax allowances Personal BillPersonal Bill /�p#�s(ə)nəl bl/ noun a private bill introduced into Parlia- ment which refers to a single person and is the only way in which the per- son concerned can get justice, usually in matters of property

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179 placeman personal incomepersonal income /�p#�s(ə)n(ə)l �nk�m/ noun the income received by an individual person before tax is paid personality cultpersonality cult /�p#�sə |�n�lti k�lt/ noun intense popular feeling built around the character of a politi- cian, usually a dictator personal statementpersonal statement /�p#�s(ə)n(ə)l �stetmənt/ noun a statement made by an MP after Question Time, when he or she apologises to the House for something. Also called personal ex- planation persuadablepersuadable /pə |�swedəb(ə)l/ noun a voter who is regarded as being willing to vote for a candidate if the right arguments are given persuadepersuade /pə |�swed/ verb to get people to do or believe what you want by using clever arguments � After hours of discussion, they persuaded the proposer of the motion to accept the amendment. � We could not per- suade the French negotiating team to sign the agreement. persuasivepersuasive /pə|�swesv/ adjective able to get people to do or believe what you want by using clever argu- ments � He made a very persuasive speech against restoring the death penalty. pertainpertain /pə|�ten/ verb to apply or ex- ist in a particular situation petitionpetition /pə|�tʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a writ- ten request signed by the people sup- porting it, asking those with power to do something � They presented a peti- tion with a million signatures to Par- liament, asking for the law to be re- pealed. � The councillor presented two petitions which were referred to the appropriate committees. 2. a writ- ten request made to a court � verb to make an official request � He peti- tioned the government for a special pension. � The marriage had broken down and the wife petitioned for di- vorce.

COMMENT: Petitions to the House of Commons are written by hand, and have a set form of words. After a peti- tion is presented in the House of Com- mons at the beginning of the day’s

business, it is said to ‘lie upon the ta- ble’ and is placed in a bag behind the Speaker’s Chair.

petitionerpetitioner /pə|�tʃ(ə)nə/ noun a per- son who puts forward a petition petty bourgeoispetty bourgeois /�peti �bυə�wɑ�/ adjective referring to the lower middle class petty bourgeoisiepetty bourgeoisie /�peti bυə�wɑ | �zi�/ noun the lower middle class of small shopkeepers and minor civil servants (NOTE: The word bourgeois is used in radical or communist cir- cles to refer to anyone who is a cap- italist, or even to anyone who is not a communist.) PFIPFI noun a government scheme to en- courage private companies to fund public capital projects such as the building of hospitals and schools. Full form Private Finance Initiative photo opportunityphoto opportunity /�fəυtəυ �ɒpə| �tju�nəti/ noun a planned opportunity for the media to photograph a politi- cian or other public figure doing something, especially to produce fa- vourable publicity pinkpink /pŋk/ adjective relating to po- litical views that are slightly left-wing PittPitt /pt/, William, 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–78) As secretary of state (1756–61), he was the most pow- erful politician in Great Britain and ef- fectively prime minister. He headed a new government from 1766 to 1768. PittPitt, William (1759–1806) Great Britain’s youngest prime minister, at the age of 24. Great Britain’s youngest prime minister, at the age of 24 (1783– 1801), and returning for a second term (1804–06), during which period the Act of Union (1800(1783–1801)) in- corporated Ireland into the United Kingdom. placeplace /ples/ noun � the other place or another place (in the House of Commons) the House of Lords placemanplaceman /�plesmən/ noun some- one who receives a public office as a reward for services to a political party and uses it for personal greed or ambi- tion

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Plaid Cymru 180 Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru /�plad �kυmri/ noun the political party which supports in- dependence for Wales (NOTE: The name means ’Party of Wales’ in the Welsh language) plankplank /pl�ŋk/ noun a main item of policy, or an important aspect of something � A proposal to raise taxes is the central plank of the party’s plat- form. plannedplanned /pl�nd/ adjective done ac- cording to a plan planned economyplanned economy /�pl�nd  | �kɒnəmi/ noun a system where the government plans all business activity plannerplanner /�pl�nə/ noun a person who makes plans planningplanning /�pl�nŋ/ noun 1. the ac- tivity of organising how something should be done 2. the activity of or- ganising how land and buildings are to be used planning authorityplanning authority /�pl�nŋ ɔ�| �θɒrəti/ noun the section of local gov- ernment which gives permission for changes to be made to existing build- ings or for new use of land planning departmentplanning department /�pl�nŋ d| �pɑ�tmənt/ noun the section of a local government office which deals with requests for planning permission planning inquiryplanning inquiry /�pl�nŋ n | �kwari/ noun a hearing before a gov- ernment inspector relating to a deci- sion of a local authority in planning matters planning permissionplanning permission /�pl�nŋ pə | �mʃ(ə)n/ noun the official document allowing someone to build new struc- tures on empty land or to alter existing buildings platform

platform /�pl�tfɔ�m/ noun a set of policy proposals put forward by a can- didate in an election PlatoPlato /�pletəυ/ noun an Ancient Greek philosopher (c. 428–347 BC) whose ‘Republic’ is considered the greatest work of political philosophy (NOTE: Plato argued that the best form of government would be one where philosophers were rulers and

where everyone learnt to accept their position in life.) pleasurepleasure /�ple�ə/ � Her Majesty’s pleasure plebisciteplebiscite /�plebsat/ noun a type of vote to decide an important issue, involving the eligible population of a town, region or country � The prov- ince decided by plebiscite to lower the voting age to eighteen.

COMMENT: There is no agreement on the difference between a referendum and a plebiscite, and the words seem to be largely interchangeable. Refer- endum is the more modern term, and the word plebiscite carries bad over- tones of its use in the days of Fas- cism.

pledgepledge /pled�/ noun a promise � The voters were impressed by the opposi- tion’s pledge to reduce taxes. � to ful- fil an election pledge to do what was promised before an election � verb to promise to do something � The gov- ernment has pledged not to raise tax- es. � He pledged his support to the party leader. plenary sessionplenary session /�pli�nəri �seʃ(ə)n/ noun a meeting of all the members of a group � The European Parliament met in plenary session. plenipotentiaryplenipotentiary /�plenpə |�tenʃəri/ noun a person given full power to act on behalf of a government in discus- sions with another country � The trea- ty was signed by plenipotentiaries on behalf of the three governments. plenumplenum /�pli�nəm/ noun a meeting at which all members of a group are present PLOPLO abbreviation Palestine Libera- tion Organization PLPPLP abbreviation Parliamentary La- bour Party pluralismpluralism /�plυərəlz(ə)m/ noun a social system which has different po- litical, ethnic or religious groups co- existing within it pluralist statepluralist state /�plυərəlst �stet/ noun a state which has different polit- ical, ethnic or religious groups co-ex- isting within it and exerting influence over the government

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181 police plurality

plurality /plυə |�r�lti/ noun 1. the number of votes which a candidate re- ceives more than those for another candidate � The candidate with a sim- ple plurality wins the seat. 2. having more votes than another candidate (NOTE: [all senses] Plurality is more commonly used in US English.) plural voting

plural voting /�plυərəl �vəυtŋ/ noun formerly, a system of voting that allowed some people to vote more than once in an election or to vote in different constituencies plutocracy

plutocracy /plu� |�tɒkrəsi/ noun a system of rule by rich people plutocrat

plutocrat /�plu�təkr�t/ noun a per- son who is a member of a plutocracy PM

PM abbreviation Prime Minister pocket

pocket /�pɒkt/ verb ((of a US pres- ident)) to retain a bill without signing it in order to stop it becoming ap- proved by Congress pocket borough

pocket borough /�pɒkt �b�rə/ noun in Great Britain before the Re- form Act of 1832, a political constitu- ency whose representative in Parlia- ment was chosen by one landowner or landowning family pocket veto

pocket veto /�pɒkt �vi�təυ/ noun US the refusal by the President of the USA to sign a bill passed by Congress, which the President may use if the bill is given to him within ten days of the time when Congress adjourns and which Congress cannot override

COMMENT: The President’s ‘ordinary’ veto gives the power to refuse to sign a bill into law. He must return his rea- sons for the veto within ten days. If Congress does not give him sufficient time to do this, that is if Congress gives him the bill less than ten days before the end of a session, the Pres- ident can simply ignore the bill. This is called the pocket veto. While the ‘ordi- nary’ veto can be overturned by a two- thirds majority in both houses, the pocket veto cannot be overturned at all by Congress.

pogrom

pogrom /�pɒ�rəm/ noun a planned campaign of persecution or extermi- nation of an ethnic group supported by a government (NOTE: The term was

first used of the campaigns against the Jews in tsarist Russia.) point

point /pɔnt/ noun a question or statement relating to a matter � in an- swer to the points raised by the Oppo- sition spokesman � There are two points to be considered. � The Chief Executive made the point that the day in question was a Sunday. � to take someone’s point to agree that the point made by another speaker is cor- rect � I take your point but it has no bearing on the issue. � point taken, I take your point I agree that what you say is valid point of fact

point of fact /�pɔnt əv �f�kt/ noun a question which has to be decided re- garding the facts of a case � in point of fact really or actually point of orderpoint of order /�pɔnt əv �ɔ�də/ noun a question by one of the people taking part in a formal debate or meet- ing that relates to the way in which a meeting is conducted, in particular whether rules are being properly ob- served � he raised an interesting point of order � on a point of order, Mr Smith asked the chairman to give a ruling on whether the committee could approve its own accounts

COMMENT: To raise a point of order, someone may say: ‘On a point of or- der, Mr. Chairman’, and the Chairman should stop the discussion to hear what the person raising the point wish- es to say.

polemicpolemic /pə|�lemk/ noun a strong, often controversial argument against or, less often, in favour of something polemicspolemics /pə |�lemks/ noun the practice of arguing strongly for or against something policepolice /pə|�li�s/ noun the official group of people who keep law and or- der in a country � The police have cor- doned off the town centre. � verb 1. to keep law and order in a place � The President used the National Guard to police the capital. 2. to make sure that regulations or guidelines are carried out � The department is carefully po- licing the way the guidelines are being followed.

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police authority 182 COMMENT: Under English law, the po- lice are organised by area, each area functioning independently with its own police force. London, and the area round London, is policed by the Metro- politan Police Force under the direct supervision of the Home Secretary. Outside London, each police force is answerable to a local police authority, although day-to-day control of opera- tions is vested entirely in the Chief Constable.

police authority

police authority /pə |�li�s ɔ�|�θɒrti/ noun the local committee which su- pervises the police force of an area Police Commissioner

Police Commissioner /pə |�li�s kə | �mʃ(ə)nə/ noun the highest rank in a police force Police Complaints Board

Police Complaints Board /pə | �li�s kəm |�plents �bɔ�d/ noun a group which investigates complaints made by members of the public against the police police constable

police constable /pə |�li�s �k�nstəb(ə)l/ noun in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, a police officer of the lowest rank. Abbr PC police force

police force /pə|�li�s fɔ�s/ noun a group of policemen organised in an area � The members of several local police forces have collaborated in the hunt for the terrorists. � The London police force is looking for more re- cruits. police headquarters

police headquarters /pə |�li�s hed | �kwɔ�təz/ noun the main offices of a police force police inspector

police inspector /pə |�li�s n | �spektə/ noun the rank in the police force above sergeant and below chief inspector policeman

policeman /pə|�li�smən/ noun a man who is a member of a police force police officer

police officer /pə|�li�s �ɒfsə/ noun a member of a police force

COMMENT: Under English law, a police officer is primarily an ordinary citizen who has certain powers under com- mon law and by statute.

police precinct

police precinct /pə |�li�s �pri�sŋ(k)t/ noun US a section of a town with its own police station

police protectionpolice protection /pə|�li�s prə | �tekʃən/ noun the services of the po- lice to protect someone who might be harmed police sergeantpolice sergeant /pə|�li�s �sɑ�d�ənt/ noun the rank in the police force above constable and below inspector police statepolice state /pə |�li�s stet/ noun a country or system in which the gov- ernment uses the police or army to control the people � After the coup, the generals were accused of operating a police state. police stationpolice station /pə |�li�s �steʃ(ə)n/ noun the local office of a police force policewomanpolicewoman /pə|�li�swυmən/ noun a woman member of a police force policingpolicing /pə|�li�sŋ/ noun the activity of keeping law and order in a place, using the police force � The council is debating the Chief Constable’s polic- ing methods. policypolicy /�pɒlsi/ noun a detailed plan of how something will be done � gov- ernment policy on wages or govern- ment wages policy � the government’s prices policy � the country’s economic policy � Our policy is to submit all contracts to the legal department. � It is not the policy of the council to give grants for more than three years. � the government made a policy state- ment or made a statement of policy the government declared in public what its plans were policy committeepolicy committee /�pɒlsi kə|�mti/ noun a small group which discusses plans for the way in which something will be done policy communitypolicy community /�pɒlsi kə | �mju�nti/, policy network noun the close relationship between govern- ment departments, pressure groups, local authorities, academics, think tanks and a wide variety of influences involved in developing policy PolitburoPolitburo /�pɒltbjυərəυ/ noun the Central Committee of a Communist Party (NOTE: In North Korea the Polit- buro is the governing group in the country.)

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183 polity politicpolitic � body politic politicalpolitical /pə |�ltk(ə)l/ adjective re- lating to the state, government, politi- cal parties or elections � They are hop- ing for a political rather than a mili- tary solution to the crisis. political correctnesspolitical correctness /pə |�ltk(ə)l kə |�rektnəs/ noun the attempt to speak, write or act in a way that will avoid giving offence to groups such as people with disabilities, ethnic groups or women, who have often been re- ferred to or treated in inappropriate ways in the past (disapproving) Abbr PC. � inclusive political crimepolitical crime /pə |�ltk(ə)l �kram/ noun a crime committed for a political reason, e.g. assassination political economypolitical economy /pə |�ltk(ə)l  | �kɒnəmi/ noun the study of ways in which economics and government policies affect each other political editorpolitical editor /pə|�ltk(ə)l �edtə/ noun the chief journalist on a newspa- per, or television or radio station who deals with political stories political fundpolitical fund /pə |�ltk(ə)l f�nd/ noun the money which a trade union collects from its members to give to a political party political levypolitical levy /pə|�ltk(ə)l �levi/ noun the part of the subscription of a member of a trade union which the un- ion then pays to support a political party political lifepolitical life /pə |�ltk(ə)l laf/ noun activities and work associated with es- pecially national or international poli- tics

‘Never lose your temper with the press or the public is a major rule of political life’ [Christabel Pankhurst]

politically correctpolitically correct /pə|�ltkli kə | �rekt/ adjective avoiding giving of- fence to groups such as people with disabilities, ethnic groups or women. Abbr PC political officerpolitical officer /pə |�ltk(ə)l �ɒfsə/ noun a diplomat in a colony who is concerned mainly with the re- lations between his government at home and the administration in the

colony or with the governments of the countries near the colony political party

political party /pə|�ltk(ə)l �pɑ�ti/ noun a group of people who try to achieve political power and who are united by common beliefs about how the country should be run political prisoner

political prisoner /pə|�ltk(ə)l �prz(ə)nə/ noun a person kept in pris- on because he or she is an opponent of the political party in power. Also called prisoner of state political refugee

political refugee /pə|�ltk(ə)l �refjυ|�d�i�/ noun a person who leaves a country because he or she is afraid of persecution for their political beliefs politician

politician /�pɒl |�tʃ(ə)n/ noun a per- son involved in politics, especially na- tional or international politics � a full- time politician a person whose job is in politics, as an elected representative

‘…the most successful politician is he who says what everybody is thinking most often and in the loudest voice’ [Theodore Roosevelt]

politicise

politicise /pə|�lemk/ verb 1. to in- troduce political opinions into the dis- cussion of an issue of general public interest 2. to make someone more aware of or active in politics politicking

politicking /�pɒltkŋ/ noun politi- cal campaigning or speech-making, especially when regarded as insincere or to someone’s own advantage politico

politico /pə |�ltkeəυ/ noun a politi- cian, especially one regarded as inef- fective, insincere or self-serving (informal) politico-

politico- /pəltkeəυ/ prefix political and � politico-economic reasons for debt politics

politics /�pɒltks/ noun the theory and practice of governing a country � local politics or national politics the practice of governing a local area, or of governing a country

‘…politics is the art of the possible’ [R.A. Butler]

polity

polity /�pɒlti/ noun a particular form of government that exists within a state or an institution

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poll 184 pollpoll /pəυl/ noun 1. the process of a political election. � exit poll, opinion poll, straw poll � to go to the polls to vote to choose a Member of Parlia- ment or a local councillor � the polls opened an hour ago the voting start- ed officially an hour ago � the polls close at 10 o’clock the voting ends at 10 o’clock 2. the number of votes cast in an election � a low poll � verb 1. to receive a particular number or per- centage of votes in an election � He polled only 123 votes in the general election. � The centre parties polled 15% of the votes. 2. to ask a represent- ative number of people their opinion and to hope to discover as a result what the whole population thinks. � opinion poll polling boothpolling booth /�pəυlŋ bu�ð/ noun a small enclosed space in a polling sta- tion, where the voter goes to mark his or her ballot paper in private. Also called voting booth polling day

polling day /�pəυlŋ de/ noun the day of an election polling stationpolling station /�pəυlŋ �steʃ(ə)n/ noun a central public place such as a library or school where people of the surrounding area go to vote pollsterpollster /�pəυlstə/ noun an expert in designing, holding and understanding opinion polls poll taxpoll tax /�pəυl t�ks/ noun 1. a tax paid at the same rate by each adult member of the population. Also called community charge 2. same as com- munity charge

COMMENT: Nicknamed the poll tax af- ter the hated 14th-century Poll Tax, which had been a major cause of the Peasants’ Revolt, the community charge was first introduced in Scot- land and later in England and Wales as a replacement for the former sys- tem of ‘rates’, a tax on the size of owned property. It was so unpopular that in 1990 there were violent pro- tests and demonstrations against it, a large non-payment campaign, and large anti-government votes in local elections and by-elections. It had a big influence in Margaret Thatcher losing the leadership of the Conservative party and was later abolished.

polyarchy

polyarchy /�pɒliɑ�ki/ noun rule by many people populace

populace /�pɒpjυləs/ noun the ordi- nary people in an area or country � The government has hidden its plans from the populace. popular

popular /�pɒpjυlə/ adjective 1. liked by many people � This is our most popular model. 2. referring to people in general � a popular miscon- ception about local government � The policy has wide popular appeal. 3. suitable for most people who have no special or technical knowledge � a popular account of the cloning issue Popular Front

Popular Front /�pɒpjυlə fr�nt/ noun 1. a group of Socialist and Com- munist parties, formed in 1935 to fight fascism 2. a left-wing organisation formed to fight a ruling government or colonial power Popular Party

Popular Party /�pɒpjυlə �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party which claims to represent a large number of ordinary people popular sovereignty

popular sovereignty /�pɒpjυlə �sɒvrnti/ noun in the United States, the doctrine that a government is sub- ject to the will of the people popular vote

popular vote /�pɒpjυlə �vəυt/ noun a vote of the majority of the people in a country � the president is elected by popular vote the president is elect- ed by a majority of all the voters in the country, as opposed to being elected by parliament

COMMENT: The President of the USA is elected by an electoral college, not by popular vote.

populated

populated /�pɒpjυletd/ adjective where people live � a heavily populat- ed area or a densely populated area population

population /�pɒpjυ|�leʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. all the people who live in a place � Less than half the population bothered to vote in the last election. 2. the number of people living in a place � a city with a population of two million or with a 2 million population � The population of Britain has fallen over the last few years.

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185 power broker populismpopulism /�pɒltkz(ə)m/ noun pol- itics that considers the interests of or- dinary people, as opposed to those of a privileged elite populistpopulist /�pɒpjυlst/ adjective de- signed to appeal to what most people are thought to want � populist policies � noun a politician who appeals to people by playing on their emotions and fears populouspopulous /�pɒpjυləs/ adjective where many people live � The most populous area of the country is round the capital. porkpork /pɔ�k/ noun government money and jobs awarded by politicians to their supporters or constituents to win their favour, especially when the strat- egy has failed portcullisportcullis /pɔ�t |�k�ls/ noun the em- blem of both UK Houses of Parlia- ment, in the form of a portcullis with a crown above it (NOTE: A portcullis is a heavy iron grid that was raised and lowered to protect the gateway of a castle.) portfolioportfolio /pɔ�t |�fəυliəυ/ noun the particular job of a government minis- ter � He was offered the Defence port- folio. position paperposition paper /pə|�zʃ(ə)n �pepə/ noun a detailed report on a subject giving the official opinion and recom- mendations of a government or organ- isation positive discriminationpositive discrimination /�pɒztv dskrm |�neʃ(ə)n/ noun the policy of giving more favourable treatment to members of groups who have often suffered from unfair treat- ment � The council’s policy of positive discrimination has ensured that more women are appointed to senior posts. positive vettingpositive vetting /�pɒztv �vetŋ/ noun the close investigation of a per- son who applies for a civil service job working with secret information possessionpossession /pə|�zeʃ(ə)n/ noun the situation of having something � how did the information come into his possession, how did he get posses- sion of the information? how did he

acquire the information? � the Com- mittee was not in full possession of the facts the Committee did not know everything about the matter � an MP in possession of the House an MP who is speaking to the House of Com- mons, and so cannot be interrupted or stopped postal ballot

postal ballot /�pəυst(ə)l �b�lət/ noun an election where the voters send their voting papers by post postal vote

postal vote /�pəυst(ə)l vəυt/ noun a vote made by sending in a voting pa- per by post postbag

postbag /�pəυstb��/ noun the let- ters received by a well-known person, MP, newspaper, or TV or radio pro- gramme � The postbag was full of complaints about the proposals for the new airport. (NOTE: The US term is mailbag.) posteriori

posteriori � a posteriori POTUS

POTUS /�pɒtəs/ noun full form President of the United States (used in memos and internal docu- ments by White House staff) power

power /�paυə/ noun 1. the strength or ability to do something 2. the au- thority or legal right to do things or to make people do things � the powers of a local authority in relation to chil- dren in care � the powers and duties conferred on the tribunal by the statu- tory code � The treasurer has no pow- er to vary the order. � The President was granted wide powers under the new constitution. 3. a powerful coun- try or state � one of the important mil- itary powers in the region

‘Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’ [Lord Acton]

power base

power base /�paυə bes/ noun a group of voters or supporters provid- ing the core of someone’s political power or influence � he has built up a power base in the unions power bloc

power bloc /�paυə blɒk/ noun a group of countries linked together as a powerful group power broker

power broker /�paυə �brəυkə/ noun a person or country that is able

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powerful 186 to use their influence to affect the pol- icies and decisions of others powerfulpowerful /�paυəf(ə)l/ adjective hav- ing the power to influence or control what people do or think � a powerful argument against military interven- tion in the area � The party has a pow- erful publicity department. powerlesspowerless /�paυələs/ adjective having no power � The government was powerless in the face of the cam- paign. power playpower play /�paυə ple/ noun the use of influence or threats to achieve something power politicspower politics /�paυə �pɒltks/ noun the threat to use economic or military force by one powerful coun- try to try to get other countries to do what it wants p.p.p.p. on behalf of, or with the authori- ty of (used before a signature when signing a letter for someone else) Full form per procurationem PPPPPP /�pi� pi� �pi�/ abbreviation public private partnership PPSPPS abbreviation Parliamentary Pri- vate Secretary PRPR abbreviation 1. proportional rep- resentation 2. public relations PraesidiumPraesidium, Presidium noun the main committee of a governing Com- munist Party pragmatic sanctionpragmatic sanction /pr�� |�m�tk �s�ŋkʃən/ noun a decree issued by a sovereign that has the force of law praypray /pre/ verb to ask someone to do something � Members pray that ac- tion may be taken. prayerprayer /preə/ noun 1. a request to the House of Commons to do something or not to do something 2. a motion in the House of Commons asking the Crown to annul a statutory instrument 3. a request to God prayersprayers /preəz/ plural noun an ad- dress to God, which begins each sit- ting of the Houses of Parliament preamblepreamble /pri|��mb(ə)l/ noun the first words in an official document such as a Bill before Parliament or

contract, introducing the document and setting out the main points in it precautionsprecautions /pr |�kɔ�ʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun steps taken to prevent something unpleasant � The company did not take proper fire precautions. � Staff must take precautions against theft. precedenceprecedence /�presd(ə)ns/ noun the right to be first, because of being the most important precedentprecedent /�presd(ə)nt/ noun something such as a judgment which has happened earlier, and which can show what should be done in the present case preceptprecept /�pri�sept/ noun an order asking for rates to be paid � the Met- ropolitan Police precept part of the council tax paid in London which pays for the Metropolitan Police Force precinctprecinct /�pri�sŋkt/ noun 1. an open area in a town around which there are shops or other buildings 2. US an administrative district in a town (NOTE: The UK equivalent is ward.) precludepreclude /pr |�klu�d/ verb to forbid or to prevent � The High Court is pre- cluded by statute from reviewing such a decision. � This agreement does not preclude a further agreement between the parties in the future. predecessorpredecessor /�pri�dsesə/ noun a person who has held a job before the present person � He had to accept the treaty which his predecessor had signed. pre-emptpre-empt /�pri� �empt/ verb to act before someone else can act � The President pre-empted the call for more democracy by suddenly announcing a general election. pre-emptionpre-emption /�pri� �empʃən/ noun the right of first refusal to buy some- thing before it is sold to someone else preferencepreference /�pref(ə)rəns/ noun something which is liked or wanted more than other things � to have or show or express a preference for to like something better than something else � We have a clear preference for a diplomatic solution. � in order of preference arranged with your first

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187 prerogative order choice first and your last choice last � List the candidates in order of prefer- ence. � personal preference a feeling of liking or wanting something that is different for different people � The choice of car is not just a matter of personal preference – there are envi- ronmental consequences to take into account. preferential dutypreferential duty /�prefərenʃ(ə)l �dju�ti/, preferential tariff noun a special low rate of tax preferential treatmentpreferential treatment /�prefərenʃəl �tri�tmənt/ noun better treatment given to one person or group than to another without reasonable cause � No-one should get preferential treatment on the housing list just be- cause they are related to a councillor. preferential votingpreferential voting /�prefə|�renʃəl �vəυtŋ/ noun an electoral system used in some countries such as Aus- tralia, in which voters indicate their chosen candidates in order of prefer- ence prefermentpreferment /pr|�f#�mənt/ noun the process of giving someone an impor- tant job or a better job than they had before prejudgeprejudge /pri�|�d��d�/ verb to form an opinion about something or some- one without having all the information prejudiceprejudice /�pred�υds/ noun 1. an unreasonable opinion about someone based on false ideas about their reli- gion, race, gender or class 2. harm done to someone � verb to harm someone or something � The reports appeared to prejudice his chances of getting the appointment. prejudicedprejudiced /�pred�υdst/ adjective based on prejudice � The speakers were clearly prejudiced against for- eigners. pre-legislative scrutinypre-legislative scrutiny /�pri �led�slətv �skru�tni/ noun the process of allowing MPs who have special knowledge of the subject of a Bill to make comments at an early stage, in a departmental Select Com- mittee, before a bill is introduced into Parliament

preliminary

preliminary /pr |�lmn(ə)ri/ adjec- tive happening at an early stage in a process preliminary discussion

preliminary discussion /pr| �lmn(ə)ri d|�sk�ʃ(ə)n/, preliminary meeting noun a discussion or meet- ing which takes place before the main discussion or meeting starts preliminary ruling

preliminary ruling /pr|�lmn(ə)ri �ru�lŋ/ noun a decision made by a court before its final judgement � The preliminary ruling of the European Court of Justice was meticulously pre- pared and indicated that the case was going against the company. premier

premier /�premiə/ noun 1. the Prime Minister 2. (in a federal state) the chief minister of a state or province as opposed to the Prime Minister of the Federal government. This applies to the States of Australia, the Provinces of Canada and also in China. premiership

premiership /�premiəʃp/ noun the period when a Prime Minister governs � during the premiership of Harold Wilson (NOTE: In Canada and Aus- tralia, it is also used to refer to pro- vincial or state premiers.) premises

premises /�premsz/ noun a build- ing and the land it stands on � review- ing the local tax on business premises � licensed premises premium bonds

premium bonds /�pri�miəm bɒnds/ plural noun government bonds, part of a national savings scheme, which do not pay any interest but which give the owner the chance to win a weekly or monthly prize prerogative

prerogative /pr|�rɒ�ətv/ noun a special right which someone has to do something prerogative of mercy

prerogative of mercy /pr| �rɒ�ətv əv �m#�si/ noun a power used by the Home Secretary to reduce a sentence imposed by the courts on a criminal prerogative order

prerogative order /pr|�rɒ�ətv �ɔ�də/, prerogative writ noun a com- mand ordering a body to do its duty or not to do some act, or to hold an in- quiry into its own actions

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prerogative powers 188 prerogative powersprerogative powers /pr|�rɒ�ətv �paυəs/ plural noun the special pow- ers used by a government, acting in the name of the King or Queen, to do something such as declare war, nomi- nate ministers, without needing to ask Parliament to approve the decision presencepresence /�prez(ə)ns/ noun being present or being at a place when some- thing happens � The will was signed in the presence of two witnesses. presentpresent /�prez(ə)nt/ adjective 1. happening now � The present interna- tional situation means that police have been put on the alert. � What is the present address of the company? 2. being there when something hap- pens � Only four Opposition MPs were present when the vote was put. � verb 1. to give someone something � The mayor presented certificates to members of the public who had helped in the rescue operations. � She was presented with a watch on completing twenty-five years’ service with the council. 2. to bring, send or show a document � to present a petition to bring a petition before a meeting for discussion � Councillor Smith pre- sented a petition requesting improve- ments to the hospital bus service. presentationpresentation /�prez(ə)n |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the process or a ceremony of giving something to someone � They made him a presentation of a watch after twenty-five years’ service. � At a presentation ceremony in the White House, the President awarded the Medal of Honor to three people. 2. a talk, demonstration or exhibition to explain something � The developers made a presentation of the proposed new civic centre. � We have asked two PR firms to make presentations of ad- vertising campaigns aimed at tourists. preservation orderpreservation order /�prezə | �veʃ(ə)n �ɔ�də/ noun a court order which prevents a building from being knocked down or a tree from being cut down presidepreside /pr |�zad/ verb 1. to be chairman of a meeting � to preside over a meeting � The meeting was

held in the committee room, Mr Smith presiding. 2. to be in control when something happens � The generals presided over a period of economic decline. � The finance minister presid- ed over a run-down of the country’s gold reserves. presidency

presidency /�prezdənsi/ noun 1. the position of president � The presi- dency of the European Union passes from country to country every six months. 2. the period when a president is governing � during Kennedy’s pres- idency or during the Kennedy presi- dency president

president /�prezd(ə)nt/ noun 1. the head of a department, company or court � He was elected president of the sports club. � A.B. Smith has been ap- pointed president of the company. 2. the head of a republic � the President of the United States (NOTE: As a title of a head of state, President can be used with a surname: President Ford, President Wilson. In the United States, it is also often as a term of address with Mr in front: Mr Presi- dent.)

COMMENT: A president is the head of state of a republic. It may be a cere- monial title, with some executive pow- ers while the real power resides in the Prime Minister, as in India. In other states such as the USA, the President is both head of state and head of gov- ernment. The President of the USA is elected by an electoral college, and holds the executive power under the United States constitution. The legis- lative power lies with Congress, and the President cannot force Congress to enact legislation, but can veto legis- lation which has been passed by Con- gress.

president-elect

president-elect /�prezd(ə)nt  | �lekt/ noun an elected or appointed president who has not yet officially started work in that role presidential

presidential /�prez |�denʃəl/ adjec- tive referring to a president of a coun- try � the US presidential elections � Three presidential candidates have appeared on television. � The Nation- al Guard has surrounded the Presi- dential Palace. � presidential gov-

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189 pressure group ernment a type of government where the head of the executive is a president presidential-stylepresidential-style /�prez |�denʃəl �stal/ adjective working in a similar way to the United States presidency � presidential-style government a type of government similar to that of the United States, where the President is not a member of the elected legislature � presidential-style campaign an election campaign which concentrates on the person of the leader of the par- ty, and not on the party’s policies � The Prime Minister was accused of running a presidential-style govern- ment or a presidential-style election campaign. President of the Board of Trade

President of the Board of Trade /�prezdənt əv ðə �bɔ�d əv �tred/ noun a title sometimes given to the minister in charge of the British Department of Trade, equivalent to a Minister of Commerce President of the European Commission

President of the European Commission /�prezdənt əv ðə �jυərəpi�ən kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun the chief executive of the European Union and head of the European Commis- sion, elected for a five-year period President of the SenatePresident of the Senate /�prezdənt əv ðə �senət/ noun the person who chairs debates in the US Senate and has a casting vote, nomi- nally the Vice-President of the USA, but usually a deputy, except when a casting vote is likely to be used president pro temporepresident pro tempore /�prezd(ə)nt prəυ �tempəre/ noun a senator who takes the place of the Vice-President as chair of the Senate, or who appoints deputies to do so, when the Vice-President is not present presidium

presidium noun another spelling of Praesidium press

press /pres/ noun newspapers and magazines � in the press in or men- tioned by news publications � The Minister has been in the press a lot re- cently. � He has been strongly criti- cised in the press for the decision. � the local press newspapers which are sold in a small area of the country �

the national press newspapers which are sold in all parts of the country � verb to ask for something again and again � She pressed the Minister for a reply. � The Opposition pressed for a debate. press conferencepress conference /�pres �kɒnf(ə)rəns/ noun a meeting where reporters from the news media are giv- en news by politicians, the police or others, who answer the reporters’ questions Press CouncilPress Council /�pres �kaυns(ə)l/ noun a body which hears complaints from the public about newspapers and attempts to get newspapers to report the news in a responsible way press coveragepress coverage /�pres �k�v(ə)rd�/ noun reports about something by newspapers press gallerypress gallery /�pres ���ləri/ noun a part of the House of Commons, House of Lords or other council chamber, where journalists sit to re- port on debates pressingpressing /�presŋ/ adjective urgent � There is a mass of pressing business for the committee to consider. press releasepress release /�pres r |�li�s/ noun a report about something which is sent to newspapers, television and radio stations by people involved so that they can get publicity for it press secretarypress secretary /�pres �sekrət(ə)ri/ noun a person employed by an organisation to spread favoura- ble news stories about the organisation � The information was communicated by the President’s Press Secretary. pressurepressure /�preʃə/ noun a force or strong influence to make someone change his or her opinions or course of action � The army exerts strong polit- ical pressure on the President. � The Prime Minister gave in to pressure from the backbenchers. � The Whips applied pressure on the rebel MPs to vote with the government. pressure grouppressure group /�preʃə �ru�p/ noun a group of people with similar interests, who try to influence govern- ment policies

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pressure politics 190 pressure politicspressure politics /�preʃə �pɒltks/ noun the activity of at- tempting to change a government’s policies by political discussion and in- fluence previous questionprevious question /�pri�viəs �kwestʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. in the House of Commons, a motion to stop a question being debated, so that a vote cannot be held on it 2. in the House of Lords and US legislative bodies, a motion to put a question that will end a debate so that a vote on a bill can be taken im- mediately price controlsprice controls /�pras kən |�trəυlz/ noun legal measures to prevent prices rising too fast prima facieprima facie /�pramə �feʃi/ Latin phrase meaning ‘on the face of it or as things seem at first’ primaryprimary /�praməri/ adjective 1. in the first place � of primary impor- tance extremely important, the most important of all � The question is of primary importance to the security of the country. 2. the first of several stag- es � noun US a local election in which members of a political party choose candidates for an election (NOTE: In the USA, primaries are held in some states to choose a candidate for the presidency in advance of the nomi- nating conventions.)

