Destination C1&C2 Unit 20 EN - EN

benign

kind and gentle; harmless

bully

sb who is habitually cruel to weaker people

command

give an authoritative order

conquer

defeat or overcome, especially by force

consent

permission to do something (n.); give permission for sth to happen (v).

eliminate

get rid of; do away with

enforce

make people obey a rule or law

exempt

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

former

having come before, previous

impose (on)

to introduce sth such as a new law or system, and force people to accept it
[These rules are being … without anyone's opinion being asked.]

inferior

lower in rank, status, or quality

intimidate

frighten sb, especially by threatening them

liberate

free from bondage or domination; release

master

be or become completely proficient or skilled in

monarch

king or queen

reign

rule as a queen or king

prohibit

forbid by law or order

reinforce

make stronger with new materials or support

reluctant

unwilling and hesitant

resist

work or fight against

restrict

keep within limits; confine

summon

call together, send for or request to appear

superior

higher in rank, status, or quality

undermine

weaken or ruin by degrees

unrest

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

vulnerable

susceptible to physical or emotional attack or harm

abolish

cancel; put an end to

alleviate

relieve, make more bearable

convict

prove guilty; person serving a prison sentence

deterrent

something that discourages or hinders

prosecute sb for sth

institute or conduct legal proceedings against a person or organisation

blend in

be an unobtrusive or harmonious part of a greater whole by being similar in appearance or behaviour

back down

yield in an argument

crack down (on sb/sth)

try harder to prevent an illegal activity and deal more severely with those who are caught doing it

lock up

put someone in a prison; lock all the doors and windows of a building so that no one can get in

opt out of

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

phase out

gradually stop using something

push around

keep telling sb what to do in an unfair or unpleasant way

single out

choose one person from a group for special attention

talk down to sb

talk to someone as if they were less intelligent than you or not as important

take up arms against

prepare to fight against someone or something

lay down (your) arms

agree to stop fighting

be up in arms (about) sth

be very angry and ready to protest (used to describe group reaction)

arms race

a competition between nations to have the most powerful armaments

grant sb the authority to do sth

give sb the right to do sth

charge sb with sth

accuse someone officially of committing a crime

take charge of=be in charge of

be responsible for

put in charge of

make sb responsible for sth

witness a crime

watch a crime

fight/combat crime

do sth about crime

crime rate

a measure of the incidence of crime expressed as the number of crimes per unit of population

deny (all) responsibility for

say that you cannot be held accountable for sth at all

make an example of

punish as a warning to others

set an example

behave in a way that other people should copy

classic/prime example

a well-known/excellent example

force sb to do sth

make sb do sth against their will

armed forces

a country's military forces, especially its army, navy, and air force

grant sb a wish

give sb what they desire

break/follow/uphold the law

violate/obey/enforce the law

pass/amend/repeal a law

put into effect/change/annul a law

above the law

not subject to the law; immune to the law

lock horns with sb over sth

engage in conflict

under lock and key

securely locked up

serve a prison term/prison sentence

do time; spend a certain time in prison

provoke (sb into doing sth)

do or say sth that annoys sb so that they react in an angry way

rule of thumb

a practical and approximate way of doing or measuring something

pass sentence on sb

read out the sentence of punishment for a convicted criminal

serve a sentence (of five years etc.)

stay in prison for five years

death sentence, capital punishment

punishment by execution

social services

government services provided for the benefit of the community, such as education, medical care, and housing

social worker

someone employed to provide social services (especially to the disadvantaged)

subject sb to sth

make someone experience sth unpleasant

drop/change the subject

stop talking about the same subject

subject to

likely to be affected by something

the subject of

thing which is being discussed, considered or studied

British subject

British citizen

bury your head in the sand

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

gain/get/have/take the upper hand

take control or advantage over a person or situation

pull a few strings

use influential contacts in order to obtain an advantage

take the law into your own hands

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

throw the book at sb

punish someone very severely

be under sb's thumb

to be under sb's control

arguably

used when giving your opinion to say that there are good reasons why something might be true

uncharitable

unkind, unsympathetic

decriminalise

cease to treat sth as illegal

domineering

ruling or controlling arrogantly; overbearing; tyrannical

predominantly (adv)

mainly; for the most part

dutiful

careful to fulfill obligations and responsibilities

exemplify

serve as a good example

exemplification

showing by example

misgovern

rule or govern badly

hardship

difficulty, trouble; pain and suffering

hardy

able to survive under bad conditions; tough

mightily (adv)

with great strength; powerfully

officious

excessively eager to deliver unasked-for or unwanted help

persuade/dissuade

win someone over by arguing or asking / advise against

persuasive

capable of convincing

empower

give power or authority to; enable; permit

significance

the quality of being worthy of attention; importance

insignificant

trivial; not important