Roget's Thesaurus

by Peter Mark Roget

#737. Authority.—N. authority; influence, patronage, power, preponderance, credit, prestige, prerogative, jurisdiction; right &c. (title) 924; direction &c. 693; government &c. 737a. divine right, dynastic rights, authoritativeness; absoluteness, absolutism; despotism; jus nocendi[Lat]; jus divinum[Lat]. mastery, mastership, masterdom[obs3]; dictation, control. hold, grasp; grip, gripe; reach; iron sway &c. (severity) 739; fangs, clutches, talons; rod of empire &c. (scepter) 747. [Vicarious authority] commission &c. 755; deputy &c.759; permission &c. 760. V. authorize &c. (permit) 760; warrant &c. (right) 924; dictate &c. (order) 741. be at the head of &c. adj.; hold office, be in office, fill an office; hold master, occupy master, a post master, be master &c. 745. have the upper hand, get the upper hand, have the whip, get the whip; gain a hold upon, preponderate, dominate, rule the roost; boss [U.S.]; override, overrule, overawe; lord it over, hold in hand, keep under, make a puppet of, lead by the nose, turn round one's little finger, bend to one's will, hold one's own, wear the breeches; have the ball at one's feet, have it all one's own way, have the game in one's own hand, have on the hip, have under one's thumb; be master of the situation; take the lead, play first fiddle, set the fashion; give the law to; carry with a high hand; lay down the law; "ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm" [Addison]; rule with a rod of iron &c. (severity) 739. Adj. at the head, dominant, paramount, supreme, predominant, preponderant, in the ascendant, influential; arbitrary; compulsory &c. 744: stringent. at one's command; in one's power, in one's grasp; under control. Adv. in the name of, by the authority of, de par le Roi[Fr], in virtue of; under the auspices of, in the hands of. at one's pleasure; by a dash if the pen, by a stroke of the pen; ex mero motu[Lat]; ex cathedra[Lat: from the chair]. Phr. the gray mare the better horse; "every inch a king" [Lear].

#737a. Government.—N. government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority; authority &c. 737; master &c. 745; direction &c. 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].—N. 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.—N. 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.—N. 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.—N. lenity, lenience, leniency; moderation &c. 174; tolerance, toleration; mildness, gentleness; favor, indulgence, indulgency[obs3]; clemency, mercy, forbearance, quarter; compassion &c. 914. V. be -lenient &c. adj.; tolerate, bear with; parcere subjectis[Lat], give quarter. indulge, allow one to have his own way, spoil. Adj. lenient; mild, mild as milk; gentle, soft; tolerant, indulgent, easy-going; clement &c. (compassionate) 914; forbearing; long-suffering.

#741. Command.—N. command, order, ordinance, act, fiat, hukm[obs3], bidding, dictum, hest[obs3], behest, call, beck, nod. despatch, dispatch; message, direction, injunction, charge, instructions; appointment, fixture. demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, reclamation, revendication[obs3]; ultimatum &c. (terms) 770; request &c. 765; requirement. dictation; dictate, mandate; caveat, decree, senatus consultum[Lat]; precept; prescript, rescript; writ, ordination, bull, ex cathedra pronouncement[Lat], edict, decretal[obs3], dispensation, prescription, brevet, placit[obs3], ukase, ukaz [Russian], firman, hatti-sherif[obs3], warrant, passport, mittimus[Law@crim], mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius[Lat], interpellation, citation; word, word of command; mot d'ordre[Fr]; bugle call, trumpet call; beat of drum, tattoo; order of the day; enactment &c. (law) 963; plebiscite &c. (choice) 609. V. command, order, decree, enact, ordain, dictate, direct, give orders. prescribe, set, appoint, mark out; set a task, prescribe a task, impose a task; set to work, put in requisition. bid, enjoin, charge, call upon, instruct; require at the hands of; exact, impose, tax, task; demand; insist on &c. (compel) 744. claim, lay claim to, revendicate[obs3], reclaim. cite, summon; call for, send for; subpoena; beckon. issue a command; make a requisition, issue a requisition, promulgate a requisition, make a decree, issue a decree, promulgate a decree, make an order, issue an order, promulgate an order &c. n.; give the word of command, give the word, give the signal; call to order; give the law, lay down the law; assume the command &c. (authority) 737; remand. be -ordered &c.; receive an order &c. n. Adj. commanding &c. v.; authoritative &c. 737; decretory[obs3], decretive[obs3], decretal[obs3]; callable, jussive[obs3]. Adv. in a commanding tone; by a stroke of the pen, by a dash of the pen; by order, at beat of drum, on the first summons. Phr. the decree is gone forth; sic volo sic jubeo[Lat]; le Roi le veut[Fr]; boutez en avant[Fr].