COMMENT: In the USA, primaries are held in some states to choose a can- didate for the presidency in advance of the nominating conventions.

Prime MinisterPrime Minister /�pram �mnstə/ noun the head of a government � the Australian Prime Minister or the Prime Minister of Australia

COMMENT: The title Prime Minister is used in most countries to indicate the head of the government, except in countries, such as the USA, where the President is head of government as well as the head of state. The British Prime Minister is not the head of state, but the head of government. The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the party which has the majority of the seats in the House of Commons, and forms a cabinet of executive ministers who are either MPs or members of the House of Lords.

Prime MinisterialPrime Ministerial /pram �mn | �stəriəl/ adjective referring to a Prime Minister � Prime Ministerial government a form of government where a Prime Minister is the head of government Prime Minister’s QuestionsPrime Minister’s Questions /�pram �mnstəz �kwestʃənz/ noun the period, currently of 30 minutes on Wednesdays, when MPs ask questions the Prime Minister directly primus inter paresprimus inter pares /�praməs n | �t#� peəs/ Latin phrase meaning ‘first among equals’: used sometimes to re- fer to the office of Prime Minister, im- plying that all ministers are equal, and the Prime Minister is simply the most important of them (NOTE: There is a great deal of discussion over the question of whether the Prime Minis- ter is merely first among equals or whether in recent years the Prime Minister has become more like a president who dominates the Cabi- net.) princeprince /prns/ noun 1. a male mem- ber of a royal family, usually the son of a king or queen � one of the Saudi royal princes 2. the title of the ruler of a small country such as Cambodia or Monaco (NOTE: spelt with a capital letter when used as a title: Prince Charles; Prince Abdullah) prince consortprince consort /�prns �kɒnsɔ�t/ noun 1. Prince Consort the title giv- en to Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria (1837–1901) 2. the ti- tle given to the husband of a ruling queen � When Queen Victoria reigned as queen, her husband, Albert, was Prince Consort. princedomprincedom /�prnsdəm/ noun a small country ruled by a prince Prince of WalesPrince of Wales /�prns əv �welz/ noun the title of the eldest son of the king or queen of England princessprincess /prn|�ses/ noun a female member of a royal family, especially the daughter of a king or queen, or the wife of a prince Princess RoyalPrincess Royal /�prn |�ses �rɔəl/ noun the title given to the eldest

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191 private sector daughter of a king or queen (NOTE: spelt with a capital letter as a title: Princess Anne; the Princess of Wales) principal

principal /�prnsp(ə)l/ noun 1. a person who is responsible for some- thing, especially person who is in charge of a company or person who commits a crime 2. a person or com- pany which is represented by an agent � The agent has come to London to see her principals. 3. money invested or borrowed on which interest is paid � to repay principal and interest � adjec- tive most important � The principal shareholders asked for a meeting. � The country’s principal products are paper and wood. Compare principle principality

principality /�prns|�p�lti/ noun a country ruled by a prince � the Princi- pality of Monaco � co-principality (NOTE: The state of Andorra is in fact a co-principality, as it is governed by two princes; in Britain, ‘the Principal- ity’ is the name given to Wales.) principle

principle /�prnsp(ə)l/ noun a basic point or general rule prioritise

prioritise /pra|�ɒr |�taz/ verb 1. to put some things that need to be done first and do them before others 2. to put the things you have to do in an or- der of importance priority

priority /pra|�ɒrti/ noun something which is more important than other things � order of priority an order in which things are arranged, where the most important comes first � let us deal with the points on the agenda in order of priority � the government has got its priorities wrong the gov- ernment is giving importance to things that are not regarded as important priority area

priority area /pra |�ɒrti �eəriə/ noun a part of the country to which government must give extra money because of its needs prisoner of conscience

prisoner of conscience /�prz(ə)nə əv �kɒnʃəns/ noun a per- son who has been put in prison be- cause of his or her beliefs

prisoner of state

prisoner of state /�prz(ə)nə əv stet/ noun same as political prison- er prisoner of warprisoner of war /�prz(ə)nə əv �wɔ�/ noun a member of the armed forces captured by the enemy in time of war. Abbr POW prison visitor

prison visitor /�prz(ə)n �vztə/ noun a member of a board of visitors appointed by the Home Secretary to visit, inspect and report on conditions in prisons privateprivate /�pravət/ adjective 1. be- longing to a single person, not a com- pany or the state 2. not public, limited to a small group � The discussions be- tween the minister and his civil serv- ants must remain private if they are to be of any value Private BillPrivate Bill /�pravət bl/, Private Act noun a Bill or Act of Parliament relating to a particular person or insti- tution Private Calendar

Private Calendar /�pravət �k�lndə/ noun US the list of Private Bills to be discussed in the House of Representatives Private Finance Initiative

Private Finance Initiative /�pravət �fan�ns |�nʃətv/ noun full form of PFI private member

private member /�pravət �membə/ noun an ordinary backbench MP who is not a member of the Gov- ernment or on the Opposition front bench Private Member’s BillPrivate Member’s Bill /�pravət �membəz �bl/ noun a Bill which is drawn up and introduced to Parlia- ment by an ordinary Member of Par- liament, not by a government minister Private SecretaryPrivate Secretary /�pravət �sekrətri/ noun a civil servant at- tached personally to a Secretary of State or Prime Minister, who acts as the link between the minister and the department private sectorprivate sector /�pravət �sektə/ noun all companies and businesses which are owned by shareholders or individuals, not by the state. Compare public sector

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private sitting 192 private sittingprivate sitting /�pravət �stŋ/ noun an occasion when Parliament meets without any members of the public being present and without writ- ten records or recordings being made. Private sittings occur rarely. privatisationprivatisation /�pravəta |�zeʃ(ə)n/, privatization noun the action of pri- vatising a state-owned industry privatiseprivatise /�pravətaz/, privatize verb to sell a state-owned industry to private shareholders, usually to mem- bers of the public privilegeprivilege /�prvld�/ noun 1. a spe- cial advantage attached to a position or office � The office of Mayor carries privileges, such as the use of the may- oral car and driver. � One of the priv- ileges of the job is being able to use the company helicopter. 2. protection from the law given in some circum- stances to particular individuals like Members of Parliament in UK or the President in USA � breach of parlia- mentary privilege speaking in a de- famatory way about Parliament or about a Member of Parliament � Crown privilege right of the Crown or of the government not to have to produce documents in court 3. US or- der of priority � motion of the highest privilege a motion which will be dis- cussed first, before all other motions privilegedprivileged /�prvld�d/ adjective protected by privilege privileged communicationprivileged communication /�prvld�d kə |�mju�n |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun a letter which could be libellous but which is protected by privilege, e.g. a letter from a client to his lawyer privileged meetingprivileged meeting /�prvld�d �mi�tŋ/ noun a meeting where what is said will not be repeated to other peo- ple privileged questionsprivileged questions /�prvld�d �kwestʃ(ə)ns/ plural noun US the or- der of priority of motions to be dis- cussed Privy CouncilPrivy Council /�prvi �kaυnsəl/ noun a body of senior advisers who advise the Queen on some matters, mainly formed of members of the cab-

inet and former members of the cabi- net. It never meets as a group, but three Privy Councillors need to be present when the Queen signs Orders in Council. Privy Councillor

Privy Councillor /�prvi �kaυnsələ/ noun a member of the Privy Council Privy Purse

Privy Purse /�prvi p#�s/ noun 1. the official who manages the personal finances of the British monarch 2. the allowance from public funds given to the British monarch to cover personal expenses Privy Seal

Privy Seal /�prvi si�l/ noun 1. a seal that used to be attached to documents authorised by the British king or queen 2. same as Lord Privy Seal PROPRO abbreviation Public Record Of- fice pro-

pro- /prəυ/ prefix meaning in favour of � a pro-abortion lobby � the presi- dent is very pro-British � Public opin- ion is not pro-European. proactive

proactive /prəυ |��ktv/ adjective prepared to take the initiative in doing things, rather than reacting to events as they happen � The Leader of the Opposition said that the government minister should have been far more proactive in his approach to the prob- lem. procedural

procedural /prə |�si�d�ərəl/ adjec- tive referring to procedure � proce- dural problem, procedural question an issue or difficulty relating to cor- rect procedure � The debate lasted two hours because councillors argued over procedural problems. procedural motionprocedural motion /prə |�si�d�ərəl �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun a proposal to allow something to happen under the rules of procedure � The chairman moved a procedural motion so that the commit- tee could discuss the next business. procedure

procedure /prə|�si�d�ə/ noun the way in which something is usually done � to follow the proper procedure proceedings

proceedings /prə|�si�dŋz/ plural noun 1. using a court to settle a legal dispute 2. an event

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193 proletariat proceedsproceeds /�prəυsi�dz/ plural noun the money which results from selling something processprocess /prəυ |�ses/ noun a series of things which are done in order to achieve something � verb to deal offi- cially with a document or request processingprocessing /�prəυsesŋ/ noun 1. the sorting of information � process- ing of information or of figures 2. moving slowly in a procession proclamation

proclamation /�prɒklə |�meʃ(ə)n/ noun an official public statement � the proclamation of a state of emergency proconsulproconsul /�prəυkɒnsəl/ noun 1. a governor or administrator of a colony or other dependency 2. a senior ad- ministrator in a country under the con- trol of an invader’s armed forces, whose job is to restore essential serv- ices, establish a new government and restore normal life for the population as quickly as possible Procurator FiscalProcurator Fiscal /�prɒkjuretə �fsk(ə)l/ noun (in Scotland ) the law officer who decides whether a crimi- nal should be prosecuted prodemocracy

prodemocracy /�prəυd|�mɒkrəsi/ adjective supporting a democratic system of government profitprofit /�prɒft/ noun the money which results from a successful busi- ness profiteerprofiteer /�prɒf|�tə/ noun a person who makes too much profit, especially when goods are in short supply profiteeringprofiteering /�prɒf |�tərŋ/ noun making too much profit progovernmentprogovernment /prəυ | ���v(ə)nmənt/ adjective 1. support- ing a government currently in power 2. supporting a strong government in- fluence on society programmeprogramme /�prəυ�r�m/; US /�prəυ�r�m/ noun a plan of action, especially a party’s plan of political or legislative action (NOTE: The US spelling is program.) � the govern- ment’s legislative programme the bills which the government plans to put before the House

progress

progress noun /�prəυ�res/ move- ment forwards � motion to report progress a motion to adjourn a meet- ing of the House of Commons sitting as a committee until a later date, simi- lar to the motion for adjournment of the debate � verb /prəυ |��res/ to move forwards � The government is pro- gressing towards the completion of its legislative programme. progressive

progressive /prə|��resv/ adjective in favour of new, usually left-wing ideas Progressive

Progressive /prə |��resv/ adjective belonging to or associated with a pro- gressive political party � noun a mem- ber of a progressive political party Progressive Conservative Party

Progressive Conservative Par- ty /prəυ |��resv kən |�s#�vətv �pɑ�ti/ noun one of the main political parties in Canada Progressive Democrats

Progressive Democrats /prə| ��resv �deməkr�ts/ plural noun a political party in the Republic of Ire- land Progressive Party

Progressive Party /prəυ |��resv �pɑ�ti/ noun a South African national political party that merged with part of the United Party in 1977 to form the Progressive Federal Party progressive tax

progressive tax /prə|��resv t�ks/ noun a tax which becomes higher as someone’s salary increases, e.g. in- come tax progress report

progress report /�prəυ�res r| �pɔ�t/ noun a document which de- scribes what progress has been made proletarian

proletarian /�prəυlə |�teəriən/ adjec- tive referring to the working class � a proletarian movement for government reform � the proletarian revolution in Marxist theory, the stage when the proletariat overthrows a capitalist so- ciety proletariat

proletariat /�prəυlə |�teəriət/ noun the working class, especially manual and industrial workers and their fami- lies � the urban proletariat working people who live in towns � dictator- ship of the proletariat in Marxist the- ory, the period after a revolution when

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promote 194 the Communist Party takes control un- til a classless society develops promotepromote /prə|�məυt/ verb 1. to intro- duce a new Bill into Parliament 2. to give someone a more important job � He was promoted from deputy to sales manager. 3. to advertise 4. to encour- age something to grow � The United Nations hopes to promote better un- derstanding between countries with different systems of government. � The government’s campaign to promote increased prosperity in urban centres. promoterpromoter /prə|�məυtə/ noun a per- son who introduces a new Bill into Parliament propagandapropaganda /�prɒpə |���ndə/ noun (usually as criticism) statements which describe the policies or actions of a government in a way which per- suades people to believe they are true and correct � The people have grown used to not believing government propaganda. � The leader of the oppo- sition denounced the council’s adver- tising campaign as simple propagan- da. propaganda radiopropaganda radio /�prɒpə|���ndə �rediəυ/ noun radio broadcasts aimed at changing people’s political ideas propaganda warpropaganda war /�prɒpə|���ndə wɔ�/ noun a fight between two parties or governments, using radio or televi- sion or newspapers, to publicise their ideas and to try to persuade people to believe them propagandistpropagandist /�prɒpə|���ndst/ noun a person who issues propaganda proportionproportion /prə|�pɔ�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a part of a total � A proportion of the pretax profit is set aside for contingen- cies. � Only a small proportion of our sales comes from retail shops. proportional representationproportional representation /prə |�pɔ�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l �reprzen |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun a system of electing representa- tives where each political party is giv- en the number of places which is di- rectly related to the number of votes cast for the party. Abbr PR proposalproposal /prə |�pəυz(ə)l/ noun a sug- gestion, thing suggested � to make a

proposal or to put forward a proposal � to lay a proposal before the House to introduce a new Bill before Parlia- ment for discussion propose

propose /prə |�pəυz/ verb to suggest that something should be done � The Bill proposes that any party to the pro- ceedings may appeal. Compare sec- ond � to propose a motion to ask a meeting to vote for a motion and ex- plain the reasons for this proposerproposer /prə |�pəυzə/ noun a per- son who introduces a motion or sug- gests that something should be done � Each candidate needs a proposer and seconder. � Mr Smith is the proposer of the vote of thanks, but who is sec- onding him? Compare seconder proposition

proposition /�prɒpə |�zʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a proposal or suggestion that can be discussed or formally debated 2. a suggested law or change to a law that people can vote for or against (US) prorogation

prorogation /�prəυrə|��eʃ(ə)n/ noun the ending by the Queen of a session of Parliament prorogueprorogue /prə|�rəυ�/ verb ((of the Queen)) to end a session of Parlia- ment � Parliament was prorogued for the summer recess. proscribe

proscribe /prəυ |�skrab/ verb to ban or forbid � a proscribed political party a political party which has been banned Prospect

Prospect /�prɒspekt/ noun a trade union representing engineers and sci- entists. It was formed in 2001 by the merger of IPMS (The Institute of Pro- fessional, Managers and Specialists) and EMA (the Engineers and Manag- ers Association). prospective candidateprospective candidate /prə | �spektv �k�nddet/ noun a person who may be chosen as candidate for a constituency protected country

protected country /prə|�tektd �k�ntri/ noun an independent country which is defended by another, more powerful, country protective treaty

protective treaty /prə|�tektv �tri�ti/ noun an agreement by which

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195 provost one country agrees to defend another smaller country protectorprotector /prə |�tektə/ noun a person or country which defends others protectorateprotectorate /prə |�tekt(ə)rət/ noun 1. a country which is being protected or governed by another more powerful country � a British protectorate 2. � the Protectorate period from 1653 – 1658 when Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector pro temporepro tempore Latin phrase meaning for a time. � president pro tempore protestprotest noun /�prəυtest/ a statement or action to show that you do not ap- prove of something � to make a protest against high prices � in protest at showing that you do not approve of something � the staff occupied the of- fices in protest at the low pay offer � verb /prə|�test/ � to protest against something to say that you do not ap- prove of something � the retailers are protesting against the ban on import- ed goods protesterprotester /prə|�testə/ noun a person who protests � Protesters marched to Downing Street. protest marchprotest march /�prəυtest mɑ�tʃ/ noun a demonstration where protest- ers walk as a group through the streets protest strikeprotest strike /�prəυtest strak/ noun a refusal to work in protest at a particular grievance protocolprotocol /�prəυtəkɒl/ noun 1. a first version of what has been agreed in ne- gotiations between countries � The ne- gotiators signed the protocol of the treaty. 2. a list of things which have been agreed 3. the correct behaviour between ambassadors and the officials of different governments, or in any other formal proceedings provideprovide /prə|�vad/ verb 1. to give or supply something 2. to allow that something will happen provided thatprovided that /prə |�vadd ð�t/, providing /prə|�vadŋ/ conjunction on condition that � The committee will decide on the planning application next week provided (that) or providing the architect’s report is received in

time. (NOTE: In legal documents, the form provided always that is often used.) provinceprovince /�prɒvns/ noun 1. a large administrative division of a country � the ten provinces of Canada � The pre- mier of the Province of Alberta. 2. an area of a country away from the capi- tal city � in the provinces in the coun- try outside London 3. � the Province Northern Ireland provincialprovincial /prə |�vnʃəl/ adjective re- ferring to a province � a provincial governor � The company is based in the provincial capital. � noun a person from the country, not the capital provincial policeprovincial police /prə |�vnʃəl pə| �li�s/ noun a Canadian police force that operates within a province but not in urban areas, which have their own police forces provisionprovision /prə |�v�(ə)n/ noun 1. a legal condition � the provisions of a Bill conditions listed in a Bill before Parliament 2. money put aside in ac- counts in case it is needed in the future � The council has made a £2m provi- sion for bad debts. provisionalprovisional /prə|�v�(ə)n(ə)l/ ad- jective temporary, not final or perma- nent � provisional budget � They wrote to give their provisional accept- ance of the contract. ProvisionalProvisional /prə|�v�(ə)n(ə)l/ noun a member of an unofficial group in the Irish Republican Army provisionallyprovisionally /prə |�v�(ə)nəli/ ad- verb not finally � The contract has been accepted provisionally. � He was provisionally appointed director. provisoproviso /prə |�vazəυ/ noun a condi- tion in a contract � We are signing the contract with the proviso that the terms can be discussed again in six months’ time. (NOTE: The proviso usually begins with the phrase ‘pro- vided always that’.) provocateurprovocateur /prɒvɒkə |�t#�/ � agent provostprovost /�prɒvəst/ noun the leading elected official in a Scottish town, with a position similar to that of a mayor in England

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prowar 196 prowarprowar /prəυ |�wɔ�/ adjective sup- porting war in general, a specific war, or the policy of going to war in a spe- cific situation proxy

proxy /�prɒksi/ noun 1. a document which gives someone the power to act on behalf of someone else � to sign by proxy 2. a person who acts for some- one else, especially by voting as they instruct, e.g. at a meeting or in an elec- tion � to act as proxy for someone proxy voteproxy vote /�prɒksi vəυt/ noun a vote made by proxy PSPS /�pi� �es/ abbreviation 1. Perma- nent Secretary 2. private secretary PSBRPSBR abbreviation Public Sector Borrowing Requirement psephologistpsephologist noun a person who makes a study of elections and voting patterns psephologypsephology noun the study of elec- tions and voting patterns PSNIPSNI abbreviation Police Service of Northern Ireland PTAPTA abbreviation Passenger Trans- port Authority or Parent Teacher As- sociation PTCPTC abbreviation Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union publicpublic /�p�blk/ adjective 1. refer- ring to all the people in general 2. re- ferring to the government or the state 3. taking place in front of many peo- ple, as opposed to in private � a public appearance by a member of the Royal Family � the public opening of the new park � in public in a way that allows many people hear or see something � He never comments on these matters in public. � noun � the public, the general public the people in general � public administration 1. means by which government policy is carried out 2. people responsible for carrying out government policy Public Accounts CommitteePublic Accounts Committee /�p�blk ə |�kaυnts kə |�mti/ noun a se- lect committee of the House of Com- mons which examines the spending of each department, including such mat- ters as whether the department was en-

titled to spend the money in question, and whether the spending was a waste of money public affairspublic affairs /�p�blk ə |�feəz/ plu- ral noun political issues that affect people generally Public and Commercial Services Union

Public and Commercial Servic- es Union /�p�blk ən kə|�m#�ʃ(ə)l �s#�vsz �ju�njən/ noun a trade union representing employees of govern- ment departments and agencies, with over 250,000 members. It was formed in 1998 with the merger of the PCS (Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union) and the IRSF (Inland Revenue Staff Federation). Abbr PCS Public Bill

Public Bill /�p�blk �bl/ noun a Bill referring to a matter applying to the public in general which is introduced in Parliament by a government minis- ter public corporation

public corporation /�p�blk �kɔ�pə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun in the United Kingdom, an organisation set up by the government to run a state-owned enterprise such as the BBC, and whose chairman and governors are ap- pointed by a government minister public domain

public domain /�p�blk dəυ |�men/ noun in the public domain referring to information which is available to the public public enquiry

public enquiry /�p�blk ŋ |�kwari/ noun another spelling of public in- quiry public expenditure

public expenditure /�p�blk k | �spendtʃə/ noun the money spent by local or central government public eye

public eye � in the public eye well-known because of appearing fre- quently in the media � out of the public eye not seen in the media as much as before public figure

public figure /�p�blk �f�ə/ noun a person who is well-known, often through the media, especially a politi- cian public finance

public finance /�p�blk �fan�ns/ noun the raising of money by govern- ments through taxes or borrowing and the spending of it

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197 public sector public funds

public funds /�p�blk �f�ndz/ plu- ral noun the government money avail- able for spending public gallery

public gallery /�p�blk ���ləri/ noun an area where members of the public can sit to listen to debates in a council chamber or the House of Commons or House of Lords public health

public health /�p�blk �helθ/ noun the general health of a community and the measures taken to protect it public image

public image /�p�blk �md�/ noun the way in which someone or an organisation is regarded by the public, even if this is not a true picture � The ecological disaster has given oil com- panies a bad public image. public inquiry

public inquiry /�p�blk n|�kwaəri/ noun an official investigation to find out exactly what went wrong in a par- ticular situation, led by a judge or oth- er experienced person appointed by the government public interest

public interest /�p�blk �ntrəst/ noun 1. the right of the public to know about something which affects them � in the public interest for the benefit of the public � The newspaper claimed that the publication of the details was in the public interest. 2. general inter- est by people in something � There was little public interest in the pro- posed scheme. public life

public life /�p�blk laf/ noun the kind of work and activities in politics, education, religion and business that lead to someone being well-known � After his wife’s accident, he decided to retire from public life. public monopoly

public monopoly /�p�blk mə | �nɒpəli/ noun a situation where the state is the only supplier of a product or service. Also called state monop- oly public office

public office /�p�blk �ɒfs/ noun a position in a government department � She has held public office for twenty years. public opinion

public opinion /�p�blk ə |�pnjən/ noun what most people think about something

public orderpublic order /�p�blk �ɔ�də/ noun a situation where the general public is calm and well behaved public ownershippublic ownership /�p�blk �əυnəʃp/ noun a situation in which an industry or business is owned by the state � The company has been put into state ownership. Also called state ownership public policypublic policy /�p�blk �pɒlsi/ noun political plans affecting the gen- eral good of all the people public private partnershippublic private partnership /�p�blk �pravət �pɑ�tnəʃp/ noun a partnership between government and private companies to provide services and infrastructure traditionally pro- vided by the public sector. Abbr PPP public prosecutorpublic prosecutor /�p�blk �prɒskju�tə/ noun a government of- ficial who brings charges against criminals. In the UK this is the Direc- tor of Public Prosecutions. Public Record OfficePublic Record Office /�p�blk r| �kɔ�d �ɒfs/ noun a UK institution which stores official documents after they are made available to the public, usually 30 years after they were creat- ed. Abbr PRO public relationspublic relations /�p�blk r| �leʃ(ə)nz/ noun keeping good links between an organisation or a group and the public so that people know what the group is doing and approve of it. Abbr PR public relations departmentpublic relations department /�p�blk r |�leʃ(ə)nz d |�pɑ�tmənt/ noun the section of an organisation which deals with relations with the public public relations officerpublic relations officer /�p�blk r |�leʃ(ə)nz �ɒfsə/ noun an official who deals with relations with the pub- lic public sectorpublic sector /�p�blk �sektə/ noun industries and services which are owned by the state � A report on wage rises in the public sector or on public sector wage settlements. Com- pare private sector public sectorPublic Sector Borrowing Re- quirement /�p�blk �sektə �bɒrəυŋ

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public servant 198 r |�kwaəmənt/ noun the amount of money which a government has to borrow public servant

public servant /�p�blk �s#�vənt/ noun someone who works for the gov- ernment or a government organisa- tion, or someone holding an elected position in government public service

public service /�p�blk �s#�vs/ noun 1. work in a government job or in an organisation controlled by gov- ernment � a long career in public service 2. an essential service that is provided by government such as edu- cation or healthcare, or a service that benefits the public in general such as transport Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union

Public Services, Tax and Com- merce Union noun a British trade union representing civil servants. Abbr PTC public spending

public spending /�p�blk �spendŋ/ noun the money spent by the government and government or- ganisations public transport

public transport /�p�blk �tr�nspɔ�t/ noun transport such as buses, trains which is used by any member of the public public utility

public utility /�p�blk ju� |�tlti/ noun a company that provides gas, electricity or water public works

public works /�p�blk �w#�ks/ plu- ral noun projects such as road or school building or the renewal of sew- ers that are undertaken by government for the community pure democracy

pure democracy /�pjυə d| �mɒkrəsi/ noun a form of democracy in which the people exercise direct power instead of through representa- tives they have elected to govern on their behalf purge

purge /p#�d�/ verb to remove oppo- nents or unacceptable people from a group or from their jobs � The activ- ists have purged the party of moder- ates or have purged the moderates from the party. � The new regime purged the senior military officers within a few days of taking control.

pursuant to

pursuant to /pə |�sju�ənt tə/ adverb relating to or concerning � matters pursuant to Article 124 of the EU trea- ty � pursuant to the powers conferred on the local authority � pursuant to Standing Order No. 61 pursuepursue /pə |�sju�/ verb to continue with discussion or debate � We shall pursue this matter at our next meeting. pursuit

pursuit /pə|�sju�t/ noun the process of trying to achieve something

‘…all men…are endowed by their Crea- tor with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pur- suit of happiness’ [US Declaration of Independence]

purviewpurview /�p#�vju�/ noun within the limits that a law, organisation or per- son is responsible for or deals with � It is within the purview of the Finance Committee to review the council’s ex- penditure. putput /pυt/ verb � to put a proposal to someone to ask someone to consider a suggestion � to put a proposal to the vote to ask a meeting to vote for or against a proposal � to move that the question be put to ask that a meeting should vote immediately on a propos- al without further discussion put downput down /�pυt �daυn/ verb 1. to stop or crush a rebellion � The Prime Minister ordered the army to put down the revolt. 2. to suggest that a motion should be debated in a meeting � He put down a motion criticising the gov- ernment for its foreign policy. 3. to write something in an account book � to put down a figure for expenses put forward

put forward /�pυt �fɔ�wəd/ verb to propose or suggest that something should be done � Mr John Smith’s name has been put forward as a can- didate for Treasurer. � The govern- ment has put forward ten pieces of leg- islation for the next session. � He put forward the suggestion that council meetings should be held on Saturdays. put input in /�pυt �n/ verb to place inside put off

put off /�pυt �ɒf/ verb to arrange for something to take place later than planned � The hearing was put off for

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199 PW two weeks. � He asked if we could put the visit off until tomorrow. put onput on /�pυt �ɒn/ verb to place on � to put an item on the agenda to list an item for discussion at a meeting � to put an embargo on trade to forbid trade

put out

put out /�pυt �aυt/ verb to send out � to put work out to freelance workers � We put all our typing out to a bureau. putsch

putsch /pυtʃ/ noun an armed attack on a government by people trying to overthrow it PW

PW abbreviation Policewoman

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Q QMVQMV abbreviation qualified majority voting quaqua /kwɑ�/ conjunction as, or acting as � a decision of the Lord Chancellor qua head of the judiciary Quai d’OrsayQuai d’Orsay /�ka �dɔ�sa/ noun the street by the river Seine in Paris, where the French Foreign Ministry has its offices (NOTE: often used to re- fer to the Foreign Ministry itself, or to its policies) qualificationqualification /�kwɒlf |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun a limitation or exception to what has been said or written � the minister said that the new rules would apply immediately but with the qualification that cars more than ten years old would be exempt qualified majority votequalified majority vote /�kwɒlfad mə|�d�ɒrti vəυt/ noun the voting system used in most cases on the Council of Ministers of the Eu- ropean Union by which more than a simple majority of votes is required to reach agreement (NOTE: The effect of using the qualified majority vote is to remove the national veto on change but not to make change as easy to achieve as it would be if a simple ma- jority were required.) qualifyqualify /�kwɒlfa/ verb 1. to achieve the examination result or the skills needed to do a job 2. to limit in some way 3. to change or to amend quangoquango /�kw�ŋ�əυ/ noun a group of people appointed by a government with powers to deal with problems, but largely independent of govern- ment control. Full form quasi-auton- omous non-governmental organi- zation (NOTE: The plural is quan- gos.)

quarter

quarter /�kwɔ�tə/ noun 1. a period of three months 2. a section of a town � the old Turkish quarter quarter dayquarter day /�kwɔ�tə de/ noun a day at the end of a three month period, when rents should be paid

COMMENT: In England the quarter days are 25th March (Lady Day), 24th June (Midsummer Day), 29th September (Michaelmas Day) and 25th Decem- ber (Christmas Day).

QuartetQuartet /kwɔ� |�tet/ noun an interna- tional group of representatives from the United States, the European Un- ion, the Russian Federation and the United Nations that meets regularly to encourage a peace process between Is- rael and the Palestinian Authority quash

quash /kwɒʃ/ verb to overturn a de- cision, or to make something not exist � The appeal court quashed the ver- dict. � She applied for judicial review to quash the order. quasi-quasi- /kweza/ prefix almost or which seems like � a quasi-official body � a quasi-judicial investigation queenqueen /kwi�n/ noun 1. a female ruler � the queen of the Netherlands 2. the wife of a king (NOTE: [all senses] writ- ten with a capital letter when used as a title: Queen Elizabeth II) Queen MotherQueen Mother /�kwi�n �m�ðə/ noun a woman who is the mother of a King or Queen Queen’s MessengerQueen’s Messenger /�kwi�nz �mesnd�ə/ noun a diplomat who car- ries messages from Britain to British embassies. Also called King’s Mes- senger Queen’s Speech

Queen’s Speech /�kwi�nz �spi�tʃ/ noun a speech written by the govern- ment and delivered by the Queen at

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201 q.v. the opening of a session of Parliament which outlines the government’s plans for the next year quellquell /kwel/ verb to keep under con- trol � Mounted police were brought in to quell the riots. queryquery /�kwəri/ noun question � The Chief Secretary to the Treasury had to answer a mass of queries from MPs. � verb to ask a question about some- thing or to suggest that something may be wrong � The opposition spokesman queried the statements made by the Cabinet Office officials. questionquestion /�kwestʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. words which need an answer � MPs asked the minister questions about the Swiss bank accounts. � She said she wished to put three questions to the Permanent Secretary. � The managing director refused to answer questions about redundancies. � The market re- search team prepared a series of ques- tions to test the public’s attitude to the government’s record on law and or- der. � written question 2. a problem � He raised the question of the cost of the lawsuit. � The main question is that of time. � The tribunal discussed the question of redundancy payments. 3. a matter or motion to be discussed by Parliament � to put the question to ask MPs to say whether they agree with the motion or not � question negatived a motion not carried or agreed to in a meeting � verb 1. to ask questions � The inspectors questioned the Minister’s staff for four hours. � She questioned the chairman about the council’s investment policy. 2. to ask or to suggest that something may be wrong � MPs questioned the relia- bility of the confidential report. � The leader of the council questioned the result of the opinion poll. question of personal privilegequestion of personal privilege /�kwestʃ(ə)n əv �p#�s(ə)n(ə)l �prvld�/ noun US a matter referring to a member of Congress, which is usually given priority over other mat- ters question of privilegequestion of privilege /�kwestʃ(ə)n əv �prvld�/ noun a

matter which refers to the House or a member of it Question TimeQuestion Time /�kwestʃ(ə)n tam/ noun the period in the House of Com- mons and the European Parliament when members can put questions to ministers about the work of their de- partments quid pro quo

quid pro quo /�kwd prəυ �kwəυ/ Latin phrase meaning ‘one thing for another’: action done in return for something done or promised QuirinalQuirinal noun one of the seven hills of Rome, where the Italian govern- ment has its offices (NOTE: used as a term for the Italian government) quisling

quisling /�kwzlŋ/ noun a person who gives their support to the enemy of their country (NOTE: From the name of the Norwegian collaborator with the Nazis, Vidkun Quisling.) quorate

quorate /�kwɔ�ret/ adjective hav- ing enough people present at a meet- ing for the meeting to be held � The resolution was invalid because the shareholders’ meeting was not quorate. � inquorate quorum

quorum /�kwɔ�rəm/ noun the small- est number of people who have to be present at a meeting to make it valid

COMMENT: In the House of Commons, the quorum is 40 MPs; 30 peers are needed for a quorum in the House of Lords. In the US Congress, a majority of members must be present, that is, 51 in the Senate and 218 in the House of Representatives.

quotaquota /�kwəυtə/ noun a fixed amount of something which is al- lowed to be sold or bought or obtained quota systemquota system /�kwəυtə �sstəm/ noun a plan which limits the number of people or of goods or of money which can be used or brought into a country or taken out of a country quotation

quotation /kwəυ |�teʃ(ə)n/ noun words taken out of a speech or a book q.v.q.v., quod vide Latin phrase mean- ing ‘which see’ used to refer to anoth- er document � A similar case appears in the agenda for the Social Services Committee (q.v.).

