1
general::
government
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + government
the UK/French/Thai etc government
• The UK government has offered to send aid.
the Labour/Conservative/Social Democratic etc government
• In August 1931, the Labour government collapsed.
the Thatcher/Blair etc government
• Did the Blair government do more for Africa than previous ones?
a coalition government
(= government made up of members of more than one political party )
• The country has had a succession of weak coalition governments.
a minority government
(= that does not have enough politicians to control parliament )
• His party had gained only enough seats to form a minority government.
a left-wing/right-wing government
• The new left-wing government restructured the economy.
central/national government
(= that deals with national rather than local things )
• Funding will continue to be available from central government for further education for adults.
federal government
(= in the US, the government of the whole country rather than of the individual states )
• The state, rather than the federal government, would have to pay the extra cost.
local/state/city government
• The interference in local government by central government is not just financial, but political.
government + NOUN
government spending
• Government spending on health care totals about $60 billion a year.
a government minister
• A government minister said that there would be an inquiry.
a government official
(= someone who works for a government in an official position )
• He had a meeting with French scientists and government officials.
a government body
( also a government agency American English ) (= an organization run by the government )
• Patents are granted by the U.K. Patent Office, a government body.
a government department
• the government department responsible for policing
verbs
elect a government
(= vote to choose a government )
• A new government was elected last October.
form a government
(= become the government )
• The party attained the majority of seats it needed to form a government.
bring down a government
(= force it to lose power )
• It was a major scandal that nearly brought down the government.
transnet.ir
2
general::
government
[ uncountable and countable ] the group of people who govern a country or the system they use to govern it:
• The French government did not sign the agreement. • a democratic system of government
administration
[ countable ] the government of a country, especially one such as the US, which is led by a president:
• the Kennedy administration • the problems left by the previous adminstration
regime
[ countable ] a government, especially one that was not elected fairly or that you disapprove of:
• Most people opposed the apartheid regime.
the executive
[ singular ] the part of the government that makes sure that laws and decisions work well:
• the separation of powers between the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary
democracy
[ uncountable and countable ] a political system in which everyone can vote to choose the government, or a country that has this system:
• The transition to democracy has not been easy. • In a democracy, people have freedom of speech.
republic
[ countable ] a country that has an elected government, and is led by a president, not a king or queen:
• Mauritius became a republic in 1992.
monarchy
[ uncountable and countable ] the system of having a king or queen as the head of state, or a country that has this system:
• Some monarchies have elected governments. • controversy about the institution of monarchy
an undemocratic government
dictatorship
[ uncountable and countable ] a political system or country that has a dictator (= a leader who has complete power and who has not been elected ):
• Argentina was a military dictatorship until 1983. • Hungary’s years of dictatorship
totalitarian
adjective [ only before noun ] used for describing countries in which ordinary people have no power and the government has complete control over everything:
• totalitarian states such as Nazi Germany • a totalitarian dictatorship
police state
[ countable ] a country where the government strictly controls people’s freedom, for example to travel or to talk about politics:
• It’s like living in a police state.
Longman-Thesaurus
4
general::
noun people in control of a country ADJ. central, federal, local, national, provincial, regional | Communist, Conservative, Labour, etc. the country's new Communist government | left-wing, right-wