Roget's Thesaurus by Peter Mark Roget

693. [nations] national government, nation, state, country,

nation-state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic; kingdom, principality. [subdivisions of nations] state government[U.S terminology], state; shire[England]; province[Canada]; county[Ireland]; canton[Switzerland]; territory [Australia]; duchy, archduchy, archdukedom[obs3]; woiwodshaft; commonwealth; region &c. 181; property &c. 780. [smaller subdivisions] county, parish[Louisiana]; city, domain, tract, arrondissement[Fr], mofussil[obs3], commune; wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth[obs3], soke[obs3], tithing; ward, precinct, bailiwick. command, empire, sway, rule; dominion, domination; sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty; lordship, headship[obs3]; chiefdom[obs3]; seigniory, seigniority[obs3]. rule, sway, command, control, administer; govern &c. (direct) 693; lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne; sway the scepter, wield the scepter; wear the crown. state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus[Lat]. [person in the governing authority] judicature &c. 965; cabinet &c. (council) 696; seat of government, seat of authority; headquarters. [Acquisition of authority] accession; installation &c. 755; politics &c. 737a. reign, regime, dynasty; directorship, dictatorship; protectorate, protectorship; caliphate, pashalic[obs3], electorate; presidency, presidentship[obs3]; administration; proconsul, consulship; prefecture; seneschalship; magistrature[obs3], magistracy. monarchy; kinghood[obs3], kingship; royalty, regality; aristarchy[obs3], aristocracy; oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy; commonwealth; dominion; heteronomy; republic, republicanism; socialism; collectivism; mob law, mobocracy[obs3], ochlocracy[obs3]; vox populi, imperium in imperio[Lat]; bureaucracy; beadledom[obs3], bumbledom[obs3]; stratocracy; military power, military government, junta; feodality[obs3], feudal system, feudalism. thearchy[obs3], theocracy, dinarchy[obs3]; duarchy[obs3], triarchy, heterarchy[obs3]; duumvirate; triumvirate; autocracy, autonomy; limited monarchy; constitutional government, constitutional monarchy; home rule; representative government; monocracy[obs3], pantisocracy[obs3]. gynarchy[obs3], gynocracy[obs3], gynaeocracy[obs3]; petticoat government. [government functions] legislature, judiciary, administration. [Government agencies and institutions] office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet; senate, house of representatives, parliament; council &c. 696; courts, supreme court; state[U.S. national government departments (list)], interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury; Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI; Central Intelligence Agency, CIA; National Institutes of Health, NIH; Postal Service, Post Office; Federal Aviation Administration, FAA. [national government officials] president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister; senator, representatative, president pro tem[Lat], speaker of the house; department head, section head, section chief; federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice; treasurer, secretary of the treasury; director of the FBI. [state government officials] governor, state cabinet member; state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman. V. govern, rule, have authority, hold authority, possess authority, exercise authority, exert authority, wield authority &c. n.; reign, be sovereign. [acquire authority] ascend the throne, mount the throne; take the reins, take the reins into one's hand; assume authority &c. n., assume the reins of government; take command, assume command. [contend for authority] politics &c. 737a. be governed by, be in the power of, be a subject of, be a citizen of. Adj. regal, sovereign, governing; royal, royalist; monarchical, kingly; imperial, imperiatorial[obs3]; princely; feudal; aristocratic, autocratic; oligarchic &c. n.; republican, dynastic. ruling &c. v.; regnant, gubernatorial; imperious; authoritative, executive, administrative, clothed with authority, official, departmental, ex officio, imperative, peremptory, overruling, absolute; hegemonic, hegemonical[obs3]; authorized &c. (due) 924. [pertaining to property owned by government] government, public; national, federal; his majesty's[Great Britain], her majesty's; state, county, city, &c. n. Phr[cf. nations, subdivisions of nations, smaller subdivisions]. "a dog's obeyed in office" [Lear]; cada uno tiene su alguazil[obs3][Sp]; le Roi le veut[Fr]; regibus esse manus en nescio longas[obs3][Lat]; regnant populi[Lat]; "the demigod Authority" [Measure for Measure]; "the right divine of kings to govern wrong" [Pope]; "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" [Henry IV]. #737b. Politics. [contention for governmental authority or #influence].