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R rabblerabble /�r�b(ə)l/ noun the ordinary people regarded as inferior rabble-rouser

rabble-rouser /�r�b(ə)l �raυzə/ noun a politician who encourages an angry crowd to take violent action rabble-rousingrabble-rousing /�r�b(ə)l �raυzŋ/ adjective encouraging people to take violent action � a rabble-rousing speech race

race /res/ noun 1. a competition or test to see who is the best at doing something � The race is on for the Democratic presidential nomination. 2. a group of people who share the same language, history or culture, or who are different from other groups in terms of their physical appearance race relations

race relations /�res r|�leʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun the relations between peo- ple of different racial groups racialracial /�reʃ(ə)l/ adjective referring to different ethnic groups racial discrimination

racial discrimination /�reʃ(ə)l ds |�krm |�neʃ(ə)n/ noun unfair treat- ment of someone because of their eth- nic background racial prejudice

racial prejudice /�reʃ(ə)l �pred�υds/ noun feelings of dislike for someone because of their ethnic background � They investigated the claims of racial prejudice against the Housing Committee chairman. racial profiling

racial profiling /�reʃ(ə)l �prəυfalŋ/ noun the practice by some police of stopping and question- ing members of specific ethnic groups more often than others without rea- sonable cause racial segregation

racial segregation /�reʃ(ə)l �se�r|��eʃ(ə)n/ noun the practice of keeping different races apart

racismracism /�resz(ə)m/, racialism /�reʃ(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun a belief in rac- ist ideas � The minority groups have accused the council of racism in their allocation of council houses. racistracist, racialist (usually as criti- cism) actions based on racist ideas � adjective /�resst/; /�reʃ(ə)lst/ be- lieving that people from other ethnic groups are different and should re- ceive different and usually worse treatment � noun /�resst/; /�reʃ(ə)lst/ a person with racist ideas radicalradical /�r�dk(ə)l/ adjective 1. ex- treme or involving great change � The problem of overcrowding is so great, that only a radical solution can solve it. � The new leader has started a rad- ical rethink of the party’s policies. 2. concerned with the most important or basic parts of something � noun 1. a person who believes that a complete change should be made to society to reduce social problems 2. Radical a member or supporter of a Radical Par- ty radicaliseradicalise /�r�dkəlaz/ verb to adopt politically radical views, or en- courage someone to do this radicalismradicalism /�r�dkəlz(ə)m/ noun the political ideas of radicals Radical PartyRadical Party /�r�dk(ə)l �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party in favour of great or rapid change in society raiseraise /rez/ verb 1. to increase or to make higher � The government has raised the penalties for drug smug- gling. � The company raised its divi- dend by 10%. 2. to ask a meeting to discuss a question � to raise a ques- tion or a point at a meeting � in an- swer to the point of order raised by Mr

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203 reactionary Smith � to raise an objection to say that you object to something � The op- position members of the Committee raised a series of objections to the wording of the statement. 3. to obtain money � The council is trying to raise the capital to fund its housing pro- gramme. � The government hopes to raise the money by extra taxation. � Where will she raise the money from to start up her business? � noun US an increase in salary � He asked the boss for a raise. (NOTE: The UK term is rise.) raison d’état

raison d’état /�rezɒn de|�t�/ noun a strong reason that is believed to jus- tify political or diplomatic action that might otherwise be rejected (NOTE: Raison d’état is open to criticism be- cause it can be used to justify acts such as the abolition of individual rights if the general good of the peo- ple seems to require it at the time.) raison d’‚tat

raison d’‚tat /�razɒn de |�t�/ noun the reason for a political action, which says that an action is right because it is for the common good

COMMENT: Raison d’‚tat is open to crit- icism because it can be used to justify acts such as the abolition of individual rights, if the general good of the peo- ple may seem to require it at the time.

Raj

Raj /rɑ�d�/ noun the period of British government of India Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha noun the upper house of Parliament in India. Compare Lok Sabha rally

rally /�r�li/ noun a mass political meeting ram

ram /r�m/ verb to force the passage of a bill, usually against strong objec- tions rank

rank /r�ŋk/ noun a level or grade in an army or other organisation � In the Foreign Service, the rank of secretary is lower than that of ambassador. � He was promoted to the rank of Chief Su- perintendent. � verb to be level with rapprochement

rapprochement /r�|�prɒʃmɒŋ/ French word meaning ‘coming clos- er’, a situation where two states be- come friendly after a period of un-

friendliness � Political commentators have noted the rapprochement which has been taking place since the old president died. rate

rate /ret/ noun 1. a measurement of something 2. the cost of something � verb 1. to estimate the size or value of something 2. to be worthy of some- thing rate of inflation

rate of inflation /�ret əv n| �fleʃ(ə)n/ noun a percentage increase in prices over a period of one year. Also called inflation rate rates

rates /rets/ plural noun until 1989 in Scotland and 1990 in England and Wales, local taxes on the size of owned property ratification

ratification /�r�tf |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun official approval of something which has already been agreed � The Chair of Finance asked the committee for ratification of his decision. ratify

ratify /�r�tfa/ verb to approve offi- cially something which has already been agreed � The treaty was ratified by Congress. � The ceasefire agree- ment has to be ratified by all the par- ties involved. � Although the directors had acted without due authority, the company ratified their actions. re

re /ri�/ preposition about or concern- ing or referring to � re your inquiry of May 29th � re: Smith’s memorandum of yesterday � re: the agenda for the AGM � in re concerning or in the case of � in re Jones & Co. Ltd reaction

reaction /ri |��kʃən/ noun 1. an ac- tion taken in reply to or as a result of something else � The reaction of the minister has been to attack the Oppo- sition parties. 2. extreme conserva- tism or opposition to any reform � The slogan of the Socialists was ‘Defeat the Forces of Reaction’. reactionary

reactionary /ri|��kʃən(ə)ri/ adjec- tive, noun holding extreme conserva- tive views, being opposed to all re- form � The newspaper is becoming more and more reactionary. � As he grew older, the President’s policies became reactionary.

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reading 204 reading

reading /�ri�dŋ/ noun one of the three stages of discussion of a Bill in Parliament

COMMENT: First Reading is the formal presentation of the Bill when the title is read out; Second Reading is the stage when printed copies of the Bill are available and it is explained by the Minister proposing it, there is a debate and a vote is taken; the Bill is then dis- cussed in Committee and at the Re- port Stage; Third Reading is the final discussion of the Bill in the whole House of Commons or House of Lords.

read out

read out /�ri�d �aυt/ verb to remove someone formally from membership of a political party or other group Reagan

Reagan /�re�ən/, Ronald (1911– 2004) 40th president of the United States (1981–89), during which period relations with the former Soviet Union greatly improved Reaganomics

Reaganomics /�re�ə |�nɒmks/ noun the free-market economic ap- proach of US president Ronald Rea- gan, involving cuts in taxes and social spending together with removal of controls on domestic markets realign

realign /ri�ə |�lan/ verb to form new alliances or associations, or cause people or groups to do this realignment

realignment /�ri�ə |�lanmənt/ noun 1. a change in the relationship be- tween political parties or between countries in an alliance � a basic rea- lignment of parties on the left � a rea- lignment of Caribbean states � The General Election of 1997 produced an important realignment in British poli- tics, when the long period of Conserv- ative dominance which had lasted since 1979 was brought to an end by a Labour landslide victory. 2. the proc- ess of making a change in a system, so that different parts are in a different re- lationship to each other � a currency realignment a change in the interna- tional exchange rates realm

realm /relm/ noun 1. an area ruled by a king or queen 2. a particular area of interest or activity � the political realm

RealpolitikRealpolitik /re |�ɑ�lpɒlti�,/ German word meaning politics based on real and practical considerations and not on theoretical or moral principles rebaterebate /�ri�bet/ noun an amount of money which is officially returned to someone, reducing the amount that has to be paid � a tax rebate rebelrebel /�reb(ə)l/ noun a person who fights against the government or against people in authority � Anti-gov- ernment rebels have taken six towns. � Rebel ratepayers have occupied the town hall. � verb to fight against au- thority (NOTE: rebelling – rebelled) rebellionrebellion /r|�beljən/ noun a fight against the government or against those in authority � The army has crushed the rebellion in the southern province. rebelliousrebellious /r |�beljəs/ adjective fighting against authority rebutrebut /r|�b�t/ verb to reply to a point made by someone in a debate or argu- ment � She attempted to rebut the as- sertions made by the Opposition spokesman. rebuttalrebuttal /r |�b�t(ə)l/ noun the act of rebutting something recallrecall /r |�kɔ�l/ noun 1. asking some- one to come back � MPs are asking for the recall of Parliament to debate the crisis. � After his recall, the Am- bassador was interviewed at the air- port. 2. US the system of ending the period in office of an elected official early, following a popular vote � verb 1. to ask someone to come back � MPs are asking for Parliament to be re- called to debate the financial crisis. � The witness was recalled to the com- mittee room. � to recall an ambassa- dor to ask an ambassador to return to his or her country, usually as a way of breaking off diplomatic relations 2. to remember � The witness could not re- call having seen the papers. receiptreceipt /r |�si�t/ noun a document showing that someone has paid for something or that someone has taken delivery of something � verb to stamp or to sign a document to show that it

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205 record has been received or to stamp an in- voice to show that it has been paid receivereceive /r|�si�v/ verb to accept a re- port officially � It was resolved that the reports of the subcommittees be re- ceived. receiver of wrecksreceiver of wrecks /r |�si�vər əv �reks/ noun the official of the Depart- ment of Trade and Industry who deals with legal problems of wrecked ships within his or her area receivingreceiving /r|�si�vŋ/ noun the act of taking something which has been de- livered recessrecess /r |�ses/ noun 1. the period when Parliament or another body is not sitting � During August, Parlia- ment is in recess. � The council’s last meeting before the summer recess will be on 23rd July. 2. (in Congress) the period when the chamber does not meet, but is not adjourned � verb (of the US Senate) not to meet, but with- out adjourning � The Senate recessed at the end of the afternoon. reciprocalreciprocal /r|�sprək(ə)l/ adjective involving two countries or people or organisations in an agreement to give equal amounts of help to each other reciprocal tradereciprocal trade /r |�sprək(ə)l �tred/ noun trade between two coun- tries, where each agrees to buy goods from the other � The two countries signed a reciprocal trade agreement. reciprocatereciprocate /r |�sprəket/ verb to do the same thing to someone as he or she has just done to you � The Presi- dent offered to free political prisoners if the rebels would reciprocate by free- ing their hostages. reciprocityreciprocity /�res|�prɒsti/ noun an arrangement which applies when two people, countries or organisations give an equal amount of help to one anoth- er recogniserecognise /�rekə�naz/, recognize /�rekə�|�naz/ verb to approve some- thing as being legal � to recognise a government to say that a government which has taken power in a foreign country is the legal government of that country � to recognise a trade union

to accept that a union can act on behalf of staff � although all the staff had joined the union, the management re- fused to recognise it recognitionrecognition /�rekə� |�nʃ(ə)n/ noun the formal acceptance by one country of the independent and legal status of another recommendationrecommendation /�rekəmen| �deʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a suggestion that something should be done � The gov- ernment is acting on the recommenda- tions of the Royal Commission. � The subcommittee forwarded a recommen- dation for two new computers to the Finance Committee. � The Council will consider the recommendation of the subcommittee that the budget be revised. 2. a statement that someone or something is good � We appointed her on the recommendation of her former employer. 3. in the European Union, a piece of advice about how to do some- thing, which is not compulsory but which people are encouraged to adopt. � decision, directive, regulations recommitrecommit /�ri�kə|�mt/ verb US to send a bill back to the committee which reported it, for further discus- sion recommittalrecommittal /�ri�kə |�mt(ə)l/ noun a decision to send a bill back to a com- mittee for further discussion reconvenereconvene /�ri�kən |�vi�n/ verb to meet again � The committee has ad- journed, and will reconvene tomorrow morning. recordrecord /r |�kɔ�d/ noun 1. a report of something which has happened, espe- cially an official report of a court ac- tion � The chairman signed the min- utes as a true record of the last meet- ing. � off the record unofficially or in private � he made some remarks off the record about the rising crime fig- ures in the borough 2. a description of what has happened in the past � the clerk’s record of service or service record � the company’s record in in- dustrial relations 3. a result which is much better or much worse than earli- er results � adjective same as record- breaking � record profits � record

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record-breaking 206 losses � verb to note or to report � The company has recorded another year of increased sales. � Your complaint has been recorded and will be investigat- ed. � The Government recorded an- other defeat over the Opposition. record-breaking

record-breaking /�rekɔ�dbrekŋ/ adjective much better or worse than any others before recorded vote

recorded vote /r|�kɔ�dd �vəυt/ noun US a vote in Congress, where each member’s vote is counted and listed records

records /�rekɔ�dz/ plural noun doc- uments which give information � The names of customers are kept in the company’s records. � We find from our records that our invoice number 1234 has not been paid. recount

recount noun /�ri�kaυnt/ a second count of the votes cast in an election, usually done because there was a very close result when they were first counted � The vote was very close, so the loser asked for a recount. � After three recounts, Edward Jones was de- clared the winner by eleven votes. � verb /ri�|�kaυnt/ to count again recurrent

recurrent /r |�k�rənt/ adjective hap- pening again and again � recurrent items of expenditure red

red /red/ noun the colour used to rep- resent Socialist or Communist Parties � plural noun � the Reds (usually as criticism) Communists � adjective Communist, referring to a Communist Party red box

red box /�red �bɒks/ noun same as despatch box 1 redeployredeploy /�ri�d |�plɔ/ verb to make better use of people or equipment, by moving them to another job or place � The council is proposing to redeploy staff from other departments to make up the staff vacancies in the Finance Department. redeployment

redeployment /�ri�d |�plɔmənt/ noun the process of using staff or equipment in other places Red Flag

Red Flag /�red �fl��/ noun 1. the symbol of international Communism

2. a song sung by communists and so- cialists redistributeredistribute /�ri�d |�strbju�t/ verb to share out again � In some forms of proportional representation, the votes cast for the losing candidates at the first count are redistributed among the main candidates to ensure an election. redistributionredistribution /ri�|�dstr|�bju�ʃən/ noun 1. the process of sharing some- thing out in a different way � redistri- bution of wealth the process of taxing people with more money to make im- provements in the lives of poorer peo- ple 2. the action of changing Parlia- mentary constituencies or electoral districts to make them more represent- ative in the light of population chang- es redistrictredistrict /ri�|�dstrkt/ verb to change the boundaries of electoral dis- tricts in an area in order to allow for changes in population red linered line /�red �lan/ noun an essen- tial component or concession in a se- ries of negotiations, especially negoti- ations on the European Constitution � set out red line issues, relating to tax, foreign policy and defence policy � We have well-established red lines and we are succeeding in maintaining them. red tapered tape /�red �tep/ noun the rules which slow down administrative work � The application was held up for sev- eral months by red tape. reducedreduced /r|�dju�st/ adjective lower � New businesses pay a reduced rate of tax. redundantredundant /r|�d�ndənt/ adjective no longer used or employed re-electre-elect /�ri� |�lekt/ verb to elect again � The sitting member was re- elected with an increased majority. re-electionre-election /�ri� |�lekʃən/ noun electing someone again � The commit- tee has opposed the automatic re-elec- tion of the chairman. refereereferee /�refə |�ri�/ noun 1. a person who can give a report on someone’s character or ability or speed of work � to give someone’s name as referee � She gave the name of her boss as a ref-

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207 regicide eree. � When applying please give the names of three referees. 2. a person to whom a problem is passed for a deci- sion � The question of maintenance payments is with a court-appointed referee. referencereference /�ref(ə)rəns/ noun 1. passing a problem to a committee or expert for an opinion 2. mentioning or dealing with � with reference to your letter of May 25th � The minister made no reference to the new agree- ment with the United States. 3. the numbers or letters which make it pos- sible to find a document which has been filed � our reference: PC/MS 1234 � Thank you for your letter (ref- erence 1234). � Please quote this ref- erence in all correspondence. � When replying please quote reference 1234. 4. a written report on someone’s char- acter or ability � to write someone a reference or to give someone a refer- ence � to ask applicants to supply ref- erences 5. a person who reports on someone’s character or ability � to give someone’s name as reference � Please use me as a reference if you wish. referendumreferendum /�refə |�rendəm/ noun a type of vote, where a whole popula- tion is asked to vote on a single ques- tion or a number of related questions � The government decided to hold a ref- erendum on the abolition of capital punishment. Compare plebiscite (NOTE: The plural is referenda or ref- erendums.) referralreferral /r|�f#�rəl/ noun the act of passing a topic or problem on to some- one else to decide � the referral of the complaint to the subcommittee � the referral of a bill to the relevant com- mittee refer torefer to /r |�f#�|�tu�/ verb 1. to men- tion or to deal with or to write about something � referring to the court or- der dated June 4th � We refer to your letter of May 26th. � He referred to an article which he had seen in ‘The Times’. 2. to pass a problem on to someone else to decide � to refer a question to a committee � The report

stands referred to the Finance Com- mittee. � We have referred your com- plaint to the tribunal. 3. � ‘refer to drawer’ words written on a cheque which a bank refuses to pay reflagreflag /ri� |�fl��/ verb to change the place of registration of a ship, so that she flies a different flag reformreform /r |�fɔ�m/ noun a change made to something to make it better � the need for reform of the benefit sys- tem � The reform in the legislation was intended to make the tribunal pro- cedure more straightforward. � elec- toral reform � verb to change some- thing to make it better � The group is pressing for the health service to be reformed. reformerreformer /r |�fɔ�mə/ noun a person who tries to change society or an or- ganisation to make it better � a prison reformer refugeerefugee /�refjυ |�d�i�/ noun a person who has left a country because of war, or political or religious persecution refundrefund noun /�ri�f�nd/ money paid back � verb /r|�f�nd/ to pay back money � to refund the cost of postage � Travelling expenses will be refunded to witnesses giving evidence to the tri- bunal. � All money will be refunded if the goods are not satisfactory. refusenikrefusenik /r|�fju�znk/ noun some- one who refuses to cooperate with something, especially because of the principles they hold regalregal /�ri��(ə)l/ adjective 1. like a king or queen 2. suitable for a king or queen regencyregency /�ri�d�ənsi/ noun the peri- od of government by a regent � the Regency the period between 1811 and 1820 when Britain was ruled by the Prince of Wales in place of his father, King George III, who was insane regentregent /�ri�d�ənt/ noun a person who governs in place of a king or queen, usually when the king or queen is a child or is ill regicideregicide /�red�sad/ noun 1. the killing of a king or queen 2. a person who has killed a king or queen

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regime 208 regimeregime /re |��i�m/ noun 1. a govern- ment, especially a strict or cruel gov- ernment � the eventual overthrow of the regime 2. a system or style of gov- ernment � Under a military regime, civil liberties may be severely cur- tailed. 3. a system of rules for doing something � changes in the tax regime regime changeregime change /re|��i�m tʃend�/ noun 1. a change in a country’s gov- ernment made by force by another power 2. a change in leadership, e.g. of a country or political party regimenregimen /�red�mən/ noun a gov- ernment or style of government regionregion /�ri�d�ən/ noun a large area of a country � a mountainous region � the Highland regions of Scotland regionalregional /�ri�d�(ə)nəl/ adjective re- ferring to a region Regional CouncilRegional Council /�ri�d�(ə)nəl �kaυns(ə)l/ noun a unit of local gov- ernment in Scotland, covering a very large area of the country Regional Development PlanRegional Development Plan /�ri�d�(ə)nəl d|�veləpmənt pl�n/ noun a government scheme to bring industry and jobs to a poor area Regional governmentRegional government /�ri�d�(ə)nəl ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun a form of local government which cov- ers a wide area and groups together smaller units of administration (NOTE: In 2002 the Labour government an- nounced that it would develop re- gional government in England in those areas which support its intro- duction.) regionaliseregionalise /�ri�d�(ə)nəlaz/ verb 1. to divide an area into administrative regions 2. to transfer something to a regional administration � plans to re- gionalise the fire service regionalismregionalism noun the policy of di- viding a political territory into areas with separate administrations register of electorsregister of electors /�red�stər əv |�lektəz/ noun same as electoral reg- ister Register OfficeRegister Office /�red�stə �ɒfs/ noun an office where records of births, marriages and deaths are kept

and where civil marriages are per- formed Register of Members’ InterestsRegister of Members’ Interests /�red�stə əv �membəz �ntrəsts/ noun the book showing the special in- terests, sponsorship and employment of MPs registrarregistrar /�red�|�strɑ�/ noun a per- son responsible for keeping an official list of names Registrar-GeneralRegistrar-General /�red�strɑ� �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun an official who is responsible for register offices and the registering of births, marriages and deaths Registrar of Births Marriages and DeathsRegistrar of Births Marriages and Deaths noun a local govern- ment official who registers births, marriages and deaths in an area Registrar of CompaniesRegistrar of Companies /�red�strɑ� əv �k�mp(ə)niz/ noun an official who keeps a record of compa- nies, the details of their directors and their financial state registrationregistration /�red�|�streʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of drawing up an of- ficial list of names Registration OfficerRegistration Officer /�red� | �streʃ(ə)n �ɒfsə/ noun an official who draws up the register of electors in each constituency regnantregnant /�re�nənt/ adjective ruling or reigning regulateregulate /�re�jυ |�let/ verb 1. to change something so that it works well or is correct 2. to use rules or laws to ensure that a particular indus- try or activity works well � govern- ment-regulated price a price which is imposed by the government regulationregulation /�re�jυ|�leʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of making sure that something will work well by using laws or rules � the regulation of trading practices regulationsregulations /�re�jυ|�leʃ(ə)nz/ plu- ral noun 1. rules made by organisa- tions, clubs or councils, which have to be followed by their members � Ac- cording to council regulations, the outgoing chairman cannot stand for re-election. � The manufacturer had not applied the new government regu-

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209 remittance lations on standards for electrical goods. � Safety regulations which ap- ply to places of work. � Regulations concerning imports and exports are explained in this booklet. 2. in the Eu- ropean Union, rules or laws made by the Council of Ministers or Commis- sion which apply directly to all Mem- ber States. � decision, directive, rec- ommendation regulatory

regulatory /�re�jυlət(ə)ri/ adjec- tive having powers to control an in- dustry and to ensure that it operates fairly and safely � The independent radio and television companies are supervised by a regulatory body. � Complaints are referred to several regulatory bodies. reignreign /ren/ noun the period of time when someone is king or queen � an Act dating back to the reign of Queen Victoria � verb 1. to be king or queen � Queen Victoria reigned for 64 years. � the reigning monarch the king or queen at the time 2. to be the most im- portant feature � Chaos reigned in the capital for several days after the revo- lution. � It was half an hour before peace reigned again in the council chamber. reins

reins /renz/ noun the leather strings attached to a horse’s head, to allow the rider to control it � to take up the reins of government to begin to rule � he holds the reins of power he is the ruler of the country relaterelate /r |�let/ verb to link something to something else � the law which re- lates to drunken driving related

related /r |�letd/ adjective connect- ed or linked or being of the same fam- ily � offences related to drugs or drug- related offences relating torelating to /r|�letŋ tu�/ adverb re- ferring to or connected with � docu- ments relating to the application relation

relation /r |�leʃ(ə)n/ noun � to enter into relations with someone to start discussing a business deal with some- one � to break off relations with someone to stop dealing with some- one

relationship

relationship /r |�leʃ(ə)nʃp/ noun 1. a connection or link with something or someone else � What is the rela- tionship between inflation and the cost-of-living? � There is no relation- ship between the two decisions. 2. the way in which two or more people act towards each other � The relationship between the two councillors had been difficult for some time. release

release /r|�li�s/ noun 1. setting someone free or allowing someone to leave prison 2. allowing secret docu- ments to become public � the release of Cabinet papers after thirty years � verb 1. to free someone or something or to allow someone to leave prison � to release goods from customs � The president released the opposition leader from prison. � The customs re- leased the goods against payment of a fine. 2. to make something public � Cabinet papers are released after thir- ty years. � The company released in- formation about the new mine in Aus- tralia. � The government has refused to release figures for the number of unemployed women. Remembrance

Remembrance /r|�membrəns/ noun remembering Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day /r| �membrəns de/, Remembrance Sunday noun 11th November or the nearest Sunday, when the people killed in war are remembered Remembrancer

Remembrancer /r|�membrənsə/ noun a British official of the Excheq- uer who collects debts owed to the Crown. Also called Queen’s Re- membrancer, King’s Remem- brancer remit

remit /�ri�mt/ noun an area of re- sponsibility given to someone � This department can do nothing on the case as it is not part of or beyond our remit. remittance

remittance /r |�mt(ə)ns/ noun money which is sent � Please send re- mittances to the treasurer. � The fami- ly lives on a weekly remittance from their father in the USA.

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rent controls 210 rent controls

rent controls /�rent kən |�trəυlz/ plural noun the government regulation of rent reopen

reopen /ri� |�əυpən/ verb to start dis- cussions again or to start investigating a case again � The government has de- cided to reopen negotiations with the rebels. � The hearing reopened on Monday afternoon. Rep.

Rep. abbreviation 1. Representative 2. Republic 3. Republican repatriate

repatriate /ri� |�p�triet/ verb to send someone away from the country he or she is living in and back to their country of birth, sometimes by force � If terrorism increases, the government may be forced to repatriate foreigners living in the area. repatriation

repatriation /ri� |�p�tri |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun sending someone back to his or her country of birth � The repatriation of the refugees will take months. repeal

repeal /r|�pi�l/ noun passing a law to abolish or do away with an earlier law or custom so that it is no longer in force � MPs are pressing for the re- peal of the Immigration Act. � verb to abolish or to do away with a law or custom � The Bill seeks to repeal the existing legislation. reply

reply /r |�pla/ noun 1. an answer � in reply to your letter of the 24th � the company’s reply to the takeover bid � There was no reply to my letter or to my phone call. 2. an opposing view given in a discussion or debate � verb 1. to answer � to reply to a letter � The company has replied to the takeover bid by offering the shareholders high- er dividends. 2. to give an opposing view in a discussion or debate � The Foreign Secretary opened for the Gov- ernment and the shadow Foreign Sec- retary replied for the Opposition. � right of reply 1. the right of someone to answer claims made by an opponent � he demanded the right of reply to the newspaper allegations 2. the right of the mover of a motion to reply to the arguments of someone who has at- tacked the motion

reportreport /r|�pɔ�t/ noun 1. a statement describing what has happened or de- scribing what the present situation is � to make a report or to present a report or to send in a report � The court heard a report from the probation of- ficer. � The chairman has received a report from the insurance company. 2. an official document from a commit- tee set up by the government to inves- tigate something � The committee has issued a report on the problems of in- ner city violence. � The Director of So- cial Services has prepared a report on children in care. 3. a document in which a committee of the House of Commons or Congress explains the discussions which have been held about a bill which has been given to it to examine, and contains the amend- ments which the committee has pro- posed should be made to the bill � verb 1. to make a statement describing something � The council officers re- ported on the progress of the develop- ment plan. � He reported the damage to the insurance company. � We asked the bank to report on his financial sta- tus. 2. � to report a bill (of a commit- tee) to send a bill back to the main chamber with amendments and com- ments 3. to go to a place or to attend � to report for an interview � Please re- port to our London office for training. reporterreporter /r|�pɔ�tə/ noun an official who makes a written record of the pro- ceedings of a legislature reporting restrictionsreporting restrictions /r|�pɔ�tŋ r|�strkʃ(ə)ns/ plural noun limits on the information about a case which can be made public in newspapers or on radio or television Report StageReport Stage /r|�pɔ�t sted�/ noun the stage in the discussion of a Bill in the House of Commons, where the amendments to the bill proposed at Committee Stage are debated by the whole House of Commons representrepresent /�repr |�zent/ verb 1. to be the elected representative of an area in Parliament or on a council � He repre- sents one of the northern industrial constituencies. 2. to act on behalf of

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211 rescission someone � The defendant is represent- ed by her solicitor. 3. to describe or to show � He was represented as a man of great honour. representationrepresentation /�reprzen | �teʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a statement, espe- cially a statement made to persuade someone to enter into a contract 2. be- ing represented by a lawyer 3. a sys- tem where the people of a country elect representatives to a parliament which governs the country Representation of the People ActRepresentation of the People Act /�reprzenteʃ(ə)n əv ðə �pi�p(ə)l ��kt/ noun an Act of Parlia- ment which states how elections must be organised representativerepresentative /�repr |�zentətv/ noun 1. a person elected to represent a group of people � The legislature is made up of representatives elected by secret ballot. 2. US a member of the lower house of Congress � House of Representatives lower house of the American Congress 3. a diplomat who acts on behalf of a government � The British representative in the area. 4. a person who represents another person or group of people � The court heard the representative of the insurance company. repressrepress /r|�pres/ verb to rule in a dictatorial way by preventing opposi- tion through limiting basic freedoms � Dictators try to repress opposition to their regimes. repressionrepression /r |�preʃ(ə)n/ noun dic- tatorial rule involving the restriction of free speech and of political opposi- tion � The country is recovering from twenty years of repression. repressiverepressive /r |�presv/ adjective us- ing repression � The civil rights dem- onstrators complained about the gov- ernment’s repressive methods. reprisalreprisal /r |�praz(ə)l/ noun the tak- ing of property or people by force from another country as a punishment Repub.Repub. abbreviation 1. Republic 2. Republican republicrepublic /r|�p�blk/ noun a state which is not a monarchy, but which is

governed by elected representatives headed by a President � Singapore was declared a republic in 1965 � Most republics have Presidents as head of state. republicanrepublican /r|�p�blkən/ adjective 1. referring to a republic 2. believing in the idea of a republic � Some mem- bers of the Opposition have republi- can sympathies. RepublicanRepublican /r|�p�blkən/ noun 1. a member or supporter of a Republican Party, especially in the USA 2. a per- son who believes in a republic as the best form of government republicaniserepublicanise /r|�p�blkənaz/ verb to make a country into a republic republicanismrepublicanism /r| �p�blkənz(ə)m/ noun 1. the belief that an electorate should have the power in a country 2. the theory and principles of republican government RepublicanismRepublicanism /r| �p�blkənz(ə)m/ noun 1. support for the Republican Party in the United States 2. support for the idea of unit- ing Northern Ireland politically with the Republic of Ireland Republican PartyRepublican Party /r|�p�blkən �pɑ�ti/ noun one of the two main po- litical parties in the USA, which sup- ports business and freedom, and op- poses liberalism requisitionrequisition /�rekw |�zʃ(ə)n/ verb 1. to demand or request formally � A special meeting was requisitioned by six members. 2. to take private proper- ty into the temporary ownership of the state for the state to use � The army requisitioned all the trucks to carry supplies. rescindrescind /r |�snd/ verb to annul or to cancel officially a law or contract � to rescind a contract or an agreement � The committee rescinded its earlier resolution on the use of council premises. rescissionrescission /r |�s�(ə)n/ noun 1. the cancellation of a contract or law 2. US a section of an appropriation bill which cancels money previously ap- propriated but not spent

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reserve 212 reserve

reserve /r|�z#�v/ noun money or other things which are set aside for fu- ture use � a country’s foreign cur- rency reserves, gold reserves a coun- try’s reserves in currencies of other countries or in gold � verb to put aside for future use reshuffle

reshuffle /ri�|�ʃ�f(ə)l/ noun the changing of positions, especially those of Cabinet ministers � In the re- shuffle, the Secretary of State for Edu- cation was moved to the Home Office. � verb to change the positions of Cab- inet ministers � The President is ex- pected to reshuffle his Cabinet soon. residence

residence /�rezd(ə)ns/ noun 1. the place where someone lives � The crowd gathered outside the Gover- nor’s residence. � She has a country residence where she spends her week- ends. � The Prime Minister has two of- ficial residences: Number 10, Down- ing Street in London, and Chequers in the country. 2. the act of living or op- erating officially in a country residence permit

residence permit /�rezd(ə)ns �p#�mt/ noun an official document allowing a foreigner to live in a coun- try � He has applied for a residence permit. � She was granted a residence permit for one year. Residency

Residency /�rezd(ə)nsi/ noun the house where a colonial governor lives resident

resident /�rezd(ə)nt/ noun 1. a per- son or company living or operating in a place � Fire broke out in the council flats and the residents were brought out as quickly as possible. � The war- den of the hostel looks after the resi- dents. � British residents in the coun- try are advised to leave as soon as possible. 2. the title of a diplomat of lower rank than an Ambassador, living in a foreign country 3. the governor of a colony � adjective living or based in a country � The company is resident in France for tax purposes. � person or- dinarily resident in the UK a person who normally lives in the UK resident commissioner

resident commissioner /�rezd(ə)nt kə |�mʃ(ə)nə/ noun in the United States, a representative from a

dependency who is allowed to speak but not vote in the House of Repre- sentatives residuaryresiduary /r|�zdjuəri/ adjective re- maining residuary bodyresiduary body /r|�zdjuəri �bɒdi/ noun a body set up to administer the ending of a local authority, when it has been abolished, and to manage those of its functions which have not been given over to other authorities resignresign /r |�zan/ verb to leave a job � He resigned from his post as treasurer. � He has resigned with effect from July 1st. � She resigned as Education Min- ister.