#742. Disobedience.—N. disobedience, insubordination, contumacy; infraction, infringement; violation, noncompliance; nonobservance &c. 773. revolt, rebellion, mutiny, outbreak, rising, uprising, insurrection, emeute[Fr]; riot, tumult &c. (disorder) 59; strike &c.(resistance) 719; barring out; defiance &c. 715. mutinousness &c. adj.; mutineering[obs3]; sedition, treason; high treason, petty treason, misprision of treason; premunire[Lat]; lese majeste[Fr]; violation of law &c. 964; defection, secession. insurgent, mutineer, rebel, revolter, revolutionary, rioter, traitor, quisling, carbonaro[obs3], sansculottes[Fr], red republican, bonnet rouge, communist, Fenian, frondeur; seceder, secessionist, runagate, renegade, brawler, anarchist, demagogue; Spartacus, Masaniello, Wat Tyler, Jack Cade; ringleader. V. disobey, violate, infringe; shirk; set at defiance &c. (defy) 715; set authority at naught, run riot, fly in the face of; take the law into one's own hands; kick over the traces. turn restive, run restive; champ the bit; strike &c. (resist) 719; rise, rise in arms; secede; mutiny, rebel. Adj. disobedient; uncomplying, uncompliant; unsubmissive[obs3], unruly, ungovernable; breachy[obs3], insubordinate, impatient of control, incorrigible; restiff|, restive; refractory, contumacious, recusant &c. (refuse) 764; recalcitrant; resisting &c. 719; lawless, mutinous, seditions, insurgent, riotous. unobeyed[obs3]; unbidden. Phr. seditiosissimus quisque ignavus [Lat][Tacitus]; "unthread the rude eye of rebellion" [King John].

#743. Obedience.—N. obedience; observance &c. 772; compliance; submission &c. 725; subjection &c. 749; nonresistance; passiveness, resignation. allegiance, loyalty, fealty, homage, deference, devotion; constancy, fidelity. submissness[obs3], submissiveness; ductility &c. (softness) 324; obsequiousness &c. (servility) 886. V. be -obedient &c. adj.; obey, bear obedience to; submit &c. 725; comply, answer the helm, come at one's call; do one's bidding, do what one is told, do suit and service; attend to orders, serve faithfully. follow the lead of, follow to the world's end; serve &c. 746; play second fiddle. Adj. obedient; complying, compliant; loyal, faithful, devoted; at one's call, at one's command, at one's orders, at one's beck and call; under beck and call, under control. restrainable; resigned, passive; submissive &c. 725; henpecked; pliant &c. (soft) 324. unresisted[obs3]. Adv. obediently &c. adj.; in compliance with, in obedience to. Phr. to hear is to obey; as you please, if you please; your wish is my command; as you wish; no sooner said than done.

#744. Compulsion.—N. compulsion, coercion, coaction[obs3], constraint, duress, enforcement, press, conscription. force; brute force, main force, physical force; the sword, ultima ratio[Lat]; club law, lynch law, mob law, arguementum baculinum[obs3], le droit du plus fort[Fr], martial law. restraint &c. 751; necessity &c. 601; force majeure[Fr]; Hobson's choice. V. compel, force, make, drive, coerce, constrain, enforce, necessitate, oblige. force upon, press; cram down the throat, thrust down the throat, force down the throat; say it must be done, make a point of, insist upon, take no denial; put down, dragoon. extort, wring from; squeeze, put on the squeeze; put on the screws, turn on the screw; drag into; bind, bind over; pin down, tie down; require, tax, put in force; commandeer; restrain &c. 751. Adj. compelling &c. v.; coercive, coactive[obs3]; inexorable &c. 739; compulsory, compulsatory[obs3]; obligatory, stringent, peremptory. forcible, not to be trifled with; irresistible &c. 601; compelled &c. v.; fain to. Adv. by force &c. n., by force of arms; on compulsion, perforce; vi et armis[Lat], under the lash; at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet; forcibly; by a strong arm. under protest, in spite of one's teeth; against one's will &c. 603; nolens volens &c. (of necessity) 601[Lat]; by stress of circumstances, by stress of weather; under press of; de rigueur. with a gun to one's head. Phr. I'll make him an offer he can't refuse.