窶年. politics; political science; candidacy, campaign, campaigning, electioneering; partisanship, ideology, factionalism. election, poll, ballot, vote, referendum, recall, initiative, voice, suffrage, plumper, cumulative vote, plebiscitum[Lat], plebiscite, vox populi; electioneering; voting &c. v.; elective franchise; straight ticket [U.S.]; opinion poll, popularity poll. issue; opinion, stand, position; program, platform; party line. [ideologies] democracy, republicanism; communism, statism, state socialism; socialism; conservatism, toryism; liberalism, whigism; theocracy; constitutional monarchy. [political parties] party &c. 712; Democratic Party[U.S: list], Republican Party, Socialist Party, Communist Party; Federalist Party[U.S. defunct parties: list], Bull Moose Party, Abolitionist Party; Christian Democratic Party[Germany: list], Social Democratic Party; National Socialist Worker's Party[Germany, 1930-1945], Nazi Party; Liberal Party[Great Britain:list], Labor Party, Conservative Party. ticket, slate. [person active in politics] politician[general], activist; candidate[specific politicians: list], aspirant, hopeful, office-seeker, front-runner, dark horse, long shot, shoo-in; supporter, backer, political worker, campaign worker; lobbyist, contributor; party hack, ward heeler; regional candidate, favorite son; running mate, stalking horse; perpetual candidate, political animal. political contribution, campaign contribution; political action committee, PAC. political district, electoral division, electoral district, bailiwick. electorate, constituents. get-out-the-vote campaign, political education. negative campaigning, dirty politics, smear campaign. [unsuccessful candidate] also-ran, loser; has-been. [successful candidate] office holder, official, occupant of a position; public servant, incumbent; winner. V. run for office, stand for office; campaign, stump; throw one's hat in the ring; announce one's candidacy. Adj. political, partisan. Phr. "Money is the mother's milk of politics" [Tip O'Neill]. #738. [Absence of authority] Laxity.窶年. laxity; laxness, looseness, slackness; toleration &c. (lenity) 740; freedom &c. 748. anarchy, interregnum; relaxation; loosening &c. v.; remission; dead letter, brutum fulmen[Lat], misrule; license, licentiousness; insubordination &c. (disobedience) 742; lynch law &c. (illegality) 964; nihilism, reign of violence. [Deprivation of power] dethronement, deposition, usurpation, abdication. V. be -lax &c. adj.; laisser faire[Fr], laisser aller[Fr]; hold a loose rein; give the reins to, give rope enough, give a loose to; tolerate; relax; misrule. go beyond the length of one's tether; have one's swing, have one's fling; act without instructions, act without authority, act outside of one's authority; act on one's own responsibility, usurp authority. dethrone, depose; abdicate. Adj. lax, loose; slack; remiss &c. (careless) 460; weak. relaxed; licensed; reinless[obs3], unbridled; anarchical; unauthorized &c. (unwarranted) 925; adespotic[obs3]. #739. Severity.窶年. severity; strictness, harshness &c. adj.; rigor, stringency, austerity; inclemency &c. (pitilessness) 914a; arrogance &c. 885; precisianism[obs3]. arbitrary power; absolutism, despotism; dictatorship, autocracy, tyranny, domineering, oppression; assumption, usurpation; inquisition, reign of terror, martial law; iron heel, iron rule, iron hand, iron sway; tight grasp; brute force, brute strength; coercion &c. 744; strong hand, tight hand. hard lines, hard measure; tender mercies [ironical]; sharp practice; pipe-clay, officialism. tyrant, disciplinarian, precisian[obs3], martinet, stickler, bashaw[obs3], despot, hard master, Draco, oppressor, inquisitor, extortioner, harpy, vulture; accipitres[obs3], birds of prey, raptorials[obs3], raptors[obs3]. V. be -severe &c. adj. assume, usurp, arrogate, take liberties; domineer, bully &c. 885; tyrannize, inflict, wreak, stretch a point, put on the screw; be hard upon; bear a heavy hand on, lay a heavy hand on; be down upon, come down upon; ill treat; deal hardly with, deal hard measure to; rule with a rod of iron, chastise with scorpions; dye with blood; oppress, override; trample under foot; tread under foot, tread upon, trample upon, tread down upon, trample down upon; crush under an iron heel, ride roughshod over; rivet the yoke; hold a tight hand, keep a tight hand; force down the throat; coerce &c. 744; give no quarter &c. (pitiless) 914a. Adj. severe; strict, hard, harsh, dour, rigid, stiff, stern, rigorous, uncompromising, exacting, exigent, exigeant[obs3], inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, austere, hard-headed, hard-nosed, hard-shell [U.S.], relentless, Spartan, Draconian, stringent, strait-laced, searching, unsparing, iron- handed, peremptory, absolute, positive, arbitrary, imperative; coercive &c. 744; tyrannical, extortionate, grinding, withering, oppressive, inquisitorial; inclement &c. (ruthless) 914a; cruel &c. (malevolent) 907; haughty, arrogant &c. 885; precisian[obs3]. Adv. severely &c. adj.; with a high hand, with a strong hand, with a tight hand, with a heavy hand. at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet. Phr. Delirant reges plectuntur Achivi[Lat]; manu forti[Lat]; ogni debole ha sempre il suo tiranno[It]. #740. Lenity.窶年. lenity, lenience, leniency; moderation &c. 174; tolerance, toleration; mildness, gentleness; favor, indulgence, indulgency[obs3]; clemency, mercy, forbearance, quarter; compassion &c.