COMMENT: MPs are not allowed to re- sign their seats in the House of Com- mons. If an MP wants to leave the House, he has to apply for an office of profit under the Crown, such as the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds, which will disqualify him or her from membership of the House of Com- mons.

resignationresignation /�rez�|�neʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of giving up a job � The news- paper published the Minister’s letter of resignation and the Prime Minis- ter’s reply. � He wrote his letter of res- ignation to the chairman. resilienceresilience /r|�zliəns/ noun the abil- ity of government to respond to a dif- ficult situation in a way that prevents it from becoming a crisis resistresist /r |�zst/ verb to fight against something or not to give in to some- thing � Parents are resisting the local authority’s attempt to close the school. � The party moderates were unable to resist the takeover by the ex- tremists. � The President’s bodyguard resisted the attempted coup. resistanceresistance /r|�zstəns/ noun 1. an action which shows that people are opposed to something � There was a lot of resistance from the local resi- dents to the new plan. � The Home Secretary’s proposal met with strong resistance from the probation service. � After the coup, there were still pock- ets of resistance in some parts of the country. 2. a group which fights se- cretly against an enemy occupying a

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213 retract country � He was in the French Resist- ance during the war. � resistance fighters armed soldiers who are fight- ing against a government or an occu- pying enemy resolution

resolution /�rezə|�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a decision taken by one of the Houses of Parliament or Congress to show their opinion of something 2. a deci- sion taken at the United Nations 3. a decision taken at a meeting � The con- ference passed a resolution condemn- ing the use of force by the police. � The resolution from the platform was de- feated by a large majority. � extraor- dinary resolution, special resolution a resolution such as one to change the articles of an organisation, which usu- ally requires a larger majority of votes than an ordinary resolution � the spe- cial resolution presented to the con- ference requires a two-thirds majority to be passed resource

resource /r|�zɔ�s/ verb to give mon- ey to � The nurseries are well re- sourced and are full of modern equip- ment. respect

respect /r|�spekt/ noun the honour shown to someone in authority responsible

responsible /r|�spɒnsb(ə)l/ adjec- tive being answerable or accountable to someone or some group of people for the job you perform � responsi- ble for 1. to blame for � the govern- ment is responsible for the collapse of the economy 2. being in charge of or in control of � the committee chairman was found to be the person responsi- ble for leaks to the press � Ministers are responsible for the actions of their officials � the caretaker is responsible for the security of the building � she is responsible for twenty junior office staff responsible government

responsible government /r | �spɒnsb(ə)l ���v(ə)nmənt/ noun a form of government which acts as the people wish, and which is accountable to Parliament and through it to the people for its actions res publica

res publica /�rez �pυblkə/ noun the state as a concept

restitutionrestitution /�rest |�tju�ʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the return of property which has been illegally obtained � The court or- dered the restitution of assets to the company. 2. payment for damage or loss to the people who have suffered as the result of an action for which you are responsible restrictive practicesrestrictive practices /r|�strktv �pr�ktsz/ plural noun attempts by workers to prevent employers from making them work in such a way as to deprive other workers of jobs resultresult /r |�z�lt/ verb to happen be- cause of something else résumérésumé /�rezjυme/ noun 1. the summary of a piece of writing � A r‚sum‚ of the debate was published in yesterday’s paper. 2. US the summary of a person’s life story showing impor- tant details of education and work ex- perience (NOTE: The UK term is cur- riculum vitae or CV.) retiralretiral /r|�taərəl/ noun US, & Scot- tish same as retirement retireretire /r|�taə/ verb 1. to stop work and take a pension � She retired with a £6,000 pension. � The chairman of the company retired at the age of 65. � The shop is owned by a retired police- man. 2. to make an employee stop work and take a pension � They decid- ed to retire all staff over 50 years of age. 3. to come to the end of an elected term of office � The treasurer retires after six years. � Two retiring direc- tors offer themselves for re-election. 4. to go away from a court for a period of time � The magistrates retired to consider their verdict. � The jury re- tired for four hours. retirementretirement /r |�taəmənt/ noun the act of retiring from work retirement ageretirement age /r|�taəmənt ed�/ noun the age at which people stop work. In the UK this is usually 65. retirement pensionretirement pension /r|�taəmənt �penʃən/ noun a regular payment which someone receives when they reach the age to stop work retractretract /r|�tr�kt/ verb to withdraw a statement because it was wrong � The

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retroactive 214 minister was forced to retract her statement about the Leader of the Op- position. retroactiveretroactive /�retrəυ |��ktv/ adjec- tive taking effect from a particular time in the past, rather from the present � They received a pay rise ret- roactive to last January. retroactivelyretroactively /�retrəυ |��ktvli/ ad- verb going back to a time in the past retrospectiveretrospective /�retrəυ |�spektv/ adjective taking effect from a particu- lar time in the past, rather than from the present � with retrospective ef- fect applying to a past period � the tax ruling has retrospective effect retrospective legislationretrospective legislation /�retrəυspektv �led�|�sleʃ(ə)n/ noun an Act of Parliament which ap- plies to a specified period before the Act was passed retrospectivelyretrospectively /�retrəυ |�spektvli/ adverb in a retrospective way � The ruling is applied retrospectively. returnreturn /r|�t#�n/ noun 1. going back or coming back 2. sending back 3. � to make a return to the tax office, to make an income tax return to send a statement of income to the tax office 4. the election of an MP 5. the profit or income from money invested � verb 1. to send something back, or go back 2. to say or do something similar to something that has been said to you or done for you � She helped me with my report and I was later able to return the favour. � The visitor returned our greeting and bowed slightly. 3. to elect an MP for a constituency � She was re- turned with an increased majority. returning officerreturning officer /r|�t#�nŋ �ɒfsə/ noun an official, usually a High Sher- iff or mayor, who superintends a par- liamentary election in a constituency, receives the nominations of candi- dates and announces the result of the vote

COMMENT: When a writ for an election is issued, the returning officer for each constituency must give notice of the election, and candidates may be nom- inated up to eight days after the writs are issued.

reunification

reunification /�ri�ju�nf|�keʃ(ə)n/ noun the process of being united again after being separated or divided � the reunification of Germany reunify

reunify /ri�|�ju�nfa/ verb to unite again after being separated � reunified Germany revanche

revanche noun a policy of regaining lost territory revenue

revenue /�revənju�/ noun money earned or income � The purpose of the bill is to raise revenue by imposing a sales tax on luxury goods. � The tax provides less than half the council’s revenue. revenue expenditure

revenue expenditure /�revənju� k|�spendtʃə/ noun the day-to-day costs of a local council, including the wages of the staff and the cost of maintaining the buildings (NOTE: no plural in UK English; US English uses expenditures.) revenue officer

revenue officer /�revənju� �ɒfsə/ noun a person working in a govern- ment tax office revenue tariff

revenue tariff /�revənju� �t�rf/ noun a tax designed to produce public revenue review

review /r |�vju�/ noun 1. a general examination of something � The edu- cation officer presented the annual re- view of teaching staff. � The coroner asked for a review of police proce- dures. 2. a magazine � verb to exam- ine something generally � A commit- tee has been appointed to review civil service salaries. � The council has re- viewed its housing policy and decided to make no major changes. revisionism

revisionism /r|�v�(ə)nz(ə)m/ noun changing or trying to change the principles on which a political party is based (used as criticism) � The former Party leader was accused of revisionism. revisionist

revisionist /r|�v�(ə)nst/ adjec- tive, noun a person who wants to change a party’s principles revocable

revocable /�revəkəb(ə)l/ adjective possible to cancel or overturn

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215 rightist revocationrevocation /�revəυ |�keʃ(ə)n/ noun the cancelling of a permission, right, agreement or offer revokerevoke /r |�vəυk/ verb to cancel a permission, right, agreement or offer � to revoke a clause in an agreement � The treaty on fishing rights has been revoked. revoltrevolt /r|�vəυlt/ noun an act of oppo- sition or rebellion against authority � The whips are trying to quell the revolt in the party. � The revolt in the army was put down by the President’s bod- yguard. � in revolt against rebelling against � the farmers were in revolt against the tax collectors � verb to rebel against or oppose an authority � Seventy MPs revolted and voted against the Government. � The Presi- dent’s bodyguard revolted and the re- volt spread to other parts of the army. revolutionrevolution /�revə|�lu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. an armed rising against a government or state or the entire social system � The government was overthrown by a revolution led by the head of the army. 2. a period of social change, where the previous way of life changes radically revolutionaryrevolutionary /�revə|�lu�ʃ(ə)n(ə)ri/ adjective 1. referring to a revolution � Revolutionary troops surrounded the President’s Palace. 2. very new and different � The minister has proposed a revolutionary new system of collect- ing tax. � noun a person who takes part in a revolution � The palace was surrounded by revolutionaries. Revolutionary WarRevolutionary War /�revə | �lu�ʃ(ə)n(ə)ri wɔ�/ noun the Ameri- can War of Independence revolutioniserevolutionise /�revə|�lu�ʃənaz/ verb 1. to introduce revolutionary ide- as to people 2. to bring about a revolu- tion in a country 3. to completely change the way something is consid- ered or done � The Internet revolu- tionised public access to information. riderrider /�radə/ noun 1. an additional clause to a contract or report 2. US a clause attached to a bill, which may have nothing to do with the subject of the bill, but which the proposer hopes

to get passed into law more easily in this way riding

riding /�radŋ/ noun 1. (in York- shire) an administrative section of the county of Yorkshire, now no longer used 2. (in Canada) a constituency or area of the country represented by an MP rig

rig /r�/ verb to arrange an election dishonestly so that a particular candi- date wins � The Opposition claimed that the election had been rigged. � ballot-rigging right

right /rat/ noun 1. something that a person is legally or morally allowed to have or do � the right to life � The Minister has the right to be heard by the House. � She has a right to the property. � The staff have a right to know what the company is doing. 2. people who are political conservatives or whose ideas and beliefs are con- servative � The right have opposed the increases in government spending. � Members on the right of the party op- pose the new manifesto. � a move to the right a move to support more con- servative policies � the centre party has shown a noticeable move to the right in recent years

COMMENT: The division of political par- ties and political ideas into left, right and centre dates from the French Revolution when deputies in the Na- tional Assembly sat on the left or right of the chamber according to their views. It was easiest to apply these la- bels when socialist (left) parties faced conservative (right) parties in the mid- dle years of the twentieth century. Some commentators say the old divi- sions of left and right are less and less relevant in the modern world, but they continue to be used.

rightful

rightful /�ratf(ə)l/ adjective legally or morally correct Right Honourable

Right Honourable /�rat �ɒn(ə)rəb(ə)l/ noun a title given to members of the Privy Council (NOTE: usually written Hon.: the Hon. Mem- ber; the Rt. Hon. William Smith, M.P.) rightist

rightist /�ratst/ adjective right- wing � noun a person with right-wing views

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right of abode 216 right of abode

right of abode /�rat əv ə|�bəυd/ noun the right to live in a country right-of-centreright-of-centre /�rat əv �sentə/ adjective relating to political views that are slightly right-wing right of establishment

right of establishment /�rat əv | �st�blʃmənt/ noun the right of a cit- izen of a Member State of the Europe- an Union to live and work in any EU country right of petition

right of petition /�rat əv pə | �tʃ(ə)n/ noun the right of any citizen of the European Union to forward an official complaint to the European Parliament. Any citizen of a Member State of the EU can present a petition, either personally or as the representa- tive of a group. right to strike

right to strike /�rat tə �strak/ noun the general right of workers to stop working as a means of protest right wing

right wing /�rat �wŋ/ noun the part of a country, party or group which is more conservative than the rest � the right wing of the Conservative Party right-wingright-wing /�rat �wŋ/ adjective fa- vouring the right or conservative poli- cies � a right-wing newspaper � Right-wing politicians have plotted to bring down the government. right-wingerright-winger /�rat �wŋə/ noun a person who supports a conservative point of view Riigikogu

Riigikogu noun the legislature in Estonia Riksdag

Riksdag noun the legislature in Sweden ringleader

ringleader /�rŋli�də/ noun a person who organises something dishonest or illegal riot

riot /�raət/ noun violent actions by large numbers of people in public � Riots broke out when the government tried to increase the price of bread. � verb to take part in a riot � The street was blocked by rioting students. rioter

rioter /�raətə/ noun a person who takes part in a riot rioting

rioting /�raətŋ/ noun the activity of being involved in a riot � Rioting

broke out when the price rises were announced. riotousriotous /�raətəs/ adjective disor- derly, as in a riot � The crowd engaged in riotous behaviour. riot policeriot police /�raət pə |�li�s/ noun a police force with special equipment to deal with riots ripple effectripple effect /�rp(ə)l |�fekt/ noun a series of effects or consequences that result from a single event riserise /raz/ noun 1. an increase or growth in height � a rise in the crime rate or in inflation or in interest rates 2. an increase in salary (NOTE: The US term is raise.) � verb 1. to move up- wards or to become higher � Prices are rising faster than inflation. � The rate of companies going into receiver- ship has risen by 15%. 2. to stop sit- ting � The House rose at 12.15 a.m. � The court will rise at 5 p.m. 3. to rebel against authority � The southern states rose against the government. risingrising /�razŋ/ noun a small rebel- lion � The government acted swiftly to put down the rising in the university town. � uprising robocallrobocall /�rəυbəυkɔ�l/ noun a tele- phone call made using a recorded voice, used in election campaigning and marketing rodrod /rɒd/ noun a stick that indicates someone’s official office or authority. � Black Rod rollroll /rəυl/ noun a list of names (NOTE: From the fact that they used to be written on a long sheet which was stored rolled up.) rollcallrollcall /�rəυlkɔ�l/ noun reading out a list of names to see if everyone is present � yea-and-nay rollcall US a vote in Congress, where names are read out and each member says how he or she is voting RomeRome /rəυm/ � Treaty of Rome RooseveltRoosevelt /�ru�zəvelt/, Franklin D. (1882–1945) the 32nd president of the United States, he served longer than any other president (1933–45) rostrumrostrum /�rɒstrəm/ noun a high desk where a member stands to speak

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217 rule to an assembly or meeting � The rep- resentative of one of the Civil Service unions was at the rostrum when the in- terruption occurred. (NOTE: The plu- ral is rostra.) rotten borough

rotten borough /�rɒt(ə)n �b�rə/ noun a political constituency with few electors but the same right to elect a representative as a constituency with many more people, especially in Eng- land before 1832. � pocket borough round

round /raυnd/ noun a series of dis- cussions � The next round of negotia- tions will be held in London. round table conference

round table conference /�raυnd �teb(ə)l �kɒnf(ə)rəns/ noun a discus- sion held by people sitting at a round table, showing that each party at the meeting is of equal status with the rest � The government is trying to get the rebel leaders to come to the confer- ence table. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques /�ru�səυ/ noun the French philosopher (1712–78) whose book ‘The Social Contract’ (1762) justified democracy but seemed also to put the individual under the complete control of a demo- cratic government. The opening lines of ‘The Social Contract’ are: Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains. royal

royal /�rɔəl/ adjective referring to a king or queen � noun a member of a royal family Royal Assent

Royal Assent /�rɔəl ə |�sent/ noun the signing of a Bill by the monarch, the ceremonial final stage by which a Bill becomes law as an Act of Parlia- ment (NOTE: No monarch has re- fused to give the Royal Assent for three hundred years) Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Royal Canadian Mounted Po- lice /�rɔəl kə |�nediən �maυntd pə | �li�s/ noun a police force that operates throughout Canada except in cities and provinces with their own police forces. Abbr RCMP Royal Commission

Royal Commission /�rɔəl kə | �mʃ(ə)n/ noun a group of people giv- en the job by the government of exam-

ining and reporting on a major prob- lem Royal DukeRoyal Duke /�rɔəl dju�k/ noun a prince of the royal house who has been given the title of Duke (NOTE: The wife of a duke is a duchess.) Royal FamilyRoyal Family /�rɔəl �f�m(ə)li/ noun the family of a king or queen royalistroyalist /�rɔəlst/ noun a person supporting rule by a king or queen Royal pardonRoyal pardon /�rɔəl �pɑ�d(ə)n/ noun a pardon, given very rarely by the monarch on the advice of the elect- ed government, by which a person found guilty of a crime is forgiven and need not serve a sentence Royal prerogativeRoyal prerogative /�rɔəl pr| �rɒ�ətv/ noun the set of powers which have been transferred in the course of the last 300 years from the British Crown to the Prime Minister, including the right to declare war, make peace, appoint Cabinet minis- ters, create government departments, appoint bishops, give honours and ti- tles, and dissolve parliament (NOTE: the royal prerogative is now only used on the advice of the elected government) RoyalsRoyals /�rɔəlz/ plural noun mem- bers of a royal family (informal) royaltyroyalty /�rɔəlti/ noun members of a royal family � Special security meas- ures are taken if royalty is present. (NOTE: can take singular or plural verb) RSFSRRSFSR abbreviation Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic Rt Hon.Rt Hon. abbreviation Right Honour- able rubber stamprubber stamp /�r�bə �st�mp/ noun a stamp made of hard rubber, cut to form letters, used to print some- thing on a document, often to show that the document has been approved � verb to approve of something auto- matically, without much thought � The council rubber stamped the decisions of the President. rulerule /ru�l/ noun 1. the way in which a country is governed � The country has had ten years of military rule. 2. a

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rule of law 218 statement or order which says how things should be done, e.g. an order governing how members vote in Par- liament or Congress � The debate fol- lowed the rules of procedure used in the British House of Commons. 3. US a special decision made by the Rules Committee which states how a partic- ular bill should be treated in the House of Representatives � verb 1. to govern a country � The country is ruled by a group of army officers. � The dictator ruled the country for thirty years. 2. to give an official decision � The Speaker ruled that the question was out of or- der. � The commission of inquiry ruled that the company was in breach of contract. 3. to be in force or to be cur- rent � prices which are ruling at the moment rule of lawrule of law /�ru�l əv �lɔ�/ noun the principle of government, that all per- sons, organisations and the govern- ment itself are equal before and an- swerable to the law and that no person should be punished without a trial rulerruler /�ru�lə/ noun a person who gov- erns or controls a country or part of a country rulingruling /�ru�lŋ/ adjective 1. in power or in control � the ruling Democratic Party � The actions of the ruling junta have been criticised in the press. 2. the most important � The ruling consider- ation is one of cost. � We will invoice at ruling prices. � noun a decision

made by a judge, arbitrator or the chairman of a meeting � The MPs dis- puted the Speaker’s ruling. � Accord- ing to the ruling of the court, the con- tract was illegal. run

run /r�n/ verb 1. to control or manage � He ran the department while the chief was away. � The question is: who is really running the country, the Pres- ident or his wife? 2. to offer yourself as a candidate in an election � He is running for president. � He had no hope of winning the nomination, so he decided not to run. running mate

running mate /�r�nŋ met/ noun a person who stands for election at the same time as another candidate for a different office, and voters have to vote for both together, e.g. the candi- dates for Vice-President and President of the USA runoff

runoff /�r�nɒf/ noun an election held after an earlier one that produced no clear winner run-up

run-up /�r�n �p/ noun � run-up to an election the period before an elec- tion � In the run-up to the General Election, opinion polls were forecast- ing heavy losses for the government. rural

rural /�rυərəl/ adjective referring to the countryside, as opposed to the towns � An MP representing a rural constituency. � The party has to win the rural vote.

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S S2PS2P abbreviation state second pen- sion safesafe /sef/ adjective not in danger safeguardsafeguard /�sef�ɑ�d/ noun protec- tion � The proposed legislation will provide a safeguard against illegal traders. � verb to protect � The em- bassy acted to safeguard the interests of the tourists. safe seatsafe seat /�sef �si�t/ noun a seat where the Member of Parliament has a large majority and is not likely to lose the seat at an election safetysafety /�sefti/ noun the position of not being in danger Sale of Goods Act

Sale of Goods Act /�sel əv ��υdz ��kt/ noun an Act of Parliament which regulates the selling of things which can be moved � The law relat- ing to the sale of goods is governed by the Sale of Goods Act 1979. sales taxsales tax /�selz t�ks/ noun a tax paid on things which are sold sanctionsanction /�s�ŋkʃən/ noun 1. offi- cial permission to do something � You will need the sanction of the local au- thority before you can knock down the old office block. � The payment was made without official sanction. 2. a punishment for an act which goes against what is accepted behaviour � verb to approve officially or to give official permission � The council sanctioned the expenditure of £1.2m on the development plan. satellite statesatellite state /�s�təlat stet/ noun a country which is economically or politically dependent on another sceptre

sceptre /�septə/ noun a ceremonial stick used as a symbol of the authority of a monarch

schedule

schedule /�ʃedju�l/ noun 1. a plan of things that need to be done and of when they should be done 2. an addi- tional section of documents attached to a Bill before Parliament or to the agenda or minutes of a meeting, or to a contract � schedule of markets to which a contract applies � see the at- tached schedule or as per the attached schedule � the schedule before re- ferred to 3. a list � The schedule of charges is revised annually. � verb 1. to list officially � scheduled prices or scheduled charges are subject to change without notice � The house is scheduled as an ancient monument. 2. to plan the time when something will happen � The building is scheduled for completion in May. Schedule A

Schedule A /�ʃedju�l �e/ noun the section of the Finance Acts under which tax is charged on income from land or buildings Schedule B

Schedule B /�ʃedju�l �bi�/ noun the section of the Finance Acts under which tax is charged on income from woodlands Schedule C

Schedule C /�ʃedju�l �si�/ noun the section of the Finance Acts under which tax is charged on profits from government stock Schedule D

Schedule D /�ʃedju�l �di�/ noun the section of the Finance Acts under which tax is charged on income from trades, professions, interest and other income which does not come from employment Schedule E

Schedule E /�ʃedju�l �i�/ noun the section of the Finance Acts under which tax is charged on wages, sala- ries and pensions

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Schedule F 220 Schedule FSchedule F /�ʃedju�l �ef/ noun the section of the Finance Acts under which tax is charged on income from dividends schemescheme /ski�m/ noun a plan, policy, or programme carried out by a govern- ment or business � a road-widening scheme Schengen AgreementSchengen Agreement noun an agreement between some countries in the European Union and associated states, abolishing internal border con- trols over the movement of people and goods between member countries (NOTE: The countries are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Nor- way, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Schengen is a village in Luxem- bourg.) SchröderSchröder /�ʃrəυdə/, Gerhard (b. 1944) leader of the Social Democratic Party, and chancellor of Germany (1998–) Scotland YardScotland Yard /�skɒtlənd �jɑ�d/ noun the headquarters of the Metro- politan Police in London, from which national criminal investigations are coordinated. Full form New Scot- land Yard Scot NatScot Nat /�skɒt �n�t/ noun same as Scottish Nationalist Scottish ExecutiveScottish Executive /�skɒtʃ � | �zekjυtv/ noun the devolved govern- ment of Scotland. � Scottish Parlia- ment Scottish Executive Development DepartmentScottish Executive Develop- ment Department /�skɒtʃ � | �zekjυtv d|�veləpmənt d| �pɑ�tmənt/ noun a department of the Scottish Executive, responsible for planning, building control and hous- ing, social justice, and economic ad- vice. Abbr SEDD Scottish Executive Education DepartmentScottish Executive Education Department /�skɒtʃ � |�zekjυtv �edjυ |�keʃ(ə)n d|�pɑ�tmənt/ noun a department of the Scottish Executive, responsible for education at school level, social services, culture, sport, and tourism. Abbr SEED

Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs DepartmentScottish Executive Environ- ment and Rural Affairs Depart- ment noun a department of the Scot- tish Executive, responsible for agri- culture, rural development, food, and fisheries. Abbr SEERAD Scottish Executive Health DepartmentScottish Executive Health De- partment /�skɒtʃ � |�zekjυtv helθ d|�pɑ�tmənt/ noun a department of the Scottish Executive, responsible for health and ambulance services. Abbr SEHD Scottish Executive Justice DepartmentScottish Executive Justice De- partment /�skɒtʃ � |�zekjυtv �d��sts d |�pɑ�tmənt/ noun a depart- ment of the Scottish Executive, re- sponsible for all aspects of the legal system and the police Scottish NationalistScottish Nationalist /�skɒtʃ �n�ʃ(ə)nəlst/ noun a member or sup- porter of the Scottish National Party � adjective relating to the Scottish Na- tional Party Scottish National PartyScottish National Party /�skɒtʃ �n�ʃ(ə)nəl �pɑ�ti/ noun a Scottish po- litical party that advocates full politi- cal independence for Scotland. Abbr SNP Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament /�skɒtʃ �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun the devolved elect- ed representative body set up in 1999 in Edinburgh with limited powers to make laws for Scotland Scott ReportScott Report /�skɒt r |�pɔ�t/ noun the document produced in 1996 by the enquiry headed by Lord Justice Scott which revealed that ministers had con- cealed information from Parliament and had allowed three business men to be unjustly put on trial for selling arms to Iraq (NOTE: The Scott Report con- tained very damaging information about how government ministers had behaved, but no minister re- signed as a result, largely because the ministers responsible were no longer in the jobs they had held when the events occurred.) SCPSSCPS abbreviation Society of Civil and Public Servants scrutineerscrutineer /�skru�t |�nə/ noun someone whose job is to monitor the

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221 second-class citizen counting of votes at an election and see that it happened correctly. � ob- server SDLP

SDLP abbreviation Social Demo- cratic and Labour Party SDP

SDP abbreviation Social Democratic Party seal

seal /si�l/ noun 1. a piece of wax or red paper attached to a document to show that it is legally valid. � Great Seal 2. a piece of paper or metal or wax attached to close something, so that it can be opened only if the paper or metal or wax is removed or broken � The seals on the ballot box had been tampered with. � verb 1. to close something tightly 2. to attach a seal or to stamp something with a seal � The customs sealed the shipment. sealed instrument

sealed instrument /�si�ld �nstrυmənt/ noun a document which has been signed and sealed Seanad Éireann

Seanad Éireann noun the upper house of the legislature in Ireland (NOTE: The lower house is the Dail Éireann.) seat

seat /si�t/ noun 1. a chair � Seats have been placed on the platform for the members of the council. � Opposi- tion MPs left their seats and walked out of the chamber in protest. 2. mem- bership of the House of Commons or being a Member of Parliament � He lost his seat in the general election. 3. a constituency � This is a safe Tory seat. 4. membership of a committee � Marginal seats showed a swing away from the government.

COMMENT: In the British House of Commons, the seats are arranged in rows facing each other across the chamber, with the table in between the front benches and the Speaker’s chair at the end. In other legislative chambers (as in the French National Assembly), the seats are arranged in a semi-circle facing the rostrum with the seat of the President of the As- sembly behind it.

secede

secede /s |�si�d/ verb to withdraw from a nation, state, organisation or al- liance and become independent � The American colonies seceded from

Great Britain in 1776 and formed the USA. secession

secession /s|�seʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of seceding secessionism

secessionism /s|�seʃənz(ə)m/ noun a policy of withdrawal from a nation, state, organisation or alliance secessionist

secessionist /s|�seʃ(ə)nst/ noun a person who is in favour of secession � adjective of a country which has se- ceded or wishes to secede � a seces- sionist state second

second /�sekənd/ verb � to second a candidate to formally support a can- didate wishing to stand for an office who has already been proposed by someone else � The name of Ms Brown has been proposed for the post of treasurer, who is willing to second her? � to second a motion to speak in support of a motion after it has been presented by someone else, but before a vote is taken � The motion is pro- posed by Mr Smith, seconded by Mrs Jones. secondarily

secondarily /�sekən|�deərli/ ad- verb in second place secondary

secondary /�sekənd(ə)ri/ adjective 1. second in importance � Mr Smith raised a further objection, which he said was of secondary importance to the first. 2. at a second stage second ballot

second ballot /s |�kɒnd �b�lət/ noun the electoral system used in France and other countries, in which if a candidate does not get 50% of the votes on the first vote, a second vote is held a short time later, with the lowest candidate or candidates removed from the list, so the voters must give one of the remaining candidates more than 50% of the votes second chamber

second chamber /s |�kɒnd �tʃembə/ noun the upper house in a legislative assembly with two cham- bers, e.g. the British House of Lords second-class citizen

second-class citizen /s |�kɒnd klɑ�s �stz(ə)n/ noun a person who does not have the same rights, privi- leges or opportunities as the rest of the population

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seconder 222 seconder

seconder /�sekəndə/ noun a person who supports a proposal made by someone else � Mr Brown has been proposed by Mr Jones, and Miss Smith is his seconder. � The motion could not be put, because the proposer could not find a seconder for it. Second Reading

Second Reading /�sekənd �ri�dŋ/ noun US the detailed debate on a Bill in the House of Commons, or House of Lords in the UK, or in the House of Representatives or Senate in USA (NOTE: Bills are given three ’readings’ in both chambers in both USA and UK (as in many other legislatures). The second reading is usually the occasion for a major, detailed de- bate.) secret agent

secret agent /�si�krət �ed�ənt/ noun someone who spies for a gov- ernment or organisation secretariat

secretariat /�sekr|�teəriət/ noun an important office and the officials who work in it, usually headed by a Secre- tary or Secretary-General � the United Nations secretariat � the Common- wealth secretariat secretary

secretary /�sekrət(ə)ri/ noun 1. a person who types letters or files docu- ments or arranges meetings for some- one � the Minister’s secretary and personal assistant � My secretary deals with visitors. � His secretary phoned to say he would be late. 2. the Secretary of State or member of the government in charge of a department � the Education Secretary � the For- eign Secretary 3. a senior civil servant 4. an official of a company or society Secretary for Defense

Secretary for Defense /�sekrətri fə d|�fens/ noun the government min- ister in charge of the armed forces in the USA. Also called Defense Sec- retary Secretary-General

Secretary-General /�sekrətri �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the main adminis- trator in a large organisation such as the United Nations or a political party � The main power in the country is held by the Secretary-General of the ruling party.

Secretary of StateSecretary of State /�sekrət(ə)ri əv �stet/ noun 1. a member of the government in charge of a department � the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 2. US the senior member of the government in charge of foreign policy. See also notes at foreign, min- ister 3. (in Canada) a government minister with general responsibilities for publications, broadcasting and the arts

COMMENT: The uses of the words Sec- retary and Secretary of State are confusing: 1. In the UK, a Secretary of State is the head of a government de- partment, usually a Cabinet Minister. Other members of the government, though not in the Cabinet, are Parlia- mentary Secretaries or Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State, who are junior ministers in a department. Final- ly the Parliamentary Private Secretary is a minister’s main junior assistant in Parliament 2. In the USA, the Secre- tary of State is the person in charge of the Department of State, which is con- cerned with foreign policy. The equiv- alent in most other countries is the Foreign Minister (Foreign Secretary in the UK). Other heads of department in the US government are called simply Secretary: Secretary for Defense or Defense Secretary 3. In the British Civil Service, a government depart- ment is headed by a Permanent Sec- retary, with several Deputy Secretar- ies and Under-Secretaries. They are all government employees and are not MPs. Also a civil servant is a minis- ter’s Private Secretary, who is at- tached to the minister personally, and acts as his link with the department. The British Civil Service formerly used the titles Permanent Secretary, Depu- ty Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Principal Secretary as grades, but these have now been replaced by a system of numbers (G1, G2, G3, etc.) 4. Both in the UK and USA, the word Secretary is used in short forms of ti- tles with the name of the department. So, the Secretary of State for Educa- tion and Skills in the UK, and the Sec- retary for Education in the USA are both called Education Secretary for short. In the USA, the word Secretary can be used before a surname: Secre- tary Smith.

Secretary of State for Defence

Secretary of State for Defence /�sekrətri əv stet fə d|�fens/ noun the government minister in charge of

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223 securocrat the armed forces in the United King- dom. Also called Defence Secretary Secretary of the TreasurySecretary of the Treasury /�sekrət(ə)ri əv ðə �tre�əri/, Secre- tary to the Treasury noun US the senior member of the government in charge of financial affairs. Also called Treasury Secretary Secretary to the CabinetSecretary to the Cabinet /�sekrətri tə ð �k�bnət/ noun same as Cabinet Secretary Secretary to the SenateSecretary to the Senate /�sekrətri tə ðə �senət/ noun US the head of the administrative staff in the Senate secret ballotsecret ballot /�si�krət �b�lət/ noun an election where the voters vote in se- cret Secret Intelligence ServiceSecret Intelligence Service /�si�krət n |�teld�əns �s#�vs/ noun a British government agency concerned with obtaining information about oth- er countries which may be of use to the government’s defence, security, economy and foreign services secret policesecret police /�si�krət pə|�li�s/ noun in dictatorships or totalitarian regimes, the organisation which works in secret spying on people in order to stop opposition secret servicesecret service /�si�krət �s#�vs/ noun the government service which spies on other countries and on citi- zens of its own country suspected of wanting to rebel sectariansectarian /sek|�teəriən/ adjective relating to relations between religious groups or denominations, especially when the groups hold rigidly to a set of doctrines and are intolerant of other views sectionsection /�sekʃən/ noun a part of an Act of Parliament or law � She does not qualify for a grant under section 2 of the Act. sectionalismsectionalism /�sekʃənəlz(ə)m/ noun concern for the interests of one group or area in preference to other ar- eas secularismsecularism /�sekjυlərz(ə)m/ noun the belief that religion and religious bodies should have no official part in

public life or in running public institu- tions, especially schools Securities and Exchange Commission

Securities and Exchange Com- mission /s|�kjυərətiz ən ks| �tʃend� kə |�mʃ(ə)n/ noun an agency of the US government set up to control financial transactions and protect in- vestors against bad practices. Abbr SEC security

security /s |�kjυərti/ noun 1. safety from harm, damage or attack � Our passengers’ security is of great impor- tance to us. � social security 2. the feeling of being safe in a situation, or the degree to which someone feels safe � security of employment, job security a feeling by a worker that he has the right to keep his job until he re- tires � security of tenure the right to keep a position or rented accommoda- tion, provided that specific conditions are met security clearance

security clearance /s|�kjυərti �klərəns/ noun the process of making sure that a person is acceptable for work in a government department where secret documents are kept Security Council

Security Council /s|�kjυərti �kaυnsəl/ noun the permanent ruling body of the United Nations, with the responsibility for preserving interna- tional peace

COMMENT: The Security Council has fifteen members, five of which (USA, Russia, UK, France and China) are permanent members, the other ten being elected by the General Assem- bly for periods of two years. The five permanent members each have a veto over the decisions of the Security Council.

