Destination C1& C2, Unit 20

aggression (/əˈɡreʃən/)

an angry feeling that makes you want to attack or defeat someone else

authority (/ɔːˈθɒrəti/)

the power to make decisions or tell people what to do

benign ( /bəˈnaɪn/)

kind and nice

bully (/ˈbʊli/)

-to frighten or hurt someone who is smaller or weaker than you

-someone who frightens or hurts someone who is smaller or weaker than they are

command ( /kəˈmɑːnd/)

- an official order

- to officially order someone to do something

conquer (/ˈkɒŋkər/)

- to take control of land or people using soldiers

- to gain control of a situation or emotion by making a great physical or mental effort

consent (/kənˈsent/)

-permission to do something

-to give approval for something

controversy (/ˈkɒntrəvɜːrsi/ or /kənˈtrɒvərsi/)

a disagreement, especially about a public policy or a moral issue that a lot of people have strong feelings about

dictator (/dɪkˈteɪtər/)

someone who uses force to take and keep power in a country

dominate (/ˈdɒmɪneɪt/)

to control something or someone, often in a negative way, because you have more power or influence

eliminate ( /ɪˈlɪmɪneɪt/)

to get rid of something that is not wanted or needed

enforce (/ɪnˈfɔːrs/)

to make sure that a law or rule is obeyed by people

entitled

having the right to do something

exempt (/ɪɡˈzempt/)

allowed to ignore something such as a rule, obligation, or payment

former (/ˈfɔːrmər/)

used for describing someone or something that had a particular job, title, status etc in the past, but not now

impose ( /ɪmˈpəʊz/)

to introduce something such as a new law or new system, and force people to accept it

inferior (/ɪnˈfɪəriər/)

not as good as someone or something else

intimidate (/ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/)

to deliberately make someone feel frightened, especially so that they will do what you want

label (/ˈleɪbəl/)

-a piece of paper or material fastened to an object that gives information about it

-a word or phrase that is used to describe someone or something, especially one that is not completely fair or true

-to use a word or phrase to describe someone or something, especially one that is not completely fair or true

liberate (/ˈlɪbəreɪt/)

to give someone the freedom to do what they want, for example by taking them out of a situation in which their behaviour is controlled

mainstream ( /ˈmeɪnˌstriːm/)

-considered ordinary or normal and accepted or used by most people

-ideas, methods, or people that are considered ordinary or normal and accepted by most people

master ( /ˈmɑːstər/)

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

-to learn something thoroughly so that you know it or can do it very well

minister (/ˈmɪnɪstər/)

an official in charge of a government department in the UK and some other countries

monarch ( /ˈmɒnərk/)

a king, or a queen

prohibit (/prəʊˈhɪbɪt/)

to officially stop something from being done, especially by making it illegal

reign ( /reɪn/)

-the period of time when a king or queen rules a country

-if a king or queen ..., they officially rule a country

reinforce (/ˌriːɪnˈfɔːrs/)

to make an idea, belief, or feeling stronger

reluctant ( /rɪˈlʌktənt/)

not willing to do something

resist ( /rɪˈzɪst/)

-to stop yourself from doing something that you would very much like to do

- to oppose or fight against someone or something

restrict (/rɪˈstrɪkt/)

to keep something within strict limits

society ( /səˈsaɪəti/)

people in general living together in organized communities, with laws and traditions controlling the way that they behave towards one another

subject (/ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/)

-an idea, problem, situation etc that you discuss or write about

-someone who lives in a country that is controlled by a king or queen

-to make someone experience something unpleasant

subjective (/səbˈdʒektɪv/)

based on your own feelings and ideas and not on facts

submit ( /səbˈmɪt/)

to accept that someone has defeated you or has power over you

summon (/ˈsʌmən/)

to officially order someone to come to a place, especially a court of law

superior (/sʊˈpɪəriər/)

better than someone or something else in quality or skill

undermine ( /ˌʌndərˈmaɪn/)

to make something or someone become gradually less effective, confident, or successful

unrest (/ʌnˈrest/)

angry or violent behaviour by people who are protesting against something

victimise (/ˈvɪktɪmaɪz/)

to treat someone in a deliberately unfair way

vulnerable ( /ˈvʌlnərəbəl/)

someone who is ... is weak or easy to hurt physically or mentally

abolish (/əˈbɒlɪʃ/)

to officially get rid of a law, system, practice etc

advocate ( /ˈædvəkeɪt/)

to publicly support a particular policy or way of doing things

alleviate ( /əˈliːvieɪt/)

to make something less painful, severe, or serious

bureaucracy ( /bjʊəˈrɒkrəsi/)

a complicated and annoying system of rules and processes

charity ( /ˈtʃærəti/)

an organization to which you give money so that it can give money and help to people who are poor or ill, or who need advice and support

class (/klɑːs/)

one of the groups into which people in a society are divided according to their family background, education, job, or income

community (/kəˈmjuːnəti/)

the people who live in an area

convict ( /kənˈvɪkt/ verb, noun: /ˈkɒnvɪkt/)

