Glossary

Document Sample
Glossary
G LOSSARY



A

abate:

to reduce in amount; put an end to;

alien: a citizen of another country

alternative dispute resolution: any

means of settling disputes out-

make void or annul side of the courtroom, typically

abet: to actively, knowingly, and including arbitration, mediation,

intentionally assist another in early neutral evaluation, and

the committing (or attempt) of a conciliation

crime

amend: to alter or change

abolitionist: one favoring principles

or measures fostering the end of antitrust: laws protecting commerce

slavery and trade from monopolistic

absolute: complete, pure, free from restraints on competition

restriction or limitation appellate: a court having jurisdiction

adherent: a follower of a leader or to review the findings of lower

party, or a believer in a cause courts

adjournment: the closing, or end, of

appoint: to select someone to fill an

a session

office or position

adjudicate: to settle something judi-

cially apportion: to divide and assign

adjudicated: a matter or controversy according to a plan

that has already been decided appropriate: to set aside for or assign

through judicial procedure to a particular purpose or group

adjudication: the act of settling

arbitrate: to resolve disagreements

something judicially

whereby parties choose a per-

adjudicatory: having to do with the

son or group of people familiar

process of settling something

with the issues in question to

judicially

hear and settle their dispute

adverse: contrary to one’s interests;

harmful or unfavorable arbitration the settling of a dispute

aggrieved: suffering physical injury by a neutral third party

or a loss of one’s property inter- Articles of Confederation: first consti-

est, monetary interest, or per- tution of the United States (in

sonal rights effect 1781–1789); it established

agrarian: having to do with farming a union between the thirteen

or farming communities and states, but with a weak central

their interests government





321

GLOSSARY









B

bipartisan: involving members of

two parties, especially the two

Civil Rights movement: the movement

to win political, economic, and

social equality for African Amer-

major political parties icans

blacklist: a list of persons who are class action: a lawsuit brought by a

to be denied employment representative member of a

block grant: an unrestricted grant of large group of people who have

federal money to state and local suffered the same injury or

governments to support social damages

welfare programs Cold War: a conflict over ideological

bondage: a state of being involuntar- differences carried on by meth-

ily bound or subjugated to ods short of military action and

someone or something usually without breaking off

boycott: to refuse to purchase goods diplomatic relations; usually

or services from a specific com- refers to the ideological conflict

pany between the U.S. and former

U.S.S.R.

collateral: property put up by a bor-

C

capitulate: to surrender under spe-

cific conditions; to give up resis-

rower to secure a loan that

could be seized if the borrower

tance fails to pay back the debt

collective bargaining: a method of

carcinogenic: cancer-causing

negotiations, usually between

cause of action: reason or ground for

employees and an employer, in

initiating a proceeding in court

which a representative negoti-

censor: to restrict the expression of

ates on behalf of an organized

something considered objec-

group of people

tionable

commerce: the large-scale exchange

charter: document that creates a of goods, involving transporta-

public or private corporation tion from one place to another

and outlines the principles, commerce clause: the provision of

functions, and organization of the U.S. Constitution (Article I,

the corporate body section 8, clause 3) that gives

checks and balances: the limiting Congress exclusive powers over

powers that each branch of interstate commerce—the buy-

government has over the other ing, selling, or exchanging of

two. (The government is divid- goods between states

ed into three branches: legisla- commodity: an article of trade or

tive, executive, and judicial, commerce that can be trans-

each with distinct powers.) ported; especially an agricultur-

civil action: a lawsuit brought to pro- al or mining product

tect an individual right or common law: a system of laws

redress a wrong, as distinct developed in England—and

from criminal proceedings later applied in the U.S.—based

civil disobedience: nonviolent protest on judicial precedent rather

civil libertarian: one who is actively than statutory laws passed by a

concerned with the protection legislative body

of the fundamental freedoms communism: an economic and social

guaranteed to the individual in system characterized by the

the Bill of Rights absence of classes and by com-

civil penalties: fines or money dam- mon ownership of the means of

ages imposed as punishment production and subsistence





322 M A J O R A C T S O F C O N G R E S S


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