Security Service

Security Service /s |�kjυərəti �s#�vs/ noun a British government agency concerned with national secu- rity, in particular counter-terrorism and counter-espionage. � MI5 Security Services

Security Services /s |�kjυərəti �s#�vsz/ plural noun the government organisations which protect the coun- try against the activities of enemies such as spies and terrorists securocrat

securocrat /s |�kjυərəkr�t/ noun a senior military, police or intelligence

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SEDD 224 officer with power to influence gov- ernment policy SEDD

SEDD abbreviation Scottish Execu- tive Development Department sedition

sedition /s |�dʃ(ə)n/ noun the use of words or actions that are intended to lead to revolution or an armed upris- ing against the state seditious

seditious /s |�dʃəs/ adjective refer- ring to sedition SEED

SEED abbreviation Scottish Execu- tive Education Department SEERAD

SEERAD abbreviation Scottish Ex- ecutive Environment and Rural Af- fairs Department segregate

segregate /�se�r�et/ verb to sepa- rate or keep apart, especially to keep different races in a country apart � Sin- gle-sex schools segregate boys from girls. segregation

segregation /�se�r|��eʃ(ə)n/ noun the practice of keeping ethnic, racial, religious, or gender groups separate, especially by enforcing the use of sep- arate facilities such as schools and usually discriminating against a mi- nority group segregationist

segregationist /�se�r |��eʃənst/ adjective, noun supporting a policy of segregation SEHD

SEHD abbreviation Scottish Execu- tive Health Department Seimas

Seimas noun the legislative body in Lithuania seizure

seizure /�si��ə/ noun the act of tak- ing possession of something � The court ordered the seizure of the ship- ment or of the company’s funds. Sejm

Sejm noun the lower house of the legislature in Poland Select Committee

Select Committee /s|�lekt kə | �mti/ noun 1. (in the House of Com- mons) a special committee with mem- bers representing various political par- ties, which examines the work of a government department or a particular problem in the House of Commons (NOTE: There are also a smaller number of Select Committees in the House of Lords) 2. (in Congress) a

committee set up for a special pur- pose, usually to investigate something

COMMENT: The main non-departmen- tal Select Committees are: the Com- mittee of Privileges which considers breaches of parliamentary privilege; the Committee of the Parliamentary Commissioner which considers the re- ports of the Ombudsman; the Public Accounts Committee which examines government expenditure. The depart- mental select committees are: Cul- ture, Media and Sport; Defence; Edu- cation and Skills; Environment and Rural Affairs; Health; Home Affairs; In- ternational Development; Northern Ireland Affairs; Science and Technol- ogy; Scottish Affairs; Trade and Indus- try; Transport, Local Government and the Regions; Treasury; Welsh Affairs; and Work and Pensions.

self-determination

self-determination /�self dt#�m | �neʃ(ə)n/ noun the free choice by the people of a country as to which coun- try should govern them � Countries with powerful neighbours have to fight for the right to self-determina- tion. self-government

self-government /self ���v(ə)nmənt/, self-rule /�self �ru�l/ noun the control of a country by its own government, free from foreign in- fluence semi-autonomous

semi-autonomous /�semi ɔ� | �tɒnəməs/ adjective ruled partly by its own local government and partly by national government or another country or region Sen.

Sen. abbreviation 1. senate 2. sena- tor senate

senate /�senət/ noun the upper house of a legislative body � France has a bicameral system: a lower house or Chamber of Deputies and a upper house or Senate.

COMMENT: The senate is the upper house of the legislature in many coun- tries, including Antigua, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Italy, Jamaica, Mauritania, Mexico, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Trinidad and Toba- go, the USA, Uruguay, Venezuela.

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225 service Senate

Senate /�senət/ noun 1. the upper house of the American Congress (NOTE: The US Senate has 100 members, each state electing two senators by popular vote. Bills may be introduced in the Senate, with the exception of bills relating to finance. The Senate has the power to ratify treaties and to confirm presidential appointments to federal posts.) 2. the upper chamber of the federal parlia- ment of Canada, made up of 104 sen- ators appointed by the ruling govern- ment 3. the upper house of the federal parliament of Australia, made up of 76 members, 12 from each state plus two each from the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory senatorsenator /�senətə/ noun the member of a senate (NOTE: written with a cap- ital letter when used as a title: Sena- tor Jackson) senatorial

senatorial /�senə |�tɔ�riəl/ adjective referring to a senate or to senators senatorial courtesy

senatorial courtesy /�senə|�tɔ�riəl �k#�təsi/ noun the polite way in which members of the US Senate behave to- wards one another during their de- bates and discussions SennedSenned noun the devolved elected representative body set up in Wales in 1999. English Welsh Assembly separationist

separationist noun, adjective same as separatist separation of powers

separation of powers /�sepəreʃ(ə)n əv �paυəs/ noun the system in which the power in a state is separated between the legislative body which passes laws, the judiciary which enforces the law, and the exec- utive which runs the government

COMMENT: In the USA, the three parts of the power of the state are kept sep- arate and independent: the President does not sit in Congress; Congress cannot influence the decisions of the Supreme Court, etc. In the UK the leg- islative and executive powers are fused, because of our parliamentary system of government which means that the executive is always part of the legislature. The government or execu- tive is responsible to Parliament and can be dismissed by it on a Vote of No

Confidence. There has also been a partial fusion of powers in the UK be- tween the legislature and judiciary be- cause the law lords sit in the House of Lords, but by reforms introduced in 2003–4, this will stop and a complete- ly independent Supreme Court will be set up. In the USA, members of gov- ernment are not members of Con- gress, though their appointment has to be approved by Senate; in the UK, members of government are usually Members of Parliament, although some are members of the House of Lords.

separatism

separatism /�sep(ə)rətz(ə)m/ noun the belief that a part of a country should become separate and inde- pendent from the rest separatist

separatist /�sep(ə)rətst/ adjective referring to separatism � The rise of the separatist movement in the south of the country. � noun a person who believes that part of the country should become separate and inde- pendent sergeant

sergeant /�sɑ�d�ənt/ noun a police officer of a rank above constable. Abbr Sgt, Sergt sergeant at arms

sergeant at arms /�sɑ�d�ənt ət ɑ�mz/ noun someone with the job of keeping order in a legislative body or court of law Serjeant at Arms

Serjeant at Arms /�sɑ�d�ənt ət ɑ�mz/ noun an official of the House of Commons who keeps order in the House, makes sure that no one enters the chamber of the House unless invit- ed to do so, and removes members if asked to do so by the Speaker (NOTE: The spelling Sergeant at Arms is used in the US House of Represent- atives.) serve

serve /s#�v/ verb 1. to spend time as a member of a committee or as Mem- ber of Parliament � He served six years on the Foreign Relations Com- mittee. � She has served two terms as chairman. 2. to deal with a customer 3. to do a type of work service

service /�s#�vs/ noun � civil serv- ice the organisation and personnel which administer a country under the direction of the government

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session 226 session

session /�seʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a meet- ing, or the time when a meeting is held � The morning session or the after- noon session will be held in the con- ference room. � opening session, clos- ing session the first part or last part of a conference 2. the period when Par- liament is meeting, usually about 12 months long � The government is planning to introduce the Bill at the next session of Parliament. � The first session of the new Parliament opened with the reading of the Queen’s Speech.

COMMENT: The Parliamentary session starts in October with the Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s Speech. It usually lasts until August. In the USA, a new congressional session starts on the 3rd of January each year.

sessional

sessional /�seʃən(ə)l/ adjective re- ferring to a session sessional Select Committee

sessional Select Committee /�seʃ(ə)n(ə)l s|�lekt kə|�mti/ noun a Select Committee set up at the begin- ning of each session of parliament � the Select Committee on Defence or the Defence Select Committee sessions

sessions /�seʃ(ə)nz/ plural noun a court set aside

set aside /�set ə |�sad/ verb to de- cide not to apply a decision � The ar- bitrator’s award was set aside on ap- peal. set forth

set forth /�set �fɔ�θ/ verb to put down in writing � The argument is set forth in the document from the Euro- pean Court. set out

set out /�set �aυt/ verb 1. to put down in writing � The claim is set out in the enclosed document. � The fig- ures are set out in the tables at the back of the book. 2. to try to do some- thing � The Government has set out to discredit the Opposition. settle

settle /�set(ə)l/ verb 1. to go to live in a new area, often abroad � In the 18th century, thousands of people left the country to settle in North America. 2. to put an end to an argument � The decision of the arbitration board set- tled the dispute. � The matter was set-

tled by an agreement to change the working hours. settlement

settlement /�set(ə)lmənt/ noun 1. a group of homes built in a new area � a British settlement on the coast of India 2. an agreement which ends a dispute between people or between countries � The Department for Education reached a settlement with the teach- ers’ union. settler

settler /�set(ə)lə/ noun a person who goes to colonise a country � Settlers built up colonies along the banks of the river. shadow

shadow /�ʃ�dəυ/ adjective to fol- low or to watch Shadow Cabinet

Shadow Cabinet /�ʃ�dəυ �k�bnət/ noun the senior members of the Opposition who cover the areas of responsibility of the actual Cabinet, and will form the Cabinet if their party is elected to government � the shadow Minister for the Environment � the shadow spokesman on energy matters shadow senator

shadow senator /�ʃ�dəυ �senətə/ noun a non-voting representative of the District of Columbia in the US Senate shanty town

shanty town /�ʃ�nti taυn/ noun an area of badly built houses around a large city where poor people live shareholder

shareholder /�ʃeəhəυldə/ noun a person who owns shares in a company sheikh

sheikh /ʃek/ noun a leader or prince in an Arab country sheikhdom

sheikhdom /�ʃekdəm/ noun a state or area ruled by a sheikh � Many of the Gulf sheikhdoms export oil. Sheriff

Sheriff /�ʃerf/ noun same as High Sheriff Sheriff Court

Sheriff Court /�ʃerf kɔ�t/ noun a court presided over by a sheriff sheriffdom

sheriffdom /�ʃerfdəm/ noun a dis- trict in Scotland with a Sheriff Court shire

shire /�ʃaə/ noun a county in the United Kingdom, used in county names such as Buckinghamshire and Berkshire � the shires the rural coun- ties in the centre of England � the Tory Party is very strong in the shires � we

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227 sit have to make sure that we do not lose the support of the shire voters shire countyshire county /�ʃaə �kaυnti/ noun a county that is not based on a metropol- itan area shortcomingshortcoming /ʃɔ�t|�k�mŋ/ noun a fault in somebody’s character or in a plan or organisation � The government plan has many shortcomings. short titleshort title /�ʃɔ�t �tat(ə)l/ noun the usual brief name by which an Act of Parliament is known short title clauseshort title clause /�ʃɔ�t �tat(ə)l �klɔ�z/ noun a section in a Bill which gives the short title by which the Act will be known show of handsshow of hands /�ʃəυ əv �h�ndz/ noun an informal vote that involves counting the hands raised by people to show support for or rejection of a pro- posal shroud-wavingshroud-waving /�ʃraυd �wevŋ/ noun the deliberate use of distressing events or statistics to make more of an issue or gain political advantage shuttle diplomacyshuttle diplomacy /�ʃ�t(ə)l d | �pləυməsi/ noun diplomatic negotia- tions by an official who travels fre- quently between the countries in- volved SISI abbreviation statutory instrument signatorysignatory /�s�nət(ə)ri/ noun a per- son who signs a contract, or a country which signs a treaty or convention � You have to get the permission of all the signatories to the agreement if you want to change the terms. � Britain is a signatory to the Geneva Convention. sine diesine die /�si�ni �di�e/ Latin phrase meaning ‘without a day’ sine qua nonsine qua non /�sni kwɑ� �nɒn/ Lat- in phrase meaning ‘without which not’: condition without which some- thing cannot work � Agreement by the management is a sine qua non of all employment contracts. single ballotsingle ballot /�sŋ�(ə)l �b�lət/ noun an election where only one round of voting is held single chambersingle chamber /�sŋ�(ə)l �tʃembə/ noun a legislature with

only one chamber, as in New Zealand and Nebraska. � unicameral Single European ActSingle European Act /�sŋ�(ə)l �jυərə |�pi�ən �e si� �ti�/ noun a treaty of the European Union signed in 1987 which aimed to create a free internal market in labour, goods, and services by 1992 Single Market

Single Market /�sŋ�(ə)l �mɑ�kt/, Single European Market noun the European Union considered as a free trade area, with no tariff barriers be- tween its member states single transferable vote

single transferable vote /�sŋ�(ə)l tr�ns |�f#�rəb(ə)l vəυt/ noun a proportional voting system where each voter votes for the candi- dates in order of preference, and this vote is transferred to the next prefer- ence candidate if the first choice is not elected. A calculation based on the to- tal votes is made to show how many votes, or what quota, a candidate needs to be elected. Candidates with more than this electoral quota of first preference votes are automatically elected, and their second preference votes are passed to other candidates, and so on until the full number of can- didates have the required quota and so are elected. Abbr STV (NOTE: It is used for the European Parliament, and in Northern Ireland for district councils.) sinking fund

sinking fund /�sŋkŋ f�nd/ noun a sum of money saved by a government regularly from taxation and used to pay off its debts Sinn FéinSinn Féin /�ʃin �fen/ noun a nation- alist Irish republican party Sir

Sir /s#�/ noun the title given to a bar- onet or knight (NOTE: The title is al- ways used with the man’s Christian name, and in a formal address, with the surname as well: Good morning, Sir George; May I introduce Sir George Carey?; Sir George and Lady Carey attended the dinner.) sit

sit /st/ verb 1. to meet � No one can enter the Council Chamber when the committee is sitting. � The court sat from eleven to five o’clock. 2. to be an

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sit-down strike 228 MP � She sat for a London constituen- cy for ten years. � The sitting MP was re-elected with a comfortable majori- ty. 3. � to sit on the bench to be a magistrate sit-down strikesit-down strike /�st daυn �strak/ noun a form of industrial action in which workers refuse to leave their workplace until their demands are lis- tened to sit-insit-in /�st n/ noun a form of protest in which people occupy a building or public place and refuse to leave until their demands are listened to sittingsitting /�stŋ/ noun a meeting of Parliament or of a court or of a tribu- nal

COMMENT: Parliamentary sittings start at 2.30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; at 11.30 a.m. on Thursdays; and at 9.30 a.m. on Fri- days. They continue until business is completed, which is expected to be no later that 10.30 p.m on the first three days, and earlier on Thursday and Fri- day. Occasionally there are all-night sessions when very important or con- troversial matters are debated. These hours may seem strange, but they are needed to allow committee and con- stituency work to take place at other times. Before 1997 the hours were even later, but were changed as part of the modernisation policies of the Labour government.

sketchsketch /sketʃ/ noun � parliamenta- ry sketch sketch-writersketch-writer /�sketʃ �ratə/ noun a journalist who writes parliamentary sketches slanderslander /�slɑ�ndə/ verb the crime of using spoken words to harm someone by saying things which are untrue about them slateslate /slet/ noun a list of candidates for a position � the Democratic slate in the state elections slavocracyslavocracy /�slev|�ɒkrəsi/ noun a ruling group consisting of owners of slaves, or rule by owners of slaves sleazesleaze /sli�z/ noun political activity of a dishonest or disreputable sort, usually involving bribery and corrup- tion (NOTE: In the 1990s various pol- iticians were accused of sleaze, for

example by taking free holidays and payments from prominent business men.) sleepersleeper /�sli�pə/ noun a spy who lives an ordinary life often for many years before starting spying activities sleeper cellsleeper cell /�sli�pə sel/ noun a group of trained terrorists who live or- dinary lives while waiting for instruc- tions to commit a terrorist act slip lawslip law /�slp lɔ�/ noun US a law published for the first time after it has been approved, printed on a single sheet of paper, or as a small separate book sloganslogan /�sləυ�ən/ noun a short phrase which shows the beliefs of a party, used to attract voters � The par- ty’s slogan is ‘More Power to the Peo- ple’. � The party campaigned under the slogan ‘Responsibility and Trust’. SLPSLP abbreviation Scottish Labour Party slumslum /sl�m/ noun a crowded dirty area of a town where poor people live � The children were brought up in the slums of Glasgow. slum clearanceslum clearance /�sl�m �klərəns/ noun the organised demolishing of slum areas to replace them with mod- ern blocks of flats smoke-filled roomsmoke-filled room /�sməυk fld �ru�m/ noun a room where deals are made in private (NOTE: The image is of participants who have spent a long time there discussing and smoking.) snapsnap /sn�p/ adjective sudden or un- expected � The Prime Minister called a snap election. � The Committee will discuss the matter fully and will not reach a snap decision. SNPSNP abbreviation Scottish National Party SOSO abbreviation standing order soapboxsoapbox /�səυpbɒks/ noun a wood- en box used to stand on by a public speaker soapbox oratorysoapbox oratory /�səυpbɒks �ɒrət(ə)ri/ noun a form of public speaking which is aimed at attracting

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229 social services the general public in a simple, direct way social

social /�səυʃ(ə)l/ adjective referring to society in general � The government dealt carefully with many of the social problems of the day. social assistance

social assistance /�səυʃ(ə)l ə | �sst(ə)ns/ noun same as social se- curity Social Chapter

Social Chapter /�səυʃ(ə)l �tʃ�ptə/ noun a section of the Maastricht Trea- ty on European Union (1993) which commits Member States to reducing unemployment, improving working conditions, discussions between man- agement and workers, and removing discrimination social class

social class /�səυʃ(ə)l �klɑ�s/ noun a group of people who have some po- sition in society Social Credit

Social Credit /�səυʃ(ə)l �kredt/ noun a system of monetary reform, founded in Canada social democracysocial democracy /�səυʃ(ə)l d | �mɒkrəsi/ noun a belief that changes should be made to the structure of so- ciety to produce greater equality, with a mixed economy where there is some state involvement in industry and wel- fare but also a strong free market, and in addition a political system based on democratic freedom social democrat

social democrat /�səυʃ(ə)l �deməkr�t/ noun 1. a person who be- lieves in social democracy 2. Social Democrat a person who supports or belongs to a Social Democratic Party � The Social Democrats are in the ma- jority in some areas of the country. Social DemocraticSocial Democratic /�səυʃ(ə)l �demə |�kr�tk/ adjective referring to a Social Democratic Party Social Democratic and Labour Party

Social Democratic and Labour Party /�səυʃ(ə)l �demə |�kr�tk ən �lebə �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party in Northern Ireland, many of whose sup- porters want to unite Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland peaceful- ly. Abbr SDLP Social Democratic Party

Social Democratic Party /�səυʃ(ə)l demə |�kr�tk �pɑ�ti/ noun

a political party which is in favour of social democracy social exclusionsocial exclusion /�səυʃ(ə)l k| �sklu��(ə)n/ noun lack of the benefits enjoyed by most members of society, because of factors such as poverty, so- cial or ethnic background or disability social housingsocial housing /�səυʃ(ə)l �haυzŋ/ noun housing provided by organisa- tions such as local authorities or hous- ing associations for renting cheaply to people who cannot afford to buy their own homes or rent privately social insurancesocial insurance /�səυʃ(ə)l n| �ʃυərəns/ noun state insurance based on compulsory contributions that gives some income to unemployed and retired people socialismsocialism /�səυʃəlz(ə)m/ noun the belief that in a state the means of pro- duction, distribution and exchange should be controlled by the people, that the people should be cared for by the state and that wealth should be shared equally SocialistSocialist /�səυʃəlst/ adjective 1. in favour of socialism 2. referring to or supporting a Socialist Party � noun 1. a person who believes in socialism 2. a person who supports or is a member of a Socialist Party Socialist PartySocialist Party /�səυʃəlst �pɑ�ti/ noun a political party such as those in France, Spain and Portugal, which fol- lows socialist policies and beliefs Socialist Workers PartySocialist Workers Party /�səυʃəlst �w#�kəz �pɑ�ti/ noun a British political party that opposes capitalism social ownershipsocial ownership /�səυʃ(ə)l �əυnəʃp/ noun a situation where an industry is nationalised and run by a board appointed by the government social securitysocial security /�səυʃ(ə)l s| �kjυərti/ noun money or help provid- ed by the government to people who need it � He lives on social security payments. social servicessocial services /�səυʃ(ə)l �s#�vsz/ noun a department of a lo- cal or national government which pro- vides services such as health care, ad-

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social worker 230 vice, and money for people who need help social workersocial worker /�səυʃ(ə)l �w#�kə/ noun a person who works in a social services department, visiting and looking after people who need help societysociety /sə|�saəti/ noun 1. a group of people who live together and have the same laws and customs � British society has changed since the Second World War. � All Western societies have the same social problems. (NOTE: not used with the) 2. an organisation of people with the same interests or jobs � a political society � a debating society � the Society of Education Of- ficers socio-economicsocio-economic /�səυʃəυi�kə | �nɒmk/ adjective referring to social and economic conditions � The socio- economic system in capitalist coun- tries. � socio-economic groups groups in society divided according to income and position socio-politicalsocio-political /�səυʃəυ pə | �ltk(ə)l/ adjective combining social and political matters Solicitor-GeneralSolicitor-General /sə|�lstə �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun one of the law of- ficers, a Member of the House of Commons and deputy to the Attorney- General Solicitor-General for ScotlandSolicitor-General for Scotland /sə |�lstə �d�en(ə)rəl fə �skɒtlənd/ noun a junior law officer in Scotland solidaritysolidarity /�sɒl |�d�rti/ noun an ex- pression of unity between people with common interests sourcesource /sɔ�s/ noun 1. a person who gives someone, especially a journalist, some information � The information had come from a usually reliable source. 2. the origin from which something comes � energy from re- newable sources � You must declare income from all sources to the Inland Revenue. � at source referring to a system of removing tax or other pay- ments from someone’s income before the income is paid � income taxed at source � maintenance payments de- ducted at source

South

South /saυθ/ noun 1. a region of a country, e.g. the part of the USA to the south of Washington 2. � the South the less industrialised countries of the world, mainly in the southern hemi- sphere sovereign

sovereign /�sɒvrn/ noun a title giv- en to the king or queen � The sover- eign’s head appears on coins and stamps. � adjective having complete freedom to govern itself sovereign state

sovereign state /�sɒvrn �stet/ noun an independent country which governs itself sovereigntist

sovereigntist /�sɒvrntst/ noun a supporter of sovereignty for Quebec sovereignty

sovereignty /�sɒvrnti/ noun the power to govern independently � to have sovereignty over a territory to have power to govern a territory � Two neighbouring states claimed sover- eignty over the offshore islands. � the sovereignty or supremacy of Parlia- ment the right of Parliament to make or undo laws sovereignty association

sovereignty association /�sɒvrnti ə |�səυsi |�eʃ(ə)n/ noun a proposed economic and political asso- ciation between a sovereign Quebec and the rest of Canada soviet

soviet /�səυviət/ noun 1. an elected local, regional or national council used to govern the USSR before the fall of communism which began in 1989 2. � the Supreme Soviet the leg- islative body of Tajikistan � adjective referring to the former Soviet Union Soviet Union

Soviet Union /�səυviət �ju�njən/ noun the former Union of Soviet So- cialist Republics (USSR), now split into the Russian Federation and vari- ous independent states, some of which joined the Russian Federation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Speaker

Speaker /�spi�kə/ noun a person who acts as chairman of a meeting of a parliament � discussions held be- hind the Speaker’s chair informal discussions between representatives of opposing political parties meeting

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231 spoils system on neutral ground away from the floor of the House

COMMENT: In the House of Commons, the Speaker is an ordinary Member of Parliament chosen by the other mem- bers; the speaker in the House of Lords is the Lord Chancellor. Plans announced in 2003–4 will lead to the abolition of the office of Lord Chancel- lor and a new chairman for the House of Lords will need to be chosen. In the US Congress, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is an ordi- nary congressman, elected by the oth- er congressmen; the person presiding over meetings of the Senate is usually the Vice-President.

Speaker’s ChaplainSpeaker’s Chaplain /�spi�kəz �tʃ�pln/ noun a clergyman who reads prayers at the beginning of each sitting of the House of Commons special agentspecial agent /�speʃ(ə)l �ed�ənt/ noun 1. a person who does secret work for a government 2. a person who represents someone in a particu- lar matter Special Branch

Special Branch /�speʃ(ə)l brɑ�nʃ/ noun the branch of the UK police force that specialising in political se- curity and is the executive arm of the government intelligence agencies special committeespecial committee /�speʃ(ə)l kə | �mti/ noun a committee set up by Congress to investigate something special constablespecial constable /�speʃ(ə)l �k�nstəb(ə)l/ noun in the United Kingdom, someone who acts as a vol- unteer police officer, especially when a large police force is necessary as for large public events special interest groupspecial interest group /�speʃ(ə)l �ntrəst ��ru�p/ noun people who try to influence government to support the industry or particular concerns that they belong to or support specialise

specialise /�speʃəlaz/, specialize verb to concentrate on one particular subject or area of activity special session

special session /�speʃ(ə)l �seʃ(ə)n/ noun US a session of Con- gress called in an emergency by the President to discuss an important mat- ter when Congress is not normally in session

special sessionsspecial sessions /�speʃ(ə)l �seʃ(ə)ns/ plural noun a court hearing called to meet an unusual emergency speechspeech /spi�tʃ/ noun 1. speaking or ability to talk 2. a talk given in public � to make a speech in Parliament � counsel’s closing speech to the jury � The Chancellor’s Budget Speech last- ed two hours. speech of acceptancespeech of acceptance /�spi�tʃ əv ək|�septəns/ noun a speech made by someone agreeing to take a job, e.g., after being chosen to stand as a candi- date for Parliament. Also called ac- ceptance speech sphere of influencesphere of influence /�sfə əv �nfluəns/ noun an area of the world where one country plays a leading role over other states � Some Latin Ameri- can states fall within the USA’s sphere of influence. spinspin /spn/ noun an interpretation of information that is intended to guide public opinion in a particular direction spin doctorspin doctor /�spn �dɒktə/ noun a person who gives political informa- tion to journalists expressed in a way that is good for the party or govern- ment by which he or she is employed � There is nothing new in politics about using spin doctors apart from the name. spinmeisterspinmeister /�spnmestə/ noun same as spin doctor spiritualspiritual /�sprtʃuəl/ adjective re- ferring to religious matters splendid isolationsplendid isolation /�splendd �asə |�leʃ(ə)n/ noun a policy where a country refuses to join with other countries in treaties splinter groupsplinter group /�splntə �ru�p/ noun a small group which breaks away from a main political party, or other organisation spoils of warspoils of war /�spɔlz əv �wɔ�/ plu- ral noun the goods or valuables taken by an army from an enemy spoils systemspoils system /�spɔlz �sstəm/ noun in the USA, the way in which the senior civil servants and appoint- ments to the federal bureaucracy are temporary appointments made by the

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spoilt ballot paper 232 newly elected President (NOTE: The alternative system is the merit sys- tem, by which the majority of US civil servants are now appointed.) spoilt ballot paperspoilt ballot paper /�spɔlt �b�lət �pepə/ noun a voting form which has not been filled in correctly by the voter and therefore cannot be counted spokesman

spokesman /�spəυksmən/ noun a man who speaks in public on behalf of a group � A White House spokesman denied the news report. � A govern- ment spokesman in the House of Lords revealed that discussions had been concluded on the treaty. (NOTE: The plural is spokesmen.) spokespersonspokesperson /�spəυks |�p#�s(ə)n/ noun a person who speaks in public on behalf of a group spokeswoman

spokeswoman /�spəυks |�wυmən/ noun a woman who speaks in public on behalf of a group (NOTE: The plural is spokeswomen.) sponsorsponsor /�spɒnsə/ noun 1. a person or group such as a trade union which pays money towards the expenses of an MP or candidate 2. an MP who in- troduces a Bill in the House of Com- mons � verb 1. to support the expens- es of an MP or candidate � to sponsor an MP to pay part of the election ex- penses of an MP, and contribute to his or her local party’s funds. For this the MP is expected to represent the spon- sor’s interests in Parliament. 2. to pro- pose a Bill in the House of Commons sponsorshipsponsorship /�spɒnsəʃp/ noun the act of sponsoring � Sponsorship of two MPs cost the company several thousand pounds. spy

spy /spa/ noun a person who watch- es, listens or investigates secretly to get information about another country, or a rival organisation � Half the em- bassy staff are spies. � The govern- ment asked the military attaché to leave the country, as they had evi- dence that he was a spy. � verb 1. to watch, listen to, or investigate another country or rival organisation secretly to get information 2. to see � I spy strangers formerly, used by an MP

who wanted a debate to take place in private spyingspying /�spaŋ/ noun the action of a spy � She was sentenced to death for spying for the enemy. spymasterspymaster /�spamɑ�stə/ noun a man in charge of spies Square MileSquare Mile /�skweə �mal/ noun the City of London, the British finan- cial centre SSNSSN abbreviation Social Security Number SSPSSP abbreviation state second pen- sion StalinStalin /�stɑ�ln/, Joseph (1879– 1953) general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party (1922–53) and ruler of the former Soviet Union as a dicta- tor after 1930. He removed political opponents in a series of purges and causing nationwide famine with his collectivist agricultural policy. After World War II, he extended Soviet con- trol over most of Eastern Europe. StalinismStalinism /�stɑ�lnz(ə)m/ noun a political system based on the central- ised authority of the Communist party and an oppressive totalitarian state, as in the former Soviet Union under Sta- lin stalking horsestalking horse /�stɑ�kŋ �hɔ�s/ noun a candidate who stands election only to conceal the potential candida- cy of someone else, to divide the op- position, or to determine how strong the opposition is standstand /st�nd/ noun 1. a determined position on some issue � The govern- ment’s stand against racial prejudice. � The police chief criticised the coun- cil’s stand on law and order. 2. the po- sition of a member of Congress on a question, either for or against � verb 1. to offer yourself as a candidate in an election � He stood as a Liberal-Dem- ocrat candidate in the General Elec- tion. � He is standing against the present deputy leader in the leader- ship contest. � She was persuaded to stand for parliament. � He has stood for office several times, but has never been elected. (NOTE: The US term is

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233 state-controlled run.) 2. to exist or to be in a state � The House stands adjourned. � The report stood referred to the Finance Committee. standard of living

standard of living /�st�ndəd əv �lvŋ/ noun the quality of personal home life, measured by things such as the amount of food or clothes bought, or size of the family car standard rate

standard rate /�st�ndəd ret/ noun the basic rate of income tax which is paid by most taxpayers or ba- sic rate of Value Added Tax which is paid on most goods and services standards officer

standards officer /�st�ndədz �ɒfsə/ noun � trading standards of- ficer stand down

stand down /�st�nd �daυn/ verb to say you no longer wish to be consid- ered as a candidate in an election � The wife of one of the candidates is ill and he has stood down. Ständerat

Ständerat /�stendərɑ�t/ noun the States Council, the upper house of the legislature in Switzerland stand in for

stand in for /�st�nd �n fɔ�/ verb to take the place of someone � Mr Smith is standing in for the chairman who is away on holiday. standing

standing /�st�ndŋ/ adjective per- manent � noun reputation � the finan- cial standing of a company � stand- ing committee 1. permanent com- mittee which always examines the same problem 2. committee of Mem- bers of Parliament which examines in detail Bills which are not passed to other committees � � (all senses) ad hoc standing ordersstanding orders /�st�ndŋ �ɔ�dəz/ plural noun the rules governing the way in which a meeting or a debate in Parliament or a local council is run standing vote

standing vote /�st�ndŋ vəυt/ noun US a vote in the House of Rep- resentatives, where members stand up to be counted standstill agreement

standstill agreement /�st�ndstl ə |��ri�mənt/ noun an agreement that things should remain as they are, e.g. one between a creditor country and a

debtor country that needs extra time to repay its debt Star Chamber

Star Chamber /�stɑ� �tʃembə/ noun 1. a royal court which in the past tried cases without a jury 2. a cabinet committee which examines the spend- ing proposals of government depart- ments Star-spangled Banner

Star-spangled Banner /�stɑ� �sp�ŋ�ld �b�nə/ noun a national an- them of the USA. Compare Hail to the Chief START

START abbreviation Strategic Arms Reduction Talks state

state /stet/ noun 1. an independent country 2. the political system of a country represented by its government (NOTE: The state is the permanent embodiment of the political system. The members of the government hold the power of the state during their term in office.) � offence against the State an act of attacking the law- ful government of a country 3. a semi- independent section of a federal coun- try such as the USA 4. a condition � The Prime Minister is due to make a speech on the state of the economy. � In his state of the EU address, the President said that only by working together could the countries of the un- ion tackle the problem of unemploy- ment. � verb to say clearly � The doc- ument states that all revenue has to be declared to the tax office. state capital

state capital /�stet �k�pt(ə)l/ noun the main town in a state or prov- ince. Also called provincial capital state capitalism

state capitalism /�stet �k�pt(ə)lz(ə)m/ noun an economic system in which the state has control of capital and the means of production State Capitol

