SOCIAL ISSUES

aggression (n)

any physical or verbal behaviour intended to hurt or destroy

(You're going to have to learn to control your ...)

authority (n)

the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

(You don't have the ... to do that.)

benign (adj)

kind and gentle; harmless

(He might seem ..., but keep an eye on him.)

bully (v, n)

sb who is habitually cruel to weaker people; sb who frightens or hurts someone who is smaller or weaker than they are

(The boss just tries to ... everyone in the office.)

(I was a bit of a ... when I was at school.)

command (v, n)

give an authoritative order; an official order

(The general ...ed the army to attack.)

(The dog understands my every ...)

conquer (v)

defeat or overcome, especially by force

(The Spanish ...ed South America in the sixteenth century.)

consent (to) (v, n)

give approval for something; permission to do something; give permission for sth to happen

(You can't go on the school trip unless your parents ... to it.)

(The police shouldn't be allowed to enter your house without your ...)

controversy (n)

disagreement, typically when prolonged, public, and heated

(There's a lot of ... surrounding the new law.)

dictator (n)

a leader who speaks and rules with total power

(How did the ... Hitler come to power?)

dominate (v)

control, rule over somebody by strength or power; to tower over, command due to height

(Don't allow him to ... the conversation all the time.)

eliminate (v)

get rid of; do away with

(Will we ever ... the threat from pollution?)

enforce (v)

make people obey a rule or law

(It'll be impossible to ... the new law.)

entitled (adj)

given the right to have or do something

(Students are ... to a special discount on books.)

exempt (from) (ad)

not subject to a duty or obligation; free from a duty

(At the moment, women are ... from military service.)

former (adj)

having come before, previous

(The ... Prime Minister of India is visiting the UK.)

impose (v)

force someone to accept or put up with; take unfair advantage of

(These rules are being ...ed without anyone's opinion being asked.)

inferior (adj)

not as good as something else; lower in rank, status, or quality

(Street markets often sell ... quality electrical goods.)

intimidate (v)

frighten sb, especially by threatening someone

(Richard often tries to ... people.)

label (v, n)

use a word or phrase to describe someone or something, especially one that is not completely fair or true; a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive; a small piece attached to an object with information about it

(Don't ... all young people in the same way.)

(I wish people wouldn't try to put a ... on me.)

(I don't know what's in this tin because the ... has come off.)

liberate (v)

free from bondage or domination; release

(Leaving school and getting a job really ...ed me.)

mainstream (n, adj)

ideas, methods or people that are considered ordinary or normal and accepted by most people; belonging to a widely accepted group

(Life can be more difficult if you're not part of the ...)

(Most ... politicians have dismissed the suggestion.)

master (v, n)

be or become completely proficient or skilled in;

a man who has control over servants or other people who work for him

(It took me over ten years to ... the piano.)

(Servants should show respect to their ... at all times.)

minister (n)

head of a government department; the person who administers or celebrates a sacrament

(The ... responsible for this decision should resign.)

monarch (n)

king or queen

(The ... represents the country abroad.)

prohibit (v)

forbid by law or order

(The sale of lottery tickets to children is ...ed.)

reign (v, n)

rule as a queen or king; the period of time when a king or queen rules a country

(Queen Victoria ...ed during a time of great change.)

(What's the longest ... of any king or queen?)

reinforce (v)

make stronger with new materials or support

(Stories like this in the media ... the idea that all young black men are criminals.)

reluctant (adj)

unwilling and hesitant

(I'm reluctant to invite Tracy to the wedding.)

resist (v)

work or fight against; stop yourself from doing something you would very much like to do

(The Prime Minister ...ed a lot of pressure to change his mind.)

(I can't ... chocolate!)

restrict (v)

keep within limits; confine

(Many parents ... the number of hours their children play on the computer.)

society (n)

people who share a culture and a territory

(People have much more freedom in today's ...)

subject (to) (v, n)

(v) make someone experience something unpleasant; put under the control of; (n) someone who lives in a country that is controlled by a king or queen; an idea, problem, situation etc that you discuss or write about

(They ...ed the poor prisoner to torture.)

(I'm proud to be a British ...)

(What subject have you chosen for your essay?)

subjective (adj)

based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions

(That's just your ... opinion.)

submit (v)

accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person

(The boy only stopped hitting me when I ...ed.)

summon (v)

call together, send for or request to appear

(She was ...ed to appear before the court.)

superior (to) (adj)

better than someone or something else in quality or skill; higher in rank, status, or quality

(His early work is vastly ... to the later pieces.)

undermine (v)

make something or someone become gradually less effective, confident or successful; weaken or ruin by degrees

(This unfortunate incident ...s all the hard work we've put in.)

unrest (n)

a political situation in which people are angry and likely to protest or fight

(Politicians held a special meeting to discuss the ... in the country.)

victimise somebody (v)

single sb out for cruel or unjust treatment

(It's not right to ... someone in that way.)

vulnerable (adj)

susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm

(I felt quite ... walking home late at night.)