Definition

The legitimate right to command obedience, enforce rules, and generally tell people what to do—whether earned through expertise, position, or gunpower. The opposite of 'suggestions.'

Example Usage

The health authority mandated new sanitation standards for all restaurants in the region.

Source: Merriam-Webster via Free Dictionary API

Related Terms

Beginner

adjourn

The legislative equivalent of 'let's call it a day,' where lawmakers formally suspend proceedings until a specified future time—or indefinitely if they're really over it. This parliamentary procedure transforms heated debates into awkward silence as everyone shuffles out, usually right before something controversial was about to get voted on. It's how Congress officially decides they've had enough of each other's company for one day, week, or session.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Intermediate

Sanction

An economic punishment where one country tells another "we're not trading with you anymore" in the geopolitical equivalent of unfriending someone. Confusingly, the word can also mean "to approve," because English is a language designed to cause headaches.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Intermediate

VPILF

An acronym meaning 'Vice President I'd Like to Facebook,' a sanitized and social-media-appropriate variant of a more explicit phrase that emerged during Sarah Palin's 2008 VP run. It's political attraction repackaged for the Web 2.0 era. Because nothing says democracy like turning politicians into memes.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Advanced

plenipotentiary

A diplomat invested with full power to represent their government and make binding decisions without consulting home. Essentially giving someone the keys to your country's diplomatic car and hoping they don't crash it.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Beginner

amendment

A proposed change to a bill, law, or motion that legislators use to add, delete, or modify text — basically the legislative version of tracked changes in a Google Doc. In constitutional contexts, it's how democracies update their operating systems without a complete reboot. Can range from fixing typos to fundamentally altering legislation.

🏛️ Government / Politics
Intermediate

markup session

A committee meeting where legislators revise and amend draft legislation, essentially editing homework as a group while arguing about every comma. It's where bills get their battle scars before hitting the floor.

🏛️ Government / Politics

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Intermediate

blended rate

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