State Capitol /�stet �k�pt(ə)l/ noun the building in the main city of a state, where the state legislature meets State Chamber

State Chamber /�stet �tʃembə/ noun the lower house of the legisla- ture in Slovenia state-controlled

state-controlled /�stet kən| �trəυld/ adjective run by the state � state-controlled television

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State Council 234 State Council

State Council /�stet �kaυns(ə)l/ noun the upper house of the legisla- ture in Slovenia State DepartmentState Department /�stet d| �pɑ�tmənt/ noun the US government department dealing with relations be- tween the USA and other countries � See note at foreign State DumaState Duma /�stet �du�mə/ noun the lower house of the legislature in Russia State enterprise

State enterprise /�stet �entəpraz/ noun a company run by the state � The bosses of State indus- tries are appointed by the government. statehoodstatehood /�stethυd/ noun the sta- tus of a state in a federal union, espe- cially the United States � The states are listed in date of statehood. statehousestatehouse /�stethaυs/ noun a building in a US state capital in which its state legislature meets stateless personstateless person /�stetləs �p#�s(ə)n/ noun a person who is not a citizen of any state state line

state line /�stet �lan/ noun the of- ficial boundary between two US states statement

statement /�stetmənt/ noun 1. saying something clearly � to make a statement to the House (of a Mem- ber of Parliament) to tell the House of Commons that you have done some- thing wrong or to explain your actions to the House 2. a written document containing information state of emergencystate of emergency /�stet əv | �m#�d�ənsi/ noun a dangerous or dif- ficult situation such as a natural disas- ter, a war or a revolution, during which the government has to take special measures to control the country � the government declared a state of emergency the government decided that the situation was so dangerous that they had to take special measures to control the country State of the Union messageState of the Union message /stet əv ðə �ju�njən �mesd�/ noun an annual speech by the President of the USA which sums up the political situation in the country

State Opening of ParliamentState Opening of Parliament /�stet �əυp(ə)nŋ əv �pɑ�ləmənt/ noun the ceremony when the Queen opens a new session of Parliament and reads the Queen’s Speech which has been written for her by the govern- ment State-ownedState-owned /�stet �əυnd/ adjec- tive owned by the State state schoolstate school /�stet sku�l/ noun a school paid for with public money state second pensionstate second pension /�stet �sekənd �penʃən/ noun an additional pension paid by the government to supplement the basic state pension, based on an employee’s earnings and National Insurance contributions state secretstate secret /�stet �si�krət/ noun a piece of information that is supposed to be known only to authorised people States-GeneralStates-General /�stets �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the legislative body in the Netherlands, equivalent to Par- liament or Congress statesmanstatesman /�stetsmən/ noun an important and respected political lead- er or representative of a country � Sev- eral statesmen from Western countries are meeting to discuss defence prob- lems. (NOTE: The plural is states- men.) statesmanlikestatesmanlike /�stetsmənlak/ adjective wise and skilful, like a good political leader statesmanshipstatesmanship /�stetsmənʃp/ noun the ability of being a good polit- ical leader state socialismstate socialism /�stet �səυʃəlz(ə)m/ noun a system in which the state controls the major in- dustries and banks and plans econom- ic and social welfare for the benefit of all citizens States of the UnionStates of the Union /�stets əv ðə �ju�njən/ plural noun the states joined together to form the United States of America statespersonstatesperson /�stetsp#�s(ə)n/ noun a senior politician who plays an important role in government or inter- national affairs and is widely respect- ed for integrity

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235 stenographer states’ rightsstates’ rights /�stets �rats/ plural noun the powers and rights not grant- ed by the US Constitution to the feder- al government and not forbidden to the states by the Constitution state trooperstate trooper /�stet �tru�pə/ noun a member of the highway patrol police of a US state state visitstate visit /�stet �vzt/ noun a cer- emonial visit paid by a head of state to another country statism

statism /�stetz(ə)m/ noun the the- ory that economic and political power should be controlled by a central gov- ernment statisticsstatistics /stə|�tstks/ plural noun information shown in the form of numbers � She asked for the birth sta- tistics for 1992. � Council statistics show that the amount of rented prop- erty in the borough has increased. � Government trade statistics show that exports to the EU have fallen over the last six months. statusstatus /�stetəs/ noun 1. importance or position in society 2. the legal posi- tion of a country, a person or a group statute

statute /�st�tʃu�t/ noun an estab- lished written law, especially an Act of Parliament statute-barredstatute-barred /�st�tʃu�t �bɑ�d/ adjective a court case which cannot be brought because it is too long since the event in dispute occurred under the Statute of Limitations statute bookstatute book /�st�tʃu�t bυk/ noun all laws passed by Parliament which are still in force � The Act is still on the statute book, and has never been re- pealed. statutes at largestatutes at large /�st�tju�ts ət �lɑ�d�/ plural noun US a printed list of acts passed in each session of Con- gress statutorilystatutorily /�st�tʃυt(ə)rli/ adverb by act of parliament � a statutorily protected tenant a tenant protected by law statutory

statutory /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri/ adjective fixed by act of parliament � There is a statutory period of probation of thir-

teen weeks. � The authority has a stat- utory obligation to provide free edu- cation to all children. � Powers con- ferred on an authority by the statutory code. statutory books

statutory books /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri �bυks/ plural noun the official regis- ters which a company must keep, e.g. the register of shareholders and the minute books of board meetings statutory declaration

statutory declaration /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri �deklə |�reʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. a statement made to the Registrar of Companies that a company has com- plied with specific legal conditions 2. a declaration signed and witnessed for official purposes statutory duty

statutory duty /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri �dju�ti/ noun a duty which someone must perform and which is laid down by act of parliament statutory holiday

statutory holiday /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri �hɒlde/ noun a holiday which is fixed by act of parliament statutory instrument

statutory instrument /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri �nstrυmənt/ noun an order which has the force of law, made by a minister under powers granted by an Act of Parliament. Abbr SI statutory undertakers

statutory undertakers /�st�tʃυt(ə)ri ��ndə |�tekəz/ plural noun bodies formed by act of parlia- ment and having legal duties to pro- vide services such as gas, electricity, water stealth tax

stealth tax /�stelθ t�ks/ noun a new tax or tax increase that is introduced in a way that allows it to be relatively un- noticed by the public, or an additional charge that is effectively, though not officially, a tax steering committee

steering committee /�stərŋ kə| �mti/ noun a committee which works out the agenda for discussion by a main committee or conference, and so can influence the way the main com- mittee or conference works stenographer

stenographer /stə |�nɒ�rəfə/ noun an official person who can write in shorthand and so take records of what is said in Parliament or in court

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step down 236 step downstep down /�step �daυn/ verb to re- sign � He stepped down as Chair of the Finance Committee. step upstep up /�step ��p/ verb to increase � The government has stepped up its grants to small businesses. (NOTE: stepping – stepped) Stewardship of the Chiltern HundredsStewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds /�stju�ədʃp əv ðə �tʃltən �h�ndrədz/ noun a nominal government position, which disquali- fies a person from being a Member of Parliament (NOTE: If an MP wishes to resign, he or she is said to ’take the Chiltern Hundreds’ in order to do so) stipulatestipulate /�stpjυlet/ verb to state firmly that something particular must be done � The government stipulated that the applicants should take a means test. StormontStormont /�stɔ�mɒnt/ noun a large house in Belfast, where the Northern Ireland Assembly and executive meets StortingStorting /�stɔ�tŋ/ noun the legisla- tive body in Norway straight majoritystraight majority /�stret mə | �d�ɒrti/ noun more than half the votes. Also called overall majority straight ticketstraight ticket /�stret �tkt/ noun a vote for all the candidates put for- ward by a political party strangerstranger /�strend�ə/ noun a visitor to Parliament who is allowed into the public gallery or the press gallery to watch the debates. � private sitting

COMMENT: Formerly, an MP who want- ed a debate to take place in private could call out ‘I Spy Strangers’. Since 1998 the procedure has been re- placed by one based on the motion ‘that the House sit in private’.

strangers’ gallerystrangers’ gallery /�strendzəz ���ləri/ noun a gallery from which members of the public may observe the business of a legislature, especial- ly in the British House of Commons strategicstrategic /strə|�ti�d�k/ adjective based on a long-term plan of action strategic planningstrategic planning /strə|�ti�d�k �pl�nŋ/ noun planning for the future long-term work of a government or other organisation

strategy

strategy /�str�təd�i/ noun a long- term plan of action � The Opposition’s electoral strategy was to attack the government’s record on unemploy- ment. straw poll

straw poll /�strɔ� �pəυl/ noun an un- official vote or expression of opinion used to discover the likely result of an election or the trend of opinion regard- ing an issue � A straw poll among members of staff shows the govern- ment is in the lead. strike

strike /strak/ noun 1. a refusal by workers to work, as a protest 2. � to come out on strike, to go on strike to stop working, as a protest � the local government workers are on strike for higher pay � to take strike action to stop working, as a protest � strike bal- lot, strike vote a vote by employees to decide if a strike should be held � strike call a demand by a union for a strike � verb 1. to stop working, as a protest � to strike for higher wages or for shorter working hours � to strike in protest against bad working condi- tions 2. to remove a word from a text or a name from a list � to strike from the record to remove words from the written minutes of a meeting because they are incorrect or offensive � the chairman’s remarks were struck from the record � to strike out the last word US a way of getting permission of the chair to speak on a question, by moving that the last word of the amendment or section being discussed should be deleted strongman

strongman /�strɒŋm�n/ noun a powerful leader who rules by force STUC

STUC abbreviation Scottish Trades Union Congress stuff

stuff /st�f/ verb to put invalid ballot papers into a ballot box to affect the result of an election stump

stump /st�mp/ verb to campaign for election to a public office STV

STV abbreviation single transferable vote sub-

sub- /s�b/ prefix meaning less im- portant

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237 suburb sub-clause

sub-clause /�s�b �klɔ�z/ noun part of a section in a Bill being considered by Parliament subcommittee

subcommittee /�s�bkəmti/ noun a committee which is formed to advise a larger committee � The Schools Sub- committee makes recommendations to the Education Committee. subject

subject /�s�bd�kt/ noun 1. what something is concerned with � The subject of the report was poverty in the inner cities. 2. a person who is a citi- zen of a country, especially one with a king or queen � She is a British sub- ject. � British subjects do not need vi- sas to visit European Union countries. � adjective � subject peoples races ruled by another power subject to

subject to /s�b |�d�ekt tu�/ adjective 1. depending on � the contract is sub- ject to government approval the contract will be valid only if it is ap- proved by the government � subject to contract not legal until a contract has been signed � The sale is agreed, subject to contract. 2. under � verb to make someone suffer something � He was subjected to torture. � The MP subjected the committee to a boring list of figures. sub judice

sub judice /�s�b �d�u�dsi/ Latin phrase meaning ‘under the law’: be- ing considered by a court, and so not to be mentioned in the media or in Par- liament � The papers cannot report the case because it is still sub judice. submit

submit /səb |�mt/ verb to ask for something to be considered by a com- mittee or meeting � She submitted six planning applications to the commit- tee. subpoena

subpoena /sə |�pi�nə/ noun a court order telling someone to appear before a Parliamentary Committee or a court of law � verb to order someone to ap- pear before a parliamentary commit- tee or a court of law � She was subpoe- naed to appear before the Commons committee on Defence. subscribe

subscribe /səb|�skrab/ � to sub- scribe to something 1. to sign

something, showing that you agree to it 2. to support a policy or proposal sub-section

sub-section /�s�b �sekʃən/ noun a part of a section of a document such as an Act of Parliament � You will find the information in sub-section 3 of Section 47. subsidiarity

subsidiarity /səb |�sdi |��rti/ noun (in the EU) the principle that decisions should be taken at the lowest possible effective level subsidiary motion

subsidiary motion /səb |�sdiəri �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun a motion which is related to another motion, e.g. a mo- tion to adjourn discussion of the other motion subsidise

subsidise /�s�bsdaz/, subsidize verb to give money to an organisation to help it continue to work � The youth theatre is subsidised by the council. � The government has refused to subsi- dise the construction work. subsidy

subsidy /�s�bsdi/ noun money giv- en by a government to an organisation to help it continue to work � The club relies on council subsidies for its fi- nance. substantive

substantive /�s�bstəntv/ adjec- tive real or actual substantive motion

substantive motion /səb |�st�ntv �məυʃ(ə)n/ noun the main motion un- der discussion rather than a subsidiary one substitute

substitute /�s�bsttju�t/ noun 1. a person or thing which takes the place of someone or something else � The Mayor was ill so she sent the Deputy Mayor as substitute. 2. US a motion introduced in place of the business be- ing discussed, which has the effect of killing the original motion � verb to put in the place of something else � He proposed to amend the motion by de- leting the words ‘the Council’ in line three and substituting ‘the Council Officers’. � Please substitute ‘school’ for ‘college’ on page 4. suburb

suburb /�s�b#�b/ noun an area on the edge of a city or town, which is mainly used for houses and not shops or offices � a residential suburb

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subversion 238 subversionsubversion /səb |�v#�ʃ(ə)n/ noun se- cret acts intended to bring down a gov- ernment or political system � The gov- ernment stated that the power of the State was being undermined by enemy subversion. subversivesubversive /səb |�v#�sv/ adjective acting secretly to bring down a gov- ernment or political system � The po- lice are investigating subversive groups in the student organisations. � noun a person who acts secretly to bring down a government or political system � The police have arrested sev- eral known subversives. subvertsubvert /səb|�v#�t/ verb to act secret- ly to bring down a government or po- litical system � She was accused of trying to subvert the State. succeedsucceed /sək |�si�d/ verb to follow, especially to take the place of some- one who has retired or died � George V succeeded his father Edward VII. � Mrs Jones is expected to succeed Mr Smith as Chair. � to succeed to a title to become a peer by inheriting the title from someone who has died successionsuccession /sək |�seʃ(ə)n/ noun ac- quiring property or title from someone who has died succession statesuccession state /sək|�seʃ(ə)n stet/ noun a nation that was formerly part of another larger nation successorsuccessor /sək |�sesə/ noun a per- son who takes over from someone � Mr Smith’s successor as chairman will be Mr Jones. suffragesuffrage /�s�frd�/ noun the right to vote in elections suffragettesuffragette /�s�frə |�d�et/ noun a woman who campaigned for women to be given the right to vote in the ear- ly part of the 20th century suffragistsuffragist /�s�frəd�st/ noun a sup- porter of the right to vote being given to a particular group such as women or all people above a particular age suggestsuggest /sə |�d�est/ verb to put for- ward a proposal � The chairman sug- gested (that) the next meeting should be held in October. � We suggested Mr Smith for the post of treasurer.

suggestionsuggestion /sə |�d�estʃən/ noun a proposal or idea which is put forward � The Committee voted to accept the suggestion from the Secretary that meetings should start at 2.30 in future. sultansultan /�s�ltən/ noun an hereditary ruler of an Arab country SultanateSultanate /�s�ltənet/ noun an Arab country ruled by a sultan summitsummit /�s�mt/ noun 1. the top of a mountain 2. also summit confer- ence a meeting between heads of state, especially the heads of powerful states � The summit conference or summit meeting was held in Geneva. � The matter will be discussed at next week’s summit of the EU leaders. summiteersummiteer /�s�m |�tə/ noun some- one taking part in a summit confer- ence summitrysummitry /�s�mtri/ noun diploma- cy as carried on in summit meetings superintendentsuperintendent /�su�pərn | �tendənt/ noun in the United King- dom and Canada, a police officer of a rank above inspector, and in the Unit- ed States a police officer of high rank, especially the head of a police depart- ment superpowersuperpower /�su�pəpaυə/ noun a very large state, with great economic strength, large armed forces and great influence in world politics superpower diplomacysuperpower diplomacy /�su�pəpaυə d|�pləυməsi/ noun dis- cussions between the leaders of very powerful countries superstatesuperstate /�su�pəstet/ noun a very large powerful country, especial- ly one created by the union or federa- tion of a number of nations or states supplementalsupplemental /�s�pl |�mentəl/ ad- jective additional to something supplementary questionssupplementary questions /�s�pl |�ment(ə)ri �kwestʃ(ə)ns/ plu- ral noun questions asked by an MP or councillor after a main written ques- tion has been answered, used to try to catch a Minister or council committee chairman by surprise or to embarrass him or her. Also called supplemen- taries

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239 suspension supplysupply /sə |�pla/ noun 1. the amount of something which is available to be used 2. the stock of something which is needed � The factory is running short of supplies of coal. � Supplies of coal have been reduced. 3. the act of providing something Supply BillSupply Bill /sə|�pla bl/ noun a par- liamentary Bill voting tax to provide money for government use Supply DaysSupply Days /sə |�pla �dez/ plural noun days allocated in each session of Parliament for discussion of tax and other financial matters. Also called al- lotted days supportsupport /sə |�pɔ�t/ noun agreement or encouragement � The chairman has the support of the committee. � verb 1. to give money to help � The govern- ment is supporting the computer in- dustry to the tune of $2m per annum. � We hope the banks will support us dur- ing the expansion period. 2. to encour- age or to agree with � She hopes the other members of the committee will support her. � The electorate will not support another increase in income tax. supportersupporter /sə |�pɔ�tə/ noun a person who agrees with and encourages someone � Socialist supporters or supporters of the Socialist party were very pleased with the result. support pricesupport price /sə|�pɔ�t pras/ noun in the European Union, the price at which a government will buy farm produce to stop the price from falling suppresssuppress /sə|�pres/ verb to use vio- lent means to stop opposition to a gov- ernment or the publication of views which support opposition to a govern- ment � The peasants’ revolt was sup- pressed by the army. supranationalsupranational /�su�prə|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjective referring to an organisation which has power over national gov- ernments supremacysupremacy /sυ |�preməsi/ noun be- ing in an all-powerful position � the supremacy of Parliament the situa- tion of the British Parliament which can both pass and repeal laws

supremesupreme /sυ|�pri�m/ adjective most powerful or important Supreme CouncilSupreme Council /sυ|�pri�m �kaυns(ə)l/ noun the legislature in the Ukraine Supreme CourtSupreme Court /sυ|�pri�m �kɔ�t/ Supreme Court (of Judicature) the highest court in England and Wales, consisting of the Court of Appeal and the High Court of Justice � noun the highest federal court in the USA and other countries Supreme KengesSupreme Kenges noun the legis- lative body in Kazakhstan Supreme People’s AssemblySupreme People’s Assembly /sυ|�pri�m �pi�pəlz ə |�sembli/ noun the legislature in North Korea Supreme SovietSupreme Soviet /sυ|�pri�m �səυviət/ noun the legislative body of Tajikistan surgeon generalsurgeon general /�s#�d�ən �d�en(ə)rəl/ noun the chief public health officer of the United States, or the chief public health officer of some individual states (NOTE: The Surgeon General is roughly the equivalent of the UK Chief Medical Officer.) surrendersurrender /sə |�rendə/ verb 1. to give in to an enemy � The town surren- dered to the guerrilla forces. 2. to hand over something to someone � He surrendered his seal of office. survivesurvive /sə |�vav/ verb 1. to live longer than another person � He sur- vived his wife. � She is survived by her husband and three children. 2. to con- tinue to exist after something has hap- pened � The club will not survive all these changes. � The government sur- vived the vote of no confidence. suspensionsuspension /sə |�spenʃən/ noun 1. the act of stopping something for a time � suspension of a sitting 2. a pun- ishment by which someone has to leave a place for a time � the suspen- sion of an MP for unparliamentary behaviour (NOTE: When an MP is ‘named’ by the Speaker for doing something against the rules of the House, the House will vote to sus- pend him. Suspension is normally for five days, though it may be for longer

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Sussex Drive 240 if the MP is suspended twice in the same session of Parliament.) Sussex Drive

Sussex Drive /�s�sks �drav/ noun the address of the official resi- dence of the Prime Minister of Canada suzerain

suzerain /�su�zərən/ noun a ruler or nation that controls a dependent na- tion’s international affairs but allows it to control its internal affairs swear

swear /sweə/ verb to promise that what you will say will be the truth � She swore to tell the truth. � ‘I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’ the words used when a witness takes the oath in court swear in

swear in /�sweə �n/ verb to make someone formally promise specific things before taking up a position � He was sworn in as a Privy Councillor. swearing-in

swearing-in /�sweərŋ �n/ noun an act of making someone formally promise specific things before taking up a position � Five hundred guests at- tended the swearing-in of the Presi- dent. swing

swing /swŋ/ noun a percentage change in votes from one election to another � A 10% swing away from the government or to the Opposition. � He needs a 5% swing to recapture the seat which he lost at the last election.

swinging voterswinging voter /�swŋŋ �vəυtə/ noun ANZ same as floating voter swing voterswing voter /swŋ �vəυtə/ noun US a person who does not vote for the same political party on all occasions, or whose voting behaviour is unpre- dictable SWPSWP abbreviation Socialist Workers Party sympathisersympathiser /�smpəθazə/ noun a person who agrees in general with the policies of a political party, without being a party member � The govern- ment is formed of communists and communist sympathisers. syndicsyndic /�sndk/ noun in some Euro- pean countries, a government official, especially a civil magistrate syndicalismsyndicalism /�sndkəlz(ə)m/ noun a type of socialism, where prop- erty and control of industry is in the hands of the trade unions in each in- dustry syndicatesyndicate /�sndkət/ noun in some European countries, the office of a government official, especially a civil magistrate systemsystem /�sstəm/ noun 1. the ar- rangement or organisation of things which work together � The British le- gal system has been taken as the standard for many other legal systems. 2. a particular way of doing things

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T tabletable /�teb(ə)l/ noun 1. a piece of furniture for sitting at 2. the long table in the centre of the House of Com- mons between the two front benches. The Serjeant at Arms places the mace on the table when the business of the House begins. The two despatch box- es which the main speakers from ei- ther party talk across are also on the table. 3. � to let a bill lie on the table US not to proceed with discussion of a bill, but to hold it over to be debated later 4. a list of numbers or facts set out in a list � verb to put written infor- mation on the table before or during a meeting, making them available to everyone at the meeting � The report of the finance committee was tabled. � to lay a bill on the table US 1. to present a bill to the House of Com- mons for discussion 2. to kill debate on a bill in the House of Representa- tives tacticaltactical /�t�ktk(ə)l/ adjective done as part of a short-term plan to try to achieve success tactical votingtactical voting /�t�ktk(ə)l �vəυtŋ/ noun a way of voting, which aims not at voting for the candidate you want to win, but at voting in such a way as to prevent the candidate whom you do not want to win from being elected (NOTE: In a case where the three candidates A, B and C, have 47%, 33% and 20% of the vote according to an opinion poll, C’s sup- porters might all vote for B, to pre- vent A winning.) take outtake out /�tek �aυt/ verb to remove take overtake over /�tek �əυvə/ verb 1. to take control of something such as a factory or organisation � During the uprising, the rebels took over the Post

Office and radio station. � The party has been taken over by an activist group. 2. to start to do a job in place of someone else � The new leader of the party takes over on May 1st. � Ambas- sador Brown took over from Ambassa- dor Green last April. 3. to replace something Taliban

Taliban /�t�lb�n/ plural noun a strict Islamic group that ruled Afghan- istan from 1996 until 2001 talk

talk /tɔ�k/ plural noun formal discus- sions between two or more groups to bring about agreement on an issue talking shop

talking shop /�tɔ�kŋ ʃɒp/ noun a place where people talk, but not much action takes place � The Council Chamber is just a talking shop. talk out

talk out /�tɔ�k �aυt/ verb to go on talking in a debate, so that the time runs out before the vote can be taken � The bill was talked out and so fell. Tammany Hall

Tammany Hall /�t�məni �hɔ�l/ noun the very powerful Democratic Party Committee in New York Tammany Hall politics

Tammany Hall politics /�t�məni �hɔ�l �pɒltks/ noun the use of brib- ery and violence to achieve political control especially in a big city, so- called after the Tammany Hall Society in late 19th century and early 20th century in New York Tánaiste

Tánaiste noun the Deputy Prime Minister in the Republic of Ireland Taoiseach

Taoiseach /�ti�ʃək/ noun the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland targettarget /�tɑ��t/ verb to aim an attack or criticism at somebody or something � The terrorists targeted military and political figures. � The advertising campaign is targeting floating voters.

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tariff 242 tariff

tariff /�t�rf/ noun a tax on goods brought into or taken out of a country task force

task force /�tɑ�sk fɔ�s/ noun 1. a group organised for a special purpose � a government task force on inner- city problems 2. in the European Un- ion, a group which organises work af- fecting more than one Directorate- General tax

tax /t�ks/ noun 1. money taken by the government or by an official body to pay for government services � ex- cess profits tax a tax on profits which are higher than what is thought to be normal 2. � basic rate tax the lowest rate of income tax � to levy a tax, to impose a tax to make a tax payable � the government has imposed a 15% tax on petrol � to lift a tax to remove a tax � tax allowances, allowances against tax part of one’s income which a person is allowed to earn and not pay tax on � verb to make some- one pay a tax or to put a tax on some- thing � to tax businesses at 50% � in- come is taxed at 27% � These items are heavily taxed. � tax deductions US 1. money removed from a salary to pay tax 2. business expenses which can be claimed against tax � tax ex- emption US 1. being free from pay- ment of tax 2. the part of income which a person is allowed to earn and not pay tax on taxable

taxable /�t�ksəb(ə)l/ adjective pos- sible to tax � taxable items items on which a tax has to be paid � taxable income income on which a person has to pay tax taxation

taxation /t�k |�seʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of taxing tax avoidance

tax avoidance /�t�ks ə |�vɔd(ə)ns/ noun trying legally to reduce the amount of tax to be paid tax code

tax code /�t�ks kəυd/ noun a number given to someone to show the amount of income tax he or she must pay tax concession

tax concession /�t�ks kən | �seʃ(ə)n/ noun allowing less tax to be paid

tax-deductibletax-deductible /�t�ks d | �d�ktb(ə)l/ adjective money deduct- ed from the amount of income tax someone has to pay for some reason tax deductionstax deductions /�t�ks d | �d�kʃənz/ US money removed from a salary to pay tax tax-exempttax-exempt /�t�ks � |�zempt/ ad- jective not subject to tax tax-freetax-free /�t�ks �fri�/ adjective on which tax does not have to be paid taxing officertaxing officer /�t�ksŋ �ɒfsə/ noun a person appointed by the House of Commons to assess the charges made by a Parliamentary agent tax inspectortax inspector /�t�ks n |�spektə/ noun an official whose job is to assess the amount of tax that should be paid by a person or organisation and make sure the tax is paid. Also called in- spector of taxes taxpayertaxpayer /�t�kspeə/ noun a person or company which has to pay tax � ba- sic taxpayer or taxpayer at the basic rate � corporate taxpayers tax pointtax point /�t�ks pɔnt/ noun 1. the time when goods are supplied and when a tax such as Value Added Tax may be charged 2. the time at which a tax begins to be applied tax returntax return /�t�ks r|�t#�n/ noun a completed tax form, with details of in- come and allowances. Also called tax declaration tax schedulestax schedules /�t�ks �ʃedju�lz/ plural noun the six types of income as classified in the Finance Acts for Brit- ish tax tax yeartax year /�t�ks �jə/ noun the twelve month period on which taxes are cal- culated. In the UK this is 6th April to 5th April of the following year. TDTD abbreviation Teachta Dala Teachta DalaTeachta Dala /�t�xtə �d�lə/ noun a member of the Irish Dail technicaltechnical /�teknk(ə)l/ adjective re- ferring to a small point of procedure or of law � The motion was rejected on a technical point. technicalitytechnicality /�tekn|�k�lti/ noun a small detail in the law, especially one

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243 territory which seems unfair � The Appeal Court rejected the appeal on a techni- cality. technocrattechnocrat /�teknəkr�t/ noun an expert in engineering or science who has political or industrial power teller

teller /�telə/ noun 1. a member who counts the votes in the House of Com- mons or House of Representatives 2. a worker in a bank

COMMENT: When a division is called in the House of Commons, the Speaker appoints four MPs as tellers, two for the motion and two against. They do not vote, but check the other MPs as they pass through the division lobbies.

temtem /tem/ � pro tempore temporaltemporal /�temp(ə)rəl/ � Lords tendency

tendency /�tendənsi/ noun a group within a political party which tries to push the party in a particular direction politically but which still remains fun- damentally loyal to the party (NOTE: A faction may try to break away from a political party, while a tendency will avoid pushing its opposition to oth- ers in the party too far.) tendertender /�tendə/ noun a document of- fering to do work or supply goods at a certain specified cost � verb to make an offer in the form of a tender tenderertenderer /�tendərə/ noun a person or company which tenders for work � The company was the successful ten- derer for the project. 10 Downing Street

10 Downing Street /�ten �daυnŋ �stri�t/ noun the house of the Prime Minister, where the Cabinet meets and which is the centre of the executive branch of the British government Ten Minute RuleTen Minute Rule /ten �mnt ru�l/ noun a standing order in the House of Commons, where an ordinary MP can introduce a Bill with a short speech � The Bill was proposed under the Ten Minute Rule. tensetense /tens/ adjective a potentially dangerous situation � The situation in the area is still tense. � As the situa- tion became more tense, the Defence Department sent troops to nearby bas- es.

tension

tension /�tenʃən/ noun a period when relations between states are dif- ficult and they may take action against each other � The Security Council res- olution is aimed at reducing tension in the area. � The attack on the ship in- creased tension in the area. � The de- bate in council showed the tension be- tween the two factions. term

term /t#�m/ noun 1. a period of time � the term of a lease � to have a loan for a term of fifteen years � during her term of office as manager � The term of the loan is fifteen years. � medium- term for a period of one or two years 2. the length of a Parliament before new elections are called � The autumn or winter term starts in September. 3. part of a university or college or school year term limits

term limits /t#�m �lmts/ noun in the USA, a restriction on the number of times an elected official can hold office (NOTE: The US President is re- stricted to two terms, but efforts to impose term limits on other federal politicians have failed.) territorial

territorial /�ter|�tɔ�riəl/ adjective referring to land � territorial claims claims to own land which is part of an- other country � territorial waters sea water near the coast of a country, which is part of the country and gov- erned by the laws of that country � outside territorial waters in interna- tional waters, where a single country’s jurisdiction does not run territorialise

territorialise /�ter|�tɔ�riəlaz/ verb to increase the size of a country by adding a territory or territories to it territorialism

territorialism /ter|�tɔ�riəlzm/ noun a social system in which land- owners have most control territorial waters

territorial waters /�tertɔ�riəl �wɔ�təz/ plural noun the area of sea around a country’s coast that is under the control of that country territory

territory /�tert(ə)ri/ noun an area of land ruled by a government � Their government has laid claim to part of our territory.

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terror 244 terror

terror /�terə/ � Reign of Terror 1. a period of repression and violence, when people live in a continual state of fear 2. the period during the French Revolution when the Jacobins under Robespierre were all-powerful (1793– 94) terrorismterrorism /�terərz(ə)m/ noun the use of acts of public violence to achieve political change terroristterrorist /�terərst/ adjective, noun trying to achieve political change by acts of public violence � The govern- ment has had to face a series of terror- ist attacks on post offices and police stations. � Three terrorists seized the Minister and held him hostage. test ban

test ban /�test b�n/ noun an agree- ment between countries to stop testing some or all nuclear weapons test rolltest roll /�test rəυl/ noun a book in which each MP signs his or her name after taking the oath at the beginning of a new Parliament textbooktextbook /�tekstbυk/ noun a book which is used for studying thalassocracy

thalassocracy /�θ�lə |�sɒkrəsi/ noun naval or commercial supremacy over a large area of sea ThatcherThatcher /�θ�tʃə/, Margaret, Bar- oness Thatcher of Kesteven (b. 1925) the first woman prime minister of Great Britain (1979–90) Thatcherism

Thatcherism /�θ�tʃərz(ə)m/ noun the political policies and style of gov- ernment of Margaret Thatcher, includ- ing privatisation, monetarism and lack of support for trade unions there-there- /ðeə/ prefix that thing (NOTE: The following words formed from there- are frequently used in govern- ment and legal documents.) thereafterthereafter /ðeər |�ɑ�ftə/ adverb after that therefor

therefor /ðeə |�fɔ�/ adverb for that thereforetherefore /�ðeəfɔ�/ adverb as a re- sult of that therefrom

therefrom /ðeə |�fr�m/ adverb from that therein

therein /ðeər |�n/ adverb in that

thereinafterthereinafter /�ðeərn |�ɑ�ftə/ adverb afterwards mentioned in that docu- ment thereinbeforethereinbefore /�ðeərnb|�fɔ�/ ad- verb before mentioned in that docu- ment thereinunderthereinunder /�ðeərn |��ndə/ ad- verb mentioned under that heading thereofthereof /ðeər|�ɒv/ adverb of that theretothereto /ðeə|�tu�/ adverb to that theretoforetheretofore /�ðeətυ|�fɔ�/ adverb be- fore that time therewiththerewith /ðeə |�wð/ adverb with that think tankthink tank /�θŋk t�ŋk/ noun a group of experts, academics and poli- ticians who discuss important politi- cal, economic and social problems and suggest how they should be solved. Their suggestions are some- times adopted by government, which may set up similar groups of its own. � Professor Smith is a member of the government’s economic think tank. third estatethird estate /�θ#�d  |�stet/ noun the common people third forcethird force /�θ#�d �fɔ�s/ noun a group that acts to bring two opposing political groups or parties together third partythird party /�θ#�d �pɑ�ti/ noun 1. any person other than the two main parties involved in a contract or some business 2. (in a two-party system) another political party, beside the main two

COMMENT: In UK the third party is the Liberal Democratic Party, although in Scotland this role is sometimes chal- lenged by the Scottish National Party. In the USA any small party apart from the Republican or Democratic Parties is called a third party.