-to prove in a court of law that someone is guilty of a crime

-someone who is in prison because they have committed a crime

corruption (/kəˈrʌpʃən/)

dishonest or illegal behaviour by officials or people in positions of power, especially when they accept money in exchange for doing things for someone

deterrent ( /dɪˈterənt/)

something that makes people decide not to do something by making them realize that something unpleasant could happen to them

heritage ( /ˈherɪtɪdʒ/)

the art, buildings, traditions, and beliefs that a society considers important to its history and culture

immigration ( /ˌɪmɪˈɡreɪʃən/)

the process in which people enter a country in order to live there permanently

industrial action

a protest in which workers show that they disagree with a policy of their employer, for example by striking

institution (/ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən/)

a large organization such as a bank, hospital, university, or prison

legislation (/ˌledʒɪˈsleɪʃən/)

a law, or a set of laws

prejudice (/ˈpredʒʊdɪs/)

an unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially the feeling of not liking a particular group of people

prison reform

changes intended to make the prison system fairer or more effective

privileged (/ˈprɪvəlɪdʒd/)

having advantages and opportunities that other people do not have, because you have a lot of money or high social status

prosecute (/ˈprɒsɪˌkjuːt/)

to officially accuse someone of a crime and ask a court of law to judge them

state (/steɪt/)

the government of a country

back down

to stop asking for something, or to stop saying that you will do something, because a lot of people oppose you

blend in

if someone or something ..., they are similar to the other people, objects, buildings etc around them, and so they seem appropriate or you do not notice them

bring about

to make something happen, especially to cause changes in a situation

crack down (on)

to start dealing with someone or something much more strictly

get in

-to be elected for a political job

get off

- to not be punished severely or at all for something that you have been accused of in court

-to have a particular period of time as a holiday

-to send something, for example in the post

give in

-to stop competing or arguing and accept that you cannot win

-if you ... to something, you can no longer control the feeling of wanting it

hit back

-to criticize someone who has criticized you

-to deliberately hit someone because they have hit you

lock up

-to put someone in a prison

-to lock all the doors and windows of a building so that no one can get in

opt out (of)

to decide not to take part in something or to stop taking part in it

phase out

to gradually stop using something

push around

to keep telling someone what to do in an unfair and unpleasant way

single out

to choose one person from a group for special attention

stand up to

to not allow yourself to be treated badly, especially by someone in authority

take over

- to take control of something

-to begin to do something that someone else was doing

talk down to

to talk to someone as if you think they are not as clever or important as you are

charge ( /tʃɑːrdʒ/)

to ask someone to pay an amount of money for something that you are selling to them or doing for them

crime (/kraɪm/)

an illegal activity or action

deny ( /dɪˈnaɪ/)

to say that you did not do something that someone has accused you of doing

example ( /ɪɡˈzɑːmpəl/)

something that you mention in order to show the type of thing that you are talking about and to help to explain what you mean

force (/fɔːrs/)

physical strength, or violence

grant (/ɡrɑːnt/)

to allow someone to have or do what they want

law (/lɔː/)

an official rule that people must obey

lock ( /lɒk/)

to fasten something such as a door or a container, usually with a key, so that other people cannot open it

peer ( /pɪər/)

someone who is of the same age as another person

power (/ˈpaʊər/)

the ability to influence or control what people do or think

prison (/ˈprɪzən/)

an institution where people are kept as punishment for committing a crime

provoke ( /prəˈvəʊk/)

to deliberately try to make someone angry

rule (/ruːl/)

a statement explaining what someone can or cannot do in a particular system, game, or situation

sentence (/ˈsentəns/)

-a group of words, usually including a subject and a verb, that express a statement, question, or instruction

-when a judge ... someone, they officially state what someone's punishment will be

social ( /ˈsəʊʃəl/)

relating to activities that involve being with other people, especially activities that you do for pleasure

bury your head in the sand

to ignore a problem or an unpleasant situation and hope that it will disappear

gain/get/have/take the upper hand

gain/get/have/take control or advantage over a person or situation

get/have your way

be allowed to have or do what you want

live and let live

used for saying that you should accept other people's beliefs and way of life, even if they are very different from your own

pull (a few) strings

to use your influence in order to get something that you want or to help someone, especially when this is unfair

red tape

documents, rules, or processes that cause delays

take the law into your own hands

to punish someone in your own way without involving the police or the courts, often by doing something illegal yourself

the powers that be

the people who control a situation

throw the book at sb.

to punish someone very severely