Third ReadingThird Reading /�θ#�d �ri�dŋ/ noun the final discussion and vote on a Bill in Parliament Third ReichThird Reich /�θ#�d �rax/ noun the Nazi regime in Germany between 1933 and 1945 Third RepublicThird Republic /�θ#�d r|�p�blk/ noun the French system of govern- ment set up after Napoleon III’s reign, lasting until 1940

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245 town council Third Way

Third Way /�θ#�d �we/ noun a polit- ical policy that is neither Socialist nor Conservative, but combines aspects of free-market capitalism with egalitari- an social aims Third World

Third World /�θ#�d �w#�ld/ noun a way of referring to developing coun- tries in Africa, Asia and Latin Ameri- ca. � Fourth World (NOTE: This de- scription was relevant when there was a ’free’ world led by America and a communist world led by Rus- sia, but is now less useful since the fall of communism. It is also consid- ered offensive by some.) three line whip

three line whip /�θri� lan �wp/ noun strict instructions to the MPs in each political party to attend parlia- ment and vote on a particular bill as their party whips tell them. This is done by underlining the matter three times on a piece of paper or ’whip’ which is given to each MP in the party. throne

throne /θrəυn/ noun a special chair for a king or queen throw out

throw out /�θrəυ �aυt/ verb 1. to re- ject a proposal or refuse to accept it � The proposal was thrown out by the planning committee. � The board threw out the draft contract submitted by the union. 2. to get rid of something � We threw out the old telephones and put in a computerised system. � The AGM threw out the old board of direc- tors. (NOTE: throwing – threw – has thrown) ticket

ticket /�tkt/ noun US a party’s list of candidates for election to political office � He ran for governor on the Republican ticket. title

title /�tat(ə)l/ noun 1. the right to hold goods or property � She has no ti- tle to the property. 2. a document proving a right to hold a property � She has a good title to the property. 3. a name given to a person in a job � He has the title ‘Chief Executive’. 4. a name given to someone to show that they have received an honour or are a member of the nobility � He inherited his title from his uncle. 5. the name of a bill which comes before Parliament

or name of an Act of Parliament � short title the usual title of an Act of Parliament titled

titled /�tat(ə)ld/ adjective referring to a person with a title titular

titular /�ttjυlə/ adjective holding a title � He is the titular head of state. tokenism

tokenism /�təυkənz(ə)m/ noun ap- pointing a woman or someone from a minority group to a job just to avoid being criticised for being prejudiced topple

topple /�tɒp(ə)l/ verb to bring down or to make a government lose power or a person lose his or her position � The scandal toppled the minister. � The smaller parties voted together and succeeded in toppling the govern- ment. Tory

Tory /�tɔ�ri/ adjective referring to a Conservative Party � noun a member or supporter of a Conservative Party (NOTE: used of the British Conserva- tive Party, but also of other Conserv- atives, as in Canada) totalitarian

totalitarian /təυ |�t�l|�teəriən/ ad- jective (often as criticism) having to- tal power and not allowing any oppo- sition or any personal freedom � a to- talitarian state � the totalitarian regime of the junta totalitarianism

totalitarianism /təυ |�t�l| �teəriənz(ə)m/ noun (usually as crit- icism) a political system in which the state has total power over the citizens � Many extreme right-wing or left- wing governments have been accused of practising totalitarianism. town

town /taυn/ noun a place where peo- ple live and work, with houses and other buildings Town Clerk

Town Clerk /�taυn �klɑ�k/ noun the term used in the past for the most im- portant permanent official of the ad- ministration of a town, working under the instructions of the town council. The official is now usually referred to as the Chief Executive. town council

town council /�taυn �kaυnsəl/ noun the representatives elected to run a town

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town councillor 246 town councillortown councillor /�taυn �kaυns(ə)lə/ noun a member of a town council townshiptownship /�taυnʃp/ noun 1. (in North America) a small town which is a local government centre 2. (in South Africa) a town outside the main urban areas townspeopletownspeople /�taυnzpi�p(ə)l/, townsfolk noun people who live in a town town-twinningtown-twinning /�taυn �twnŋ/ noun � twinning TPVTPV abbreviation Temporary Protec- tion Visa tradetrade /tred/ noun the business of buying and selling � export trade, import trade the business of selling to other countries or buying from oth- er countries � verb to buy and sell or to carry on a business � to trade with another country � to trade on the Stock Exchange � The company has stopped trading. � He trades under the name or as ‘Eeziphitt’. trade agreementtrade agreement /�tred ə | ��ri�mənt/ noun an international agreement between countries over trade trade deficittrade deficit /�tred �defst/ noun the amount by which a country im- ports more goods than it exports Trade Descriptions ActTrade Descriptions Act /�tred d| �skrpʃənz �kt/ noun an Act of Par- liament which limits the way in which goods can be described so as to protect consumers from buying goods which have been given false descriptions trademarktrademark /�tredmɑ�k/, trade mark /tred mɑ�k/, trade name /�tred nem/ noun a particular name, design or symbol which a company or maker uses for its product, has been registered by the maker, and which cannot be used by anyone else � You cannot call your beds ‘Softn’kumfi’ – it is a registered trademark. Trades Union CongressTrades Union Congress /�tredz �ju�njən �kɒŋ�res/ noun the central organisation for all British trade un- ions. Abbr TUC (NOTE: Although Trades Union Congress is the offi-

cial name for the organisation, trade union is more common than trades union.) trade uniontrade union /�tred �ju�njən/, trades union /�tredz �ju�njən/ noun an organisation which represents workers who are its members in dis- cussions with management about pay and conditions of work. Also called trades union. US term labor union trade unionist

trade unionist /�tred �ju�njənst/, trades unionist noun a member of a trade union Trading Standards Department

Trading Standards Department /�tredŋ �st�ndədz d|�pɑ�tmənt/ noun a department of a council which deals with weighing and measuring equipment used by shops, and other consumer matters trading standards officer

trading standards officer /�tredŋ �st�ndədz �ɒfsə/ noun the official in charge of a council’s Trad- ing Standards Department traitor

traitor /�tretə/ noun a person who betrays his or her country, especially by giving secret information to the en- emy transact

transact /tr�n |�z�kt/ verb to do business with someone transaction

transaction /tr�n |�z�kʃən/ noun 1. a piece of business done between companies or people 2. the process of doing something transcript

transcript /�tr�nskrpt/ noun a written record of a spoken discussion or debate � The Committee’s report gives a full transcript of the evidence presented to it. � Transcripts of cases are available in the Supreme Court Li- brary. transferable vote

transferable vote /tr�ns | �f#�rəb(ə)l vəυt/ noun a vote that will be given to a voter’s second choice if the first-choice candidate receives too few votes to continue in the selection process transitional periodtransitional period /tr�n | �zʃ(ə)nəl �pəriəd/ noun the period during which new Member States of the European Union are allowed to in- troduce EU laws gradually, because

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247 triarchy introducing them immediately might cause difficulties transnationaltransnational /tr�nz|�n�ʃ(ə)nəl/ adjective going beyond the borders of one state transparencytransparency /tr�ns|�p�rənsi/ noun an open and honest way of act- ing when making decisions, e.g. being open to the public about the actions of government or the European Union treasontreason /�tri�z(ə)n/ noun the crime of betraying one’s country, usually by helping the enemy in time of war � She was accused of treason. � Three men were executed for treason. � The treason trial lasted three weeks. treasonabletreasonable /�tri�z(ə)nəb(ə)l/ ad- jective considered as treason � He was accused of making treasonable re- marks. TreasurerTreasurer /�tre�ərə/ noun the fi- nance minister in the US federal gov- ernment and in each of the state gov- ernments treasurer’s reporttreasurer’s report /�tre�ərəz r | �pɔ�t/ noun a document from the treasurer of an organisation to explain the financial state of the organisation to its members TreasuryTreasury /�tre�əri/ noun the gov- ernment department which deals with the country’s finances � Secretary to the Treasury, Treasury Secretary US the member of the government in charge of finance

COMMENT: In most countries, the gov- ernment’s finances are the responsi- bility of the Ministry of Finance, head- ed by the Finance Minister. In the UK, the Treasury is headed by the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer.

Treasury BenchTreasury Bench /�tre�əri bentʃ/ noun the front bench in the House of Commons where the government min- isters sit Treasury Bill

Treasury Bill /�tre�əri bl/ noun a bill of exchange which does not give any interest and is sold by the govern- ment at a discount treasury bonds

treasury bonds /�tre�əri bɒndz/ plural noun the documents given to people who lend money to the govern-

ment of the USA, which promise re- payment and interest on certain dates Treasury counselTreasury counsel /�tre�əri �kaυnsəl/ noun a lawyer who works in the Central Criminal Court on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions Treasury SolicitorTreasury Solicitor /�tre�əri sə| �lstə/ noun in England, the lawyer who is head of the government’s legal department treatytreaty /�tri�ti/ noun 1. a written legal agreement between countries � The treaty was signed but never ratified. � The minister negotiated a commercial treaty or a cultural treaty with the French. 2. an agreement between indi- vidual persons Treaty of AccessionTreaty of Accession /�tri�ti əv ək| �seʃn/ noun the treaty by which a new Member State joins the European Un- ion, e.g. the treaty by which the UK joined the European Community in 1973 Treaty of MaastrichtTreaty of Maastricht /�tri�ti əv �mɑ�strxt/ noun the treaty which es- tablished the European Union in 1993 on the basis of the European Econom- ic Community set up in 1957. Also called Treaty on European Union Treaty of ParisTreaty of Paris /�tri�ti əv �p�rs/ noun the treaty which established the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 Treaty of RomeTreaty of Rome /�tri�ti əv �rəυm/ noun the treaty which established the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Com- munity in 1957, and which is the basis of the European Union established in 1993. � Maastricht Treaty trendtrend /trend/ noun the general way things are going � a downward trend in inflation � There is a trend away from old-fashioned party politics. � The report points to upwards trends in reported cases of international terror- ism. TRHTRH abbreviation Their Royal High- nesses triarchytriarchy /�traɑ�ki/ noun govern- ment by three people or by three insti- tutions

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tribunal 248 tribunaltribunal /tra |�bju�n(ə)l/ noun 1. a court, especially a specialist court out- side the judicial system which exam- ines special problems and makes judg- ments 2. a court set up, under English law, by the British government to judge or investigate a specific matter Tribune groupTribune group /�trbju�n �ru�p/ noun a group of Labour MPs who support left-wing policies tributetribute /�trbju�t/ noun a payment made by one ruler or state to another more powerful one tricolourtricolour /�tre�əri bɒnd/ noun a flag with three bands of colours like the French flag trilateraltrilateral /tra|�l�t(ə)rəl/ adjective involving three states � trilateral ne- gotiations trilateralismtrilateralism /tra |�l�t(ə)rəlz(ə)m/ noun relations or discussions between three nations, areas or groups TrimbleTrimble /�trmb(ə)l/, David (b. 1944) leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (1995–), he had an important role in the peace negotiations that led to the Good Friday peace agreement in Northern Ireland (1998), for which he shared the Nobel Peace Prize (1998). He was first minister of the Northern Irish Assembly (1999–2002) until its suspension. tripartismtripartism /tra|�pɑ�tz(ə)m/ noun division into three groups tripartitetripartite /tra|�pɑ�tat/ adjective formed of three groups or political parties triplicatetriplicate /�trplkət/ noun a docu- ment with three copies triumviratetriumvirate /�tr|��mvrət/ noun a group of three men, especially three leaders running a country together troikatroika /�trɔkə/ noun 1. a group of three leaders running a country or a party (NOTE: It was originally used with reference to Russia, but now used for three leaders in any coun- try.) 2. in the European Union, a three- member group consisting of the coun- try which is the current president, to- gether with the previous president and the next one (EU)

trooper

trooper /�tru�pə/ noun a member of a mounted police unit Trotskyism

Trotskyism /�trɒtskiz(ə)m/ noun a communist political theory opposed to Lenin and Stalin’s belief in a strong, centralised Russian Communist Party, but in favour of continuous world rev- olution to prevent power being taken away from the people Trotskyite

Trotskyite /�trɒtskiat/ noun a per- son who supports the ideas of Trotsky- ism (NOTE: also informally called a Trot) trouble

trouble /�tr�b(ə)l/ noun � troubles riots or disturbances trust

trust /tr�st/ verb to believe that someone will do something they have promised trustee

trustee /tr� |�sti�/ noun 1. a person who has charge of money or property in trust or a person who is responsible for a family trust � the trustees of the pension fund 2. a country appointed by the United Nations to administer another country trusteeship

trusteeship /tr� |�sti�ʃp/ noun the position of being a trustee � The terri- tory is under United Nations trustee- ship. tsarism

tsarism /�sɑ�rz(ə)m/ noun govern- ment by an emperor who has absolute power TUC

TUC abbreviation Trades Union Congress turncoat

turncoat /�t#�nkəυt/ noun someone who abandons or betrays a group or cause and joins its opponents turn down

turn down /�t#�n �daυn/ verb to refuse � The Speaker turned down the Opposition’s request for an emergen- cy debate. � The bank turned down their request for a loan. � The applica- tion for a licence was turned down. turn out

turn out /�t#�n �aυt/ verb 1. to go to vote � Voters turned out in thousands to vote for their sitting MP. 2. to throw out a government � The ruling party was turned out in the election. � Vote for the Opposition and help to turn the government out!

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249 tzarism turnout

turnout /�t#�naυt/ noun the number of people who vote in an election as a proportion of those who are qualified to vote but do not do so � There was a very low turnout (only 26%) at the municipal elections. � In general elec- tions, the turnout is usually higher than in local elections. � We can ex- pect a very high turnout in this constit- uency. turnover

turnover /�t#�nəυvə/ noun the total amount of money a business receives for selling its goods or services in a year Tweede Kamer

Tweede Kamer noun the lower house of the States-General in the Netherlands twin

twin /twn/ verb to make a special ar- rangement between a town in one country and one of similar size or sit- uation in another, involving visits be- tween the two places twinning

twinning /�twnŋ/ noun a special arrangement between a town in one country and one of similar size or sit- uation in another country involving visits between the two places � The district council’s town-twinning com-

mittee decided that Epping should be twinned with Eppingen in Germany. two-party systemtwo-party system /�tu� �pɑ�ti �sstəm/ noun the political system in many countries where there are only two large political parties, with the re- sult that any smaller party finds it im- possible to get enough votes to form a government tyrannicaltyrannical /t |�r�nk(ə)l/, tyran- nous adjective cruel and unjust � The people rose up against the tyrannical dictator. tyrannise

tyrannise /�trənaz/ verb to govern a people or community with extreme cruelty and harshness tyrannytyranny /�trəni/ noun 1. (usually as criticism) the use of force and fear to rule a country � To arrest so many stu- dents on minor charges was an act of tyranny. 2. (usually as criticism) a government system which uses force and fear to rule tyranttyrant /�tarənt/ noun a ruler who rules by force and fear (used as criti- cism) tzarism

tzarism /�sɑ�rz(ə)m/ noun another spelling of tsarism

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U UDAUDA abbreviation Ulster Defence Association UDIUDI abbreviation Unilateral Declara- tion of Independence UDRUDR abbreviation Ulster Defence Regiment UKUK abbreviation United Kingdom UKIPUKIP /�ju�kp/ abbreviation United Kingdom Independence Party Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist Party /��lstə �ju�njənst �pɑ�ti/ noun the largest and most moderate of the Northern Ireland parties committed to the main- tenance of the union with the UK. Also called Official Unionist Party ultraultra /��ltrə/ noun a person who holds extreme political views, espe- cially extreme conservative views ultranationalismultranationalism /��ltrə |�n�ʃ(ə)nə | �lz(ə)m/ noun extreme nationalism ultrapatriotultrapatriot /��ltrə |�p�triət/ noun someone who is extremely or exces- sively patriotic ultraroyalistultraroyalist /��ltrə |�rɔəlst/ noun someone who is a very strong support- er of royalism ultra viresultra vires /��ltrə �vari�z/ Latin phrase meaning ‘beyond its powers’ Uluk KeneshUluk Kenesh noun the legislative body in Kyrgyzstan UNUN abbreviation United Nations unalignedunaligned /��nə|�land/ adjective not associated with any major world power or any political party un-Americanun-American /��nə |�lan/ adjective disloyal to the United States unanimityunanimity /�ju�nə|�nmti/ noun be- ing completely in agreement unanimousunanimous /ju� |�n�nməs/ adjec- tive where everyone votes in the same way � There was a unanimous vote

against the proposal. � They reached unanimous agreement. unanimous consentunanimous consent /ju� | �n�nməs kən |�sent/ noun the agree- ment to a motion in Congress without a vote because everyone agrees unanimouslyunanimously /ju� |�n�mməsli/ ad- verb with everyone agreeing � The proposals were adopted unanimously. � The House voted unanimously to condemn the action by the rebels. unavoidablyunavoidably /��nə |�vɔdəbli/ ad- verb in a way which cannot be avoid- ed � The hearing was unavoidably de- layed. Uncle SamUncle Sam /��ŋk(ə)l �s�m/ noun a personification of the government of the United States, shown as a tall thin white man with a white beard, wear- ing red and white striped trousers, a blue tail coat, and a stovepipe hat with a band of stars unconstitutionalunconstitutional /��nkɒnst | �tju�ʃ(ə)n(ə)l/ adjective not allowed by the rules or laws of a country or or- ganisation � The chairman ruled that the meeting was unconstitutional. � The Appeal Court ruled that the ac- tion of the Attorney-General was un- constitutional. uncontesteduncontested /��nkən |�testd/ ad- jective not opposed or defended � He was elected Secretary in an uncontest- ed election. uncontroversialuncontroversial /�nkɒntrə |�v#�ʃl/ adjective not causing disagreement undemocraticundemocratic /��ndemə |�kr�tk/ adjective not democratic � Everyone must agree that the first-past-the-post system is undemocratic, because a candidate can be elected who has only a minority of the votes cast.

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251 UNICEF underunder /��ndə/ preposition 1. lower than or less than � The interest rate is under 10%. � Under 20% of MPs vot- ed in the division. � Children under the age of 18 cannot vote. 2. control- led by or according to � regulations under the Police Act � Under the terms of the agreement, the goods should be delivered in October. � She does not qualify under section 2 of the 1979 Act. undercover agentundercover agent /��ndək�və �ed�ənt/ noun a spy or policeman working in secret undermentionedundermentioned /��ndə | �menʃ(ə)nd/ adjective mentioned lower down in a document underrepresentunderrepresent /��ndərepr|�zent/ verb to give fewer elected representa- tives to the members of a group or people in an area than they ought to have � Women are underrepresented in the House of Commons. � The present system tends to underrepre- sent minority parties. undersecretaryundersecretary /��ndə | �sekrt(ə)ri/ noun 1. a secretary who ranks just below a chief secretary in a government or organisation 2. a gov- ernment minister who works for the secretary of state of a government de- partment undersheriffundersheriff /��ndə |�ʃerf/ noun a person who is second to a High Sheriff undesirable alienundesirable alien /��ndzarəb(ə)l �eliən/ noun a per- son who is not a citizen of a country, and who the government considers should not be allowed to stay in that country � She was declared an unde- sirable alien and deported. undischarged bankruptundischarged bankrupt /��ndstʃɑ�d�d �b�ŋkr�pt/ noun a person who has been declared bank- rupt because they owe more money than they can repay, and has not been released from that state by repaying the money (NOTE: a bankrupt cannot become or remain as an MP) undue influenceundue influence /��ndju� �nfluəns/ noun wrongful pressure put on someone which prevents that

person from acting independently � The government was accused of putting undue influence on the board of the nationalised industry. unelectableunelectable /��n|�lektəb(ə)l/ ad- jective certain to be defeated if stand- ing as a candidate for public office, e.g. because of extreme opinions on controversial issues unemployedunemployed /��nm |�plɔd/ adjec- tive, noun with no paid work, without a job unemploymentunemployment /��nm |�plɔmənt/ noun the fact of people not having jobs � The unemployment figures or the figures for unemployment are ris- ing. unemployment benefitunemployment benefit /��nm | �plɔmənt �benft/ noun the money paid by the government to someone who is unemployed unenforceableunenforceable /��nn |�fɔ�səb(ə)l/ adjective impossible to apply or make people accept UNESCOUNESCO /ju�|�neskəυ/ noun a Unit- ed Nations agency that promotes in- ternational collaboration on culture, education, and science. Full form United Nations Educational, Sci- entific, and Cultural Organization unfederatedunfederated /�n |�fedəretd/ adjec- tive not being or belonging to a feder- ation UNHCRUNHCR abbreviation United Na- tions High Commission for Refugees uni-uni- /ju�ni/ prefix meaning single unicameralunicameral /�ju�ni|�k�mərəl/ ad- jective of a legislature, having only one chamber or house. � bicameral

COMMENT: Unicameral legislatures ex- ist in many countries and states, in- cluding Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Gabon, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Mongolia, Morocco, Nebraska, New Zealand, Panama, Sweden and Turkey.

UNICEFUNICEF /�ju�nsef/ noun a United Nations agency that works for the pro- tection and survival of children around the world. Full form United Nations Children’s Fund

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UNIDO 252 UNIDO

UNIDO /ju�|�ni�dəυ/ abbreviation United Nations Industrial Develop- ment Organization unilateral

unilateral /�ju�n |�l�t(ə)rəl/ adjec- tive on one side only or done by one party only � They took the unilateral decision to cancel the contract. Unilateral Declaration of Independence

Unilateral Declaration of Inde- pendence /�ju�n|�l�t(ə)rəl �deklə | �reʃ(ə)n əv �nd |�pendəns/ noun an act whereby a colony announces that it is independent without the agreement of the country to which it belongs. Abbr UDI unilateral disarmament

unilateral disarmament /�ju�n| �l�t(ə)rəl ds |�ɑ�məmənt/, unilateral nuclear disarmament /�ju�n| �l�t(ə)rəl �nju�kliə ds |�ɑ�məmənt/ noun removing all nuclear weapons from a country, even if other countries keep theirs unilateralism

unilateralism /�ju�ni| �l�t(ə)rəlz(ə)m/ noun the support for a policy of unilateral nuclear disar- mament unilaterally

unilaterally /�ju�n|�l�t(ə)rəli/ ad- verb by one party only � They can- celled the contract unilaterally. union

union /�ju�njən/ noun 1. a state of being joined or the act of joining � We support the union of the environmen- tal pressure groups into a federation. 2. a group of independent states or or- ganisations which have joined togeth- er into a federation 3. the group of states which formed the United States of America 4. a trade union 5. a club or organisation for people with similar interests Union

Union /�ju�njən/ noun 1. the United States of America 2. the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1920 Union Calendar

Union Calendar /�ju�njən �k�lndə/ noun a list of bills for de- bate in the House of Representatives which deal with finances unionised

unionised /�ju�njənazd/, union- ized adjective a company where the members of staff belong to a trade un- ion

Unionism

Unionism /�ju�njənz(ə)m/ noun 1. loyalty to the federal union during the Civil War in the United States 2. sup- port or advocacy since 1920 for the union between Northern Ireland and Great Britain unionist

unionist /�ju�niənst/ noun 1. a member of a trade union 2. a person who supports a political union of states or parties Union Jack

Union Jack /�ju�njən �d��k/, Un- ion Flag /�ju�njən fl��/ noun the na- tional flag of the United Kingdom Union Territory

Union Territory /�ju�njən �terətri/ noun a territory in India ruled directly by the central government UNISON

UNISON /�ju�nsən/ noun the UK’s largest trade union (over 1.3 million members), representing people work- ing in public services and utilities. It was formed in 1993 when three major public sector unions, National Associ- ation of Local Government Officers (NALGO), National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) and Confedera- tion of Health Service Employers (COHSE), merged. unitary authority

unitary authority /�ju�nt(ə)ri ɔ� | �θɒrti/ noun an administrative unit in Great Britain responsible for all local government services in its area, re- placing a former system of two tiers of local government United Kingdom

United Kingdom /ju� |�natd �kŋdəm/ noun an independent coun- try, formed of England, Wales, Scot- land and Northern Ireland � He came to the UK to study. � Does she have a UK passport? � Is he a UK citizen? � British Isles. Abbr UK United Kingdom Independence Party

United Kingdom Independ- ence Party /ju�|�natd �kŋdəm �nd|�pendəns �pɑ�ti/ noun a right- wing party committed to withdrawing Britain from the European Union and opposed to immigration. Abbr UKIP United Nations

United Nations /ju� |�natd �neʃ(ə)nz/ noun an organisation of nations that was formed in 1945 to promote peace, security, and interna- tional cooperation. Abbr UN

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253 unseat United States CodeUnited States Code /ju�|�natd stets �kəυd/ noun a book containing all the permanent laws of the USA, ar- ranged in sections according to sub- ject, and revised from time to time United States of AmericaUnited States of America /ju� | �natd stets əv ə|�merkə/ noun an independent country, a federation of states (originally thirteen, now fifty) in North America. Abbr USA

COMMENT: The federal government (based in Washington D.C.) is formed of a legislature (the Congress) with two chambers (the Senate and House of Representatives), an executive (the President) and a judiciary (headed by the Supreme Court). Each of the fifty states making up the USA has its own legislature and executive (the Gover- nor) as well as its own legal system and constitution.

universal franchiseuniversal franchise /�ju�nv#�s(ə)l �fr�ntʃaz/, univer- sal suffrage /�ju�nv#�s(ə)l �s�frd�/ noun the right to vote of all adult members of the population unlawfulunlawful /�n |�lɔ�f(ə)l/ adjective against the law, illegal � unlawful tres- pass on property � unlawful sexual in- tercourse unlawfullyunlawfully /�n|�lɔ�fəli/ adverb ille- gally or in an illegal way � He was charged with unlawfully carrying fire- arms. UNMOVICUNMOVIC abbreviation United Na- tions Monitoring, Verification, and In- spection Commission UNOUNO abbreviation United Nations Organization unopposedunopposed /��nə |�pəυzd/ adjective having no one voting against � The Bill had an unopposed second reading in the House. unparliamentaryunparliamentary /�n |�pɑ�lə | �ment(ə)ri/ adjective not suitable for Parliament

COMMENT: Various terms of abuse are considered unparliamentary, in partic- ular words which suggest that an MP has not told the truth. In a recent ex- change in the House of Commons, a Member called others ‘clowns’ and ‘drunks’; the Deputy Speaker said: ‘Order. That is unparliamentary lan- guage, and I must ask the hon. Mem-

ber to withdraw’. Another recent ex- ample occurred when an MP said: ‘if the hon. Member were honest, I sus- pect that he would have to do the same’. Mr. Speaker: ‘Order. All hon. Members are honest.’.

unparliamentary languageunparliamentary language /��npɑ�lə|�ment(ə)ri �l�ŋ�wd�/ noun words used in Parliament which are considered to be rude, and which the Speaker may ask the MP to with- draw unpersonunperson /��np#�sən/ noun some- one, especially a public figure, whose existence is not acknowledged offi- cially, often because they have op- posed an authoritarian government unpledgedunpledged /�n|�pled�d/ adjective not having promised support for something, e.g. not having promised a vote to a particular candidate in an election unpoliticalunpolitical /��npə|�ltk(ə)l/ adjec- tive not interested in politics or having no political preference � The protest group is entirely unpolitical. unpolledunpolled /�n |�pəυld/ adjective 1. not having taken part in a survey of public opinion 2. not having cast a vote at an election 3. not included in a list of electors unreportedunreported /��nr|�pɔ�td/ adjective 1. not reported to the police � There are thousands of unreported cases of theft. 2. not reported in the Law Re- ports � Counsel referred the judge to a number of relevant unreported cases. unrestunrest /�n|�rest/ noun publicly ex- pressed unhappiness or protest about something by many people, some- times developing into violent behav- iour � Waves of political unrest trou- bled the country. UNRRAUNRRA abbreviation United Na- tions Relief and Rehabilitation Ad- ministration UNRWAUNRWA abbreviation United Na- tions Relief and Works Agency unseatunseat /�n |�si�t/ verb to make a sit- ting MP lose his seat in an election � She only needs a small swing to have a good chance of unseating the present MP.

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UNSF 254 UNSFUNSF abbreviation United Nations Special Fund for Economic Develop- ment unwrittenunwritten /�n |�rt(ə)n/ adjective not written or codified in a single docu- ment (NOTE: The British Constitution is described as unwritten because it is not contained in a single codified document but is to be found written in numerous different documents and is in some areas dependent on custom) upcomingupcoming /��pk�mŋ/ adjective about to take place soon � the upcom- ing general elections upfrontupfront /�p |�fr�nt/ adjective 1. im- mediate or made in advance � The shop asked for an upfront payment of £100. 2. being clear and honest about something, not trying to conceal any- thing � The minister said she would be upfront about the difficulties facing the government. upheavalupheaval /�p |�hi�v(ə)l/ noun a sud- den and violent change in a social or political system upper chamberupper chamber /��pə �tʃembə/ noun one of the two parts of a parlia- ment that has two chambers, e.g. the British House of Lords or the Ameri- can Senate. � lower chamber upper classupper class /��pə klɑ�s/ noun the richest or most influential people in a society upper houseupper house /��pə haυz/ noun the more important or older of the two houses or chambers in a bicameral system � After being passed by the legislative assembly, a bill goes to the upper house for further discussion. Also called upper chamber (NOTE: The House of Lords is sometimes described as the upper house in the UK, but has far less power than the House of Commons) upper middle classupper middle class /��pə �md(ə)l klɑ�s/ noun the richer half of the mid- dle section in society, consisting of rich professional and business people uprisinguprising /��prazŋ/ noun an at- tempt to overthrow a government or state by armed force, a rebellion � The

left-wing uprising was crushed by the army. upsetupset /��pset/ noun an unexpected result, e.g. in an election urbanurban /�#�bən/ adjective referring to a town or city � urban decay the con- dition where a part of a town becomes old or dirty or ruined, because busi- nesses and wealthy families have moved away from it � urban redevel- opment, urban renewal rebuilding old parts of a town to build modern houses and new factories and offices urban guerrillaurban guerrilla /�#�bən �ə |�rlə/ noun someone who carries out violent acts in cities to advance a political cause USUS, USA abbreviation United States of America USAIDUSAID /�ju� es �ed/ noun a US gov- ernment agency that provides human- itarian aid and assistance for develop- ment to other countries. Full form United States Agency for Interna- tional Development USSUSS /�ju� es �es/ abbreviation United States Senate usual channelsusual channels /�ju��υəl �tʃ�n(ə)lz/ noun the way in which much parliamentary business is agreed on in private by the whips and senior MPs of the various parties rath- er than in open debate usurpusurp /ju� |�z#�p/ verb to take and use a right which is not yours, especially to depose a king or queen and become king or queen yourself � Henry IV usurped the throne from Richard II. � The councils complained that the new Education Bill would usurp their pow- ers. usurpationusurpation /�ju�z#�|�peʃ(ə)n/ noun taking and using a right which is not yours, especially deposing a king or queen and becoming king or queen yourself usurperusurper /ju�|�z#�pə/ noun a person who usurps power � The army killed the usurper and placed the king back on his throne again. utopiautopia /ju� |�təυpiə/ noun an imagi- nary political state where everything is

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255 UU as good as it could be, which gives people something to aim to achieve. Compare dystopia (NOTE: Sir Tho- mas More published his description of a perfect state in Utopia in 1516. The word means ’nowhere’ or ’the perfect place’ in Greek depending on its spelling) utopianutopian /ju� |�təυpiən/ adjective per- fect, and also difficult to achieve � His utopian ideal of a state was impossi- ble to put into practice. utopian socialismutopian socialism /ju�|�təυpiən �səυʃə|�lz(ə)m/ noun a form of social-

ism based on the belief that a socialist society can be brought about by peacefully persuading those in power to accept it U-turn

U-turn /�ju� t#�n/ noun a change of policy to do exactly the opposite of what was done before � The Opposi- tion was surprised at the Govern- ment’s U-turn on defence expenditure. � The council did a U-turn and passed the development plan for the town centre. UU

UU abbreviation Ulster Unionist

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V vacant seat

vacant seat /�vekənt si�t/ noun a constituency which has no MP at the moment � The seat became vacant when Mr Smith was made a life peer. vacation

vacation /və|�keʃ(ə)n/ noun 1. the period when the courts, or the univer- sities are closed for their holidays 2. US a holiday or period when people are not working valid

valid /�v�ld/ adjective 1. acceptable because it is true or reasonable � That is not a valid argument or excuse. 2. possible to use lawfully � ticket which is valid for three months � The con- tract is not valid if the signing of it has not been witnessed. � He was carrying a valid passport. valorem

valorem /və|�lɔ�rəm/ � ad valorem Value Added Tax

Value Added Tax /�v�lju� �dd �t�ks/ noun a tax on goods and serv- ices, added as a percentage to the price. Abbr VAT variation

variation /�veəri|�eʃ(ə)n/ noun the amount by which something changes VAT

VAT /�vi� e �ti�, v�t/ abbreviation Value Added Tax VAT declaration

VAT declaration /�v�t deklə | �reʃ(ə)n/ noun a statement made by a company to say what VAT it has col- lected VC

VC abbreviation vice chancellor venue

venue /�venju�/ noun a place for a meeting � The venue for next year’s party conference will be Brighton. verbatim

verbatim /v#� |�betm/ adjective, adverb in the exact words � Hansard provides a verbatim account of the proceedings of the House of Com- mons. versa

versa /�v#�sə/ � vice versa

vestvest /vest/ verb to transfer to some- one a legal right or duty or the legal ownership and possession of land � The property was vested in the trus- tees. (NOTE: you vest something in or on someone) vested interestvested interest /�vestd �ntrəst/ noun a personal reason for wanting something to happen vetvet /vet/ verb to examine someone carefully to see if they are suitable for a job � All applications are vetted by the Home Office. vetoveto /�vi�təυ/ noun the right to refuse to allow something to be accepted or to become law � The President has the power of veto over Bills passed by Congress. � The UK used its veto in the Security Council. � verb to refuse to allow something not to be accepted or to become law � The resolution was vetoed by the president. � The council has vetoed all plans to hold protest marches in the centre of town. (NOTE: The plural is vetoes.)

COMMENT: In the United Nations Secu- rity Council, each of the five perma- nent members has a veto. In the USA, the President may veto a bill sent to him by Congress, provided he does so within ten days of receiving it. The bill then returns to Congress for further discussion, and the President’s veto can be overridden by a two-thirds ma- jority in both the House of Represent- atives and the Senate.

vicevice /vas/ Latin word meaning ‘in the place of’ � was present: Council- lor Smith (vice Councillor Brown) vice-vice- /vas/ prefix a deputy or second in command � He is the vice-chairman of an industrial group. � She was ap- pointed to the vice-chairmanship of the committee.

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257 voluntary services vice chancellor

vice chancellor /�vas �tʃɑ�ns(ə)lə/ noun a deputy for the chancellor of a country vice-consul

vice-consul /�vas �kɒnsəl/ noun an officer who acts as the deputy for the official representing a country’s commercial interest in another coun- try vicegerent

vicegerent /�vas|��erənt/ noun a deputy appointed to act on the author- ity of a ruler or magistrate, especially in administrative duties vice-president

vice-president /�vas �prezd(ə)nt/ noun an official of a rank below a president, who can take the presi- dent’s place if necessary � When Pres- ident Kennedy was assassinated, Vice- President Johnson became president.

COMMENT: In the USA, the Vice-Presi- dent is the president (i.e. the chair- man) of the Senate. He also succeeds a president if the president dies in of- fice (as Vice-President Johnson suc- ceeded President Kennedy).

viceregal

viceregal /�vas|�ri��(ə)l/ adjective referring to a viceroy � The reception was held at the Viceregal Palace. viceregent

viceregent /�vas|�ri�d�ənt/ noun a deputy for the regent of a country vicereine

vicereine /�vasren/ noun the wife of a viceroy viceroy

viceroy /�vasrɔ/ noun a person who represents a king or queen in a colony � In the nineteenth century, In- dia was ruled by viceroys. viceroyalty

viceroyalty /�vas |�rɔəlti/ noun 1. the office, term of office, or authority of a viceroy 2. an area that is governed by a viceroy vice versa

vice versa /�vasi �v#�sə/ Latin phrase meaning ‘reverse position’: the other way round videlicet

videlicet /�vdi�lset/ Latin word meaning ‘that is’ or ‘namely’ (NOTE: usually abbreviated to viz.: the Edu- cation Committee has three sub- committees, viz. Schools, Further Education and Training) village

village /�vld�/ noun a group of houses and shops in a country area, smaller than a town

violateviolate /�vaəlet/ verb to break a rule or a law � The council has violat- ed the planning regulations. � The ac- tion of the government violates the in- ternational treaty on commercial shipping. violationviolation /�vaə |�leʃ(ə)n/ noun the act of breaking a rule � The number of traffic violations has increased. � The court criticised the violations of the treaty on human rights. VIPVIP abbreviation very important per- son � Seats have been arranged for the VIPs at the front of the hall. virementvirement /�vaəmənt/ noun the transfer of money from one account to another or from one section of a budg- et to another � The council may use the virement procedure to transfer money from one area of expenditure to anoth- er. virtute officiovirtute officio /v#�|�tu�te ɒ |�fsəυ/ Latin phrase meaning ‘by virtue of his office’ visavisa /�vi�zə/ noun a special document or special stamp in a passport which allows someone to enter a country � You will need a visa before you go to the USA. � He filled in his visa appli- cation form. viscountviscount /�vakaυnt/ noun a mem- ber of the peerage, ranking between an earl and a baron viscountessviscountess /�vakaυntes/ noun a woman who is the wife of a viscount, or who holds the rank of viscount vital statisticsvital statistics /�vat(ə)l stə| �tstks/ plural noun figures dealing with births, marriages and deaths in a district vizviz � videlicet voice votevoice vote /�vɔs vəυt/ noun a vote in Congress where the members shout Aye (Yes) or No voluntarismvoluntarism /�vɒləntərz(ə)m/ noun the belief that the process of col- lective bargaining or the organisation of trade unions should be interfered with by government voluntary servicesvoluntary services /�vɒlənt(ə)ri �s#�vsz/ plural noun organisations

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vote 258 which give free services or help to people votevote /vəυt/ noun 1. marking a paper or holding up your hand, to show your opinion or to show who you want to be elected � to take a vote on a propos- al, to put a proposal to the vote to ask people present at a meeting to say if they agree or do not agree with the proposal � the French President is elected by popular vote he is elected by a majority vote of all the people in France 2. the right to vote in elections � Women were given the vote in 1928. 3. the total number of votes cast � the vote was up on the last election more votes were cast this time than the time before � verb to show an opinion by marking a paper or by holding up your hand at a meeting � The meeting voted to close the factory. � 52% of the mem- bers voted for Mr Smith as Chairman. � to vote for a proposal, to vote against a proposal to say that you agree or do not agree with a proposal � he was voted into the chair he was elected chairman vote-catchervote-catcher /vəυt �k�tʃə/ noun same as vote-winner vote downvote down /�vəυt �daυn/ verb to de- feat a motion or proposal by voting against it � The proposal was voted down. vote invote in /�vəυt �n/ verb � to vote someone in to elect someone � the Tory candidate was voted in votelessvoteless /�vəυtləs/ adjective with- out the right to choose or express a po- litical opinion by voting vote of confidencevote of confidence /�vəυt əv �kɒnfd(ə)ns/ noun a vote in which voters show their approval of the lead- ership of a party or policy vote of no confidencevote of no confidence /�vəυt əv nəυ �kɒnfd(ə)ns/ noun same as con-

fidence vote � After the Commons passed a vote of no confidence in the government, the Prime Minister called a general election. vote out

vote out /�vəυt �aυt/ verb � to vote someone out to make someone lose an election � the government was vot- ed out of office within a year voter

voter /�vəυtə/ noun a person who votes or is eligible to vote � Voters stayed away from the polls because of the bad weather. voter alienation

voter alienation /�vəυtə �eliə | �neʃ(ə)n/ noun the feeling of many voters that, since voting does not pro- duce the changes in their lives that they want, they have no motivation to vote voter apathy

voter apathy /�vəυtə ��pəθi/ noun lack of interest in voting in local and national elections, especially when one party regularly has a large majori- ty or when people feel they have little influence in influencing decisions that affect their lives vote through

vote through /�vəυt �θru�/ verb to vote to accept � The proposal was vot- ed through by a large majority. vote-winner

vote-winner /vəυt �wnə/ noun a policy or strategy that will win many votes in an election voting

voting /�vəυtŋ/ noun the act of making a vote voting card

voting card /�vəυtŋ kɑ�d/, voting paper /�vəυtŋ �pepə/ noun the pa- per on which the voter puts a cross to show for whom he or she wants to vote voting patterns

voting patterns /�vəυtŋ �p�tənz/ plural noun the tendency of voters to vote in a particular way voting rights

voting rights /�vəυtŋ rats/ plural noun the rights of shareholders to vote at company meetings

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W Wag the Dog syndrome

Wag the Dog syndrome /�w�� ðə �dɒ� �sndrəυm/ noun a situation in which a US president uses military attacks on other nations to draw in- tense public and media scrutiny away from a personal scandal waive

waive /wev/ verb to give up a legal right � He waived his claim to the es- tate. waiver

waiver /�wevə/ noun a situation in which someone gives up a legal right to something � If you want to work without a permit, you will have to ap- ply for a waiver. Wales Office

Wales Office /�welz �ɒfs/ noun a UK government department responsi- ble for representing Welsh interests within the government of the United Kingdom (NOTE: The Welsh name is Swyddfa Cymru.) war

war /wɔ�/ noun the situation where one country fights another � The two countries are at war. war crime

war crime /�wɔ� kram/ noun an il- legal action committed by someone during a period of armed conflict � A number of former Nazis were brought to trial for war crimes committed dur- ing the Second World War. ward

ward /wɔ�d/ noun 1. a division of a town or city for administrative purpos- es. � electoral ward 2. a child protect- ed by a guardian or by a court warden

warden /�wɔ�d(ə)n/ noun 1. a per- son who is in charge of an institution � The block of flats have a warden who helps elderly residents. 2. a person who sees that rules are obeyed ward heeler

ward heeler /�wɔ�d �hi�lə/ noun a person who does minor tasks for a lo- cal politician

wardshipwardship /�wɔ�dʃp/ noun being in charge of a child or the power of a court to take on itself the rights and re- sponsibilities of parents in the inter- ests of a child (NOTE: no plural) war on terrorwar on terror /�wɔ� ɒn �terə/ noun the struggle against international ter- rorism which President Bush declared following the attacks on New York and Washington of 11 September 2001 � Critics of the President were quick to point out that the problem with a war on terror is that you never know when you have won it. warringwarring /�wɔ�rŋ/ adjective fighting � the warring factions on the town council WashingtonWashington /�wɒʃŋtən/, George (1732–99) the first president of the United States watchdogwatchdog /�wɒtʃdɒ�/, watchdog body /�wɒtʃdɒ� �bɒdi/ noun a body which watches something, especially government departments, or business- es, to see that regulations are being obeyed � The Post Office Users Coun- cil acts as a watchdog. Ways and MeansWays and Means /�wez ən �mi�nz/ � Chairman of Ways and Means � noun in the United States, a legislative committee in charge of methods of raising money for govern- ment Ways and Means resolutionWays and Means resolution /�wez ən �mi�nz �rezəlu�ʃ(ə)n/ noun a Supply Bill, especially the annual budget proposals WDAWDA abbreviation Welsh Develop- ment Agency weapons of mass destructionweapons of mass destruction /�wepənz əv �m�s ds |�tr�kʃən/ noun armaments which can kill large num-

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Weber, Max 260 bers of people, e.g., nuclear, biologi- cal and chemical weapons. Abbr WMD Weber, Max

Weber, Max /�vebə/ noun the Ger- man philosopher (1864–1920) who contributed most to the study of soci- ology (NOTE: Weber is famous for an- alysing authority into three forms: charismatic, traditional and rational.) weights and measures department

weights and measures depart- ment /�wets ən �me�əz d| �pɑ�tmənt/ noun a council depart- ment dealing with weighing and measuring machines used in shops, and other consumer matters (NOTE: usually called the Trading Stand- ards Department) welfare

welfare /�welfeə/ noun the health, comfort and safety of a person, ani- mal, or group � It is the duty of the ju- venile court to see to the welfare of children in care. welfare state

welfare state /�welfeə �stet/ noun a state which spends a large amount of money to make sure that its citizens all have adequate housing, education, public transport and health services Welsh Assembly

Welsh Assembly /�welʃ ə|�sembli/ � National Assembly for Wales West

West /west/ adjective, adverb, noun 1. one of the directions on the Earth’s surface, the direction facing the set- ting sun 2. a region of a country, as op- posed to the East 3. � the West the democratic countries of Europe and North America, as opposed to the former Communist countries Western European Union

Western European Union /�westən �jυərəpi�ən �ju�njən/ noun a union formed in 1954 with the aim of harmonising defence and security in the region, now including Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lux- embourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom as full members, and Bulgaria, the Czech Re- public, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic and Turkey as associate members. Abbr WEU

West Lothian question

West Lothian question /�west �ləυtiən �kwestʃən/ noun the ques- tion that sets out a major issue of de- volved government in the UK, that of the justice of allowing Westminster MPs representing Scottish constituen- cies to vote on issues affecting Eng- land and other parts of the UK, when non-Scottish MPs cannot vote on equivalent Scottish issues that are dealt with by the Scottish Assembly Westminster

Westminster /�westmnstə/ noun 1. a borough in London, where the Houses of Parliament are 2. the Brit- ish parliament or parliamentary sys- tem West Wing

West Wing /�west wŋ/ noun the US president’s senior staff and advis- ers wet

wet /wet/ noun a Conservative politi- cian whose policies are regarded as more liberal than the mainstream of conservative opinion WEU

WEU abbreviation Western Europe- an Union whatever

whatever /�wɒtsəυ |�evə/, whatso- ever adjective of any sort, at all � There is no substance whatsoever in the report. � The police found no sus- picious documents whatsoever. � There is nothing whatsoever to sug- gest that she intends to leave the coun- try. (NOTE: always used after a noun and after a negative) wheeling and dealing

wheeling and dealing /�wi�lŋ ən �di�lŋ/ noun discussions and bargain- ing between political parties or groups or members of a committee to obtain a general agreement for something � Af- ter some wheeling and dealing, the subcommittee members were selected. � horse-trading whereas

whereas /weər |��z/ conjunction taking into consideration that � where- as the contract between the two par- ties stipulated that either party may withdraw at six months’ notice whereby

whereby /weə|�ba/ adverb by which � a deed whereby ownership of the property is transferred

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261 Woolsack wherein

wherein /weər|�n/ adverb in which � a document wherein the regulations are listed whereof

whereof /weər|�ɒv/ adverb of which whereon

whereon /weər |�ɒn/ adverb on which � land whereon a dwelling is constructed wheresoever

wheresoever /�weəsəυ |�evə/ ad- verb in any place where � the insur- ance covering jewels wheresoever they may be kept Whig

Whig /w�/ noun the old name for a member of a political party which lat- er became the Liberal Party in Britain, and is now called the Liberal Demo- cratic Party whip

whip /wp/ noun 1. an MP who con- trols the attendance of other MPs of his party in the House of Commons or Lords, and who tries to makes sure that all MPs vote as their party wants 2. the instructions given by a whip to other MPs, telling them which busi- ness is on the agenda and underlining items where a vote may be taken

COMMENT: A party may decide to with- draw the Whip from an MP as a pun- ishment for opposing it in some way. This prevents the MP from being in- volved in the party’s activities in the parliament, although they remain as an MP and usually sit as an Independ- ent until the Whip is restored to them.

whip in

whip in /�wp �n/ verb to keep the members of a political party in line with the party’s aims Whitehall

Whitehall /�wathɔ�l/ noun a street in London, where several ministries have their offices (NOTE: used to refer to the Government or more particu- larly to the civil service: Whitehall sources suggest that the plan will be adopted; there is a great deal of re- sistance to the idea in Whitehall) White House

White House /�wat �haυs/ noun the building in Washington D.C., where the President of the USA lives and works (NOTE: also used to mean the President himself, or the US gov- ernment: White House officials dis- claimed any knowledge of the letter;

the White House press secretary has issued a statement) White Paper

White Paper /�wat �pepə/ noun a report issued by the government as a statement of government policy on a particular problem, often setting out proposals for changes to legislation for discussion before a Bill is drafted. Compare Green Paper winding up

winding up /�wandŋ ��p/ noun 1. the ending of a meeting � In his wind- ing-up speech the Home Secretary warned the Commons of the serious- ness of the situation. 2. the closing of a company and selling its assets wind upwind up /�wand ��p/ verb 1. to end a meeting or a debate � She wound up the meeting with a vote of thanks to the committee. � The Home Secretary wound up for the government. 2. to close a company and sell its assets wingwing /wŋ/ noun a group within a po- litical party or movement that has dis- tinct beliefs, especially either of two broad groupings, one more conserva- tive, the other more liberal in its views WMDWMD abbreviation weapons of mass destruction woman police constablewoman police constable /�wυmən pə |�li�s �k�nstəb(ə)l/ noun in the United Kingdom, Canada, Aus- tralia, and New Zealand, a woman po- lice officer of the lowest rank. Abbr WPC women’s suffrage

women’s suffrage /�wmnz �s�frd�/ noun the right of women to vote in elections wonk

wonk /wɒŋk/ noun an expert in mat- ters of policy, especially in govern- ment, the economy, or diplomacy � a policy wonk WoolsackWoolsack /�wυls�k/ noun the seat of the Lord Chancellor in the House of Lords (NOTE: the Lord Chancellor is unlikely to sit for much longer on the Woolsack since proposals intro- duced in 2003–4 will abolish his of- fice)

COMMENT: It is really a large cushion stuffed with wool, dating from the time when the wool trade was very impor- tant.

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wording 262 wording

wording /�w#�dŋ/ noun a series of words � Did you understand the word- ing of the contract? (NOTE: no plural) Workers’ Revolutionary PartyWorkers’ Revolutionary Party /�w#�kəz �revə |�lu�ʃ(ə)n(ə)ri �pɑ�ti/ noun a Marxist political party in the United Kingdom working class

working class /�w#�kŋ �klɑ�s/ noun the people in low-paid jobs World Bank

World Bank /�w#�ld �b�ŋk/ noun a specialised agency of the United Na- tions that guarantees loans to member nations for reconstruction and devel- opment (NOTE: The official name is International Bank for Recon- struction and Development.) World Trade Organization

World Trade Organization /�w#�ld �tred ɔ��əna|�zeʃn/ noun the international treaty which aims to try to reduce restrictions in trade be- tween countries, and which replaced GATT. Abbr WTO

COMMENT: Formed on 1st January 1995 to replace the General Agree- ment on Tariffs and Trade (GATT).

world warworld war /�w#�ld �wɔ�/ noun a war involving several countries on each side, with fighting taking place in many parts of the world WPCWPC abbreviation woman police constable writ

writ /rt/ noun 1. a legal document which begins an action in the High Court � He issued writs for libel in connection with allegations made in a Sunday newspaper. 2. the legal docu- ment ordering that an election or a by- election should be held � to move a

writ to propose in the House of Com- mons that a by-election should be held write inwrite in /�rat �n/ verb US to vote for a candidate whose name does not appear on the ballot paper, by writing the candidate’s name on it write-inwrite-in /�rat n/ noun 1. a vote cast in an election by adding someone’s name to the ballot paper 2. a candidate added to a ballot paper by a voter write-in candidatewrite-in candidate /�rat n �k�nddet/ noun a candidate whose name has been written by the voters on their ballot papers writ of summonswrit of summons /�rt əv �s�mənz/ noun notice from the Lord Chancellor asking a peer to attend the House of Lords written answerwritten answer /�rt(ə)n �ɑ�nsə/ noun a formal reply to a question put in writing to a Minister written questionwritten question /�rt(ə)n �kwestʃ(ə)n/ noun a question present- ed to a Minister in writing, usually dated two days after it is presented and answered within seven days of that date. If an answer is needed by an ear- lier date the question receives priority and is known as a ‘question for answer on a named day’, indicated by the let- ter N in the Order Book. However the answer may simply be that the Minis- ter will answer the question as soon as possible. WRPWRP abbreviation Worker’s Revolu- tionary Party WTOWTO abbreviation World Trade Or- ganization

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XYZ xenophobe

xenophobe /�zenəfəυb/ noun a person who hates foreigners xenophobia

xenophobia / zenə|�fəυbiə/ noun the hatred of foreigners xenophobic

xenophobic / zenə|�fəυbk/ adjec- tive showing hatred of foreigners yah-boo politics

yah-boo politics / jɑ� �bu� pɒltks/ plural noun politics in which parties automatically criticise and reject any idea put forward by an opposing party, regardless of its merits Yang di-Pertuan AgongYang di-Pertuan Agong /�j�ŋ d | �p��tw�n ���ɒŋ/ noun the title given to the head of state of the Malaysian Federation, who is elected for five years by the rulers of the thirteen states which make up the federation Yard

Yard /jɑ�d/ noun same as Scotland Yard YCYC abbreviation Young Conservative yea and nayyea and nay / je ən �ne/ noun old forms of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ � yea and nay vote a vote in a legislature where members say ‘yes’ or ‘no’

zero-ratedzero-rated / zərəυ �retd/ adjec- tive having a Value Added Tax rate of 0% zero-ratingzero-rating /�zərəυ retŋ/ noun rating an item at 0% Value Added Tax zionismzionism /�zaənz(ə)m/ noun the be- lief that the Jewish people should have a homeland, and that Israel’s inde- pendence and security should be de- fended zionistzionist /�zaənst/ noun a supporter of the belief that the Jewish people should have a homeland and that Isra- el’s independence and security should be defended � adjective referring to zionism zonezone /zəυn/ verb to order that land in a district shall be used only for one type of building � The land is zoned for industrial use. zoningzoning /�zəυnŋ/ noun an order by a local council that land shall be used only for one type of building (NOTE: no plural)

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SUPPLEMENTS

Legislative Procedure in the United Kingdom

Legislative Procedure in the European Union

Legislative Procedure in the United States of America

United Kingdom Court Structure

United States of America Federal Court Structure

The United Kingdom: Members of the Cabinet

Prime Ministers of Great Britain

Structure of A British Government Department: The Department of Trade and Industry

Kings and Queens of England

The United States of America: Members of the Cabinet

Presidents of the United States of America

Legislative procedure in the United Kingdom

Green Paper Stage a paper discussing the issues surrounding the proposed bill (optional)

White Paper Stage a paper stating current policy on the issues surrounding the proposed bill (optional)

Draft Bill Stage the wording of the Bill is drafted

First Reading the Bill is presented formally in Parliament, usually in the House of Commons, as a reading with no debate or decision

Second Reading the Bill is read again to the House and a debate takes place

Committee stage a standing committee (a committee of about 18 house members, more for long or complicated bills) debates whether each clause and schedule of the Bill should be kept or dropped

Report Stage the whole house looks at the amendments proposed by the standing committee and propose and debate any of their own

Third Reading Stage the whole redrafted Bill is read once more in the House and briefly discussed

Lords Approval Stage the House of Lords takes the Bill and goes through the same procedure from First to Third Reading, debating any amendments. The Lords and Commons agree on a final text

Royal Assent Stage royal approval is given and the Bill becomes a statute (Act of Parliament)

Legislative procedure in the United Kingdom cont’d

Important Note: The Parliament Act The entire process must take place in one Session of Parliament, mean- ing that a Bill may not be passed purely because it has run out of time. This means that the House of Lords may ‘kill’ a Bill they don’t wish to pass (for example the Hunting Bill 2002) by taking an overly long time to discuss it. In this case the Parliament Act means that the Bill can be reintroduced and passed in the following Session without the approval of the Lords, with the following conditions:

1. The Lords had enough time to debate it before the end of the session (at least one month).

2. The wording of the Bill has not changed since the last presentation.

3. One year has passed since the Bill was given its Second Reading in the Commons.

Private Members’ Bills go through the same procedure from First Reading. However, there is intense competition for the little Parliamen- tary time available for considering these. Unless the Bill is completely uncontroversial it is likely to be formally objected to at some stage and therefore dropped; otherwise it is more or less ‘nodded through’ without much debate.

Legislative procedure in the European Union

Proposal the European Commission drafts the text of a Bill

First Reading the European Parliament submits the Bill to a committee reading and a report is prepared with suggested amendments

Common Position the European Council either accepts the amended Bill or suggests its own amendments (NB this is the first point at which the Bill can be passed)

Recommendation a further committee assessment is undertaken of the Council’s proposed amendments at Parliament and a recommendation given

Second Reading Parliament debates the committee’s report and vote by absolute majority whether to accept the Council’s amendments and on further amendments of their own

Amended proposal the Commission looks at Parliament’s second reading decisions and drafts an amended proposal for the Council, who vote whether to accept or modify it (this is the second point at which the Bill can be passed)

Conciliation committee a committee of members from both the Council and Parliament meet to agree on a joint text

Third Reading Parliament meets to finally discuss whether to adopt the Bill as law. If no mutual agreement can be reached the Bill will lapse.

Legislative procedure in the United States of America

Introduction the draft Bill is submitted to the House without reading or debate (any time while the House is in session)

Referral to Committee the Bill is published and assigned an identification number, then sent to the appropriate committee (of 19) according to its subject

Committee Action 1 relevant offices and departments give their input, reports are prepared on the validity of the Bill and committee meetings are held

Committee Action 2 a public hearing may be held before a subcommittee with the questioning of witnesses and the attendance of interested parties

Markup the subcommittee prepares a report on the hearing with any relevant amendments to the Bill

Final Committee Action the full committee reads and amends the Bill and either reports it back favourably to the House, tables it or discharges it (thereby preventing it from progressing any further), or reports it back without recommendation (rare)

House Floor the committee report is debated in the House Consideration and any further amendments voted on

Resolving Differences the Bill is sent to the Senate for consideration and an identical version is agreed on by both bodies, possibly with the help of a mediating committee

Final Step the Bill is approved (signed) by the President and becomes a Law

United Kingdom court structure

Court of Justice of the European Communities (ECJ) (in cases concerning European law)

House of Lords

Court of Appeal

Criminal Division Civil Division

Crown Court High Court

Magistrates Court County Court

United States of America Federal court structure

Supreme Court

Courts of Appeal Court of Appeal Court of Military (12 Circuits) (Federal Circuit) Appeals

94 District Courts Tax Court Courts of Military Review

International Trade Claims Court Court of Veterans’ Court Appeals

The United Kingdom: Members of the Cabinet

Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service

Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Leader of the House of Commons

Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Leader of the House of Lords

Lord President of the Council

Secretary of State for Wales

Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Lord Chancellor)

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Secretary of State for the Home Department

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Secretary of State for International Development

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

Secretary of State for Transport

Secretary of State for Scotland

Secretary of State for Health

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Secretary of State for Defence

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

Secretary of State for Education and Skills

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Government Chief Whip)

Prime Ministers of Great Britain

Tony Blair (Labour) 1997 – Present John Major (Conservative) 1990 – 1997 Margaret Thatcher (Conservative) 1979 – 1990 James Callaghan (Labour) 1976 – 1979 Harold Wilson (Labour) 1974 – 1976 Edward Heath (Conservative) 1970 – 1974 Harold Wilson (Labour) 1964 – 1970 Sir Alec Douglas-Home (Conservative) 1963 – 1964 Harold Macmillan (Conservative) 1957 – 1963 Sir Anthony Eden (Conservative) 1955 – 1957 Winston Churchill (Conservative) 1951 – 1955 Clement Attlee (Labour) 1945 – 1951 Winston Churchill (Conservative) 1940 – 1945 Neville Chamberlain (Conservative) 1937 – 1940 Stanley Baldwin (Conservative) 1935 – 1937 J Ramsey Macdonald (Coalition) 1931 – 1935 J Ramsey Macdonald (Labour) 1929 – 1931 Stanley Baldwin (Conservative) 1924 – 1929 J Ramsey MacDonald (Labour) 1924 Stanley Baldwin (Conservative) 1923 – 1924 A Bonar Law (Conservative) 1922 – 1923 David Lloyd George (Liberal) 1916 – 1922

H H Asquith (Liberal) 1908 – 1916 Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman (Liberal) 1905 – 1908 A J Balfour (Conservative) 1902 – 1905 Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative) 1895 – 1902 Earl of Rosebery (Liberal) 1894 – 1895 W E Gladstone (Liberal) 1892 – 1894 Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative) 1886 – 1892 W E Gladstone (Liberal) 1886 Marquess of Salisbury (Conservative) 1885 – 1886 W E Gladstone (Liberal) 1880 – 1885 Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative) 1874 – 1880 W E Gladstone (Liberal) 1868 – 1874 Benjamin Disraeli (Conservative) 1868 Earl of Derby (Conservative) 1866 – 1868 Earl Russell (Liberal) 1865 – 1866 Viscount Palmerston (Liberal) 1859 – 1865 Earl of Derby (Conservative) 1858 – 1859 Viscount Palmerston (Liberal) 1855 – 1858 Earl of Aberdeen (Conservative) 1852 – 1855 Earl Of Derby (Conservative) 1852 Lord John Russell (Whig) 1846 –1852

Prime Ministers of Great Britain continued

Sir Robert Peel (Tory) 1841 – 1846 Viscount Melbourne (Whig) 1835 – 1841 Sir Robert Peel (Tory) 1834 – 1835 Duke of Wellington (Tory) 1834 Viscount Melbourne (Whig) 1834 Earl Grey (Whig) 1830 – 1834 Duke of Wellington (Tory) 1828 –1830 Viscount Goderich (Tory) 1827 – 1828 George Canning (Tory) 1827 Earl of Liverpool (Tory) 1812 – 1827 Spencer Perceval (Tory) 1809 – 1812 Duke of Portland (Tory) 1807 – 1809 Lord Grenville (Whig) 1806 – 1807 William Pitt (Tory) 1804 – 1806 Henry Addington (Tory) 1801 – 1804 William Pitt (Tory) 1783 – 1801

Duke of Portland (Tory) 1783 Earl of Shelburne (Whig) 1782 – 1783 Marquess of Rockingham (Whig) 1782 Lord North (Tory) 1770 – 1782 Duke of Grafton (Whig) 1768 – 1770 Earl of Chatham (Whig) 1766 – 1768 Marquess of Rockingham (Whig) 1765 – 1766 George Grenville (Whig) 1763 – 1765 Earl of Bute (Tory) 1762 – 1763 Duke of Newcastle (Whig) 1757 – 1762 Duke of Devonshire (Whig) 1756 – 1757 Duke of Newcastle (Whig) 1754 – 1756 Henry Pelham (Whig) 1743 – 1754 Earl of Wilmington (Whig) 1742 – 1743 Sir Robert Walpole (Whig) 1721 – 1742

Structure of a British Government Department: The Department of Trade and Industry

Minister Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Ministers of State Minister for E-Commerce and Competitiveness

Private Secretary Minister of State (Trade)

Private Secretary Minister of State for Industry and the Regions

Private Secretary Minister for Women and Equality

Private Secretary Minister of State for International Trade and Investment

Private Secretary Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State Minister for Employment Relations, Competition and Consumers

Private Secretary Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science and Innovation

Private Secretary Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Small Business and Enterprise

Private Secretary Officials Permanent Secretary

Private Secretary Directorates Director General for the Business Group Director General for the Innovation Group Director General for the Energy Group Director General for the Fair Markets Group Director General for the Services Group Director General for the Legal Services Group Office of Science and Technology Head of the Office of Science and Technology Chief Scientific Adviser Director of Transdepartmental Science and Technology Director General of Research Councils Director of the Science and Engineering Base Group Strategy Unit Director of Strategy Chief Economic Adviser Director General of Economics UK Trade and Investment Group Chief Executive of UK Trade and Investment Chief Executive Deputy Chief Executive Corporate Strategy and Communications Group

Kings and Queens of England since 1066

House of Windsor Elizabeth II Head of the Commonwealth 1952 – Present George VI 1936 – 1952 Edward VIII 1936 George V 1910 – 1936

House of Saxe-Coburg Edward VII 1901 – 1910

House of Hanover Victoria 1837 – 1901 William IV 1830 – 1837 George IV 1820 – 1830 George III 1760 – 1820 George II 1727 – 1760 George I 1714 – 1727

House of Stuart Anne 1702 – 1714 William III 1694 – 1702

Mary II & William III 1689 – 1694 James II 1685 – 1688 Charles II 1660 – 1685 The Commonwealth 1649 – 1659 Charles I 1625 – 1649 James I 1603 – 1625

House of Tudor Elizabeth I 1558 – 1603 Mary I 1553 – 1558 Jane 1553 (reigned for 14 days) Edward VI 1547 – 1553 Henry VIII 1509 – 1547 Henry VII 1485 – 1509

House of York Richard III 1483 – 1485 Edward V 1483 Edward IV 1461 – 1483

House of Lancaster Henry VI 1422 – 1461 Henry V 1413 –1422 Henry IV 1399 – 1413

House of Plantagenet Richard II 1377 – 1399 Edward III 1327 – 1377 Edward II 1307 – 1327 Edward I 1272 – 1307 Henry III 1216 – 1272 John 1199 – 1216 Richard I 1189 – 1199 Henry II 1154 – 1189

House of Normandy Stephen 1135 – 1154 Henry I 1100 – 1135 William II 1087 – 1100 William I 1066 – 1087

The United States of America: Members of the Cabinet

The President of the United States

The Vice-President of the United States

Secretary of State

Secretary of the Treasury

Secretary of Defense

Secretary of Commerce

Attorney-General

Secretary of the Interior

Secretary of Agriculture

Secretary of Labor

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Secretary of Transportation

Secretary of Energy

Secretary of Education

Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs

Ambassador to the United Nations

US Trade Representative

Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency

Director, Office of Management and Budget

National Security Adviser

White House Chief of Staff

Presidents of the United States of America

George W Bush (Republican) 2001 – Present William Clinton (Democrat) 1993 – 2001 George Bush (Republican) 1989 – 1993 Ronald Reagan (Republican) 1981 – 1989 Jimmy Carter (Democrat) 1977 – 1981 Gerald Ford (Republican) 1974 – 1977 Richard M Nixon (Republican) 1969 – 1974 Lyndon B Johnson (Democrat) 1963 – 1969 John F Kennedy (Democrat) 1961 – 1963 Dwight D Eisenhower (Republican) 1953 – 1961 Harry S Truman (Democrat) 1945 – 1953 Franklin D Roosevelt (Democrat) 1933 – 1945 Herbert Hoover (Republican) 1929 – 1933 Calvin Coolidge (Republican) 1923 – 1929 Warren Harding (Republican) 1921 – 1923 Woodrow Wilson (Democrat) 1913 – 1921 William H Taft (Republican) 1909 – 1913 Theodore Roosevelt (Republican) 1901 – 1909 William McKinley (Republican) 1897 – 1901 Grover Cleveland (Democrat) 1893 – 1897 Benjamin Harrison (Republican) 1889 – 1893 Grover Cleveland (Democrat) 1885 – 1889 Chester Arthur (Republican) 1881 – 1885

James Garfield (Republican) 1881 Rutherford Hayes (Republican) 1877 – 1881 Ulysses S Grant (Republican) 1869 – 1877 Andrew Johnson (Republican) 1865 – 1869 Abraham Lincoln (Republican) 1861 – 1865 James Buchanan (Democrat) 1857 – 1861 Franklin Pierce (Democrat) 1853 – 1857 Millard Fillmore (Whig) 1850 – 1853 Zachary Taylor (Whig) 1849 – 1850 James Polk (Democrat) 1845 – 1849 John Tyler (Whig) 1841 – 1845 William Harrison (Whig) 1841 Martin Van Buren (Democrat) 1837 – 1841 Andrew Jackson (Democrat) 1829 – 1837 John Quincy Adams (Democrat – Republican) 1825 – 1829 James Monroe (Democrat – Republican) 1817 – 1825 James Madison (Democrat – Republican) 1809 – 1817 Thomas Jefferson (Democrat – Republican) 1801 – 1809 John Adams (Federalist) 1797 – 1801 George Washington (Federalist) 1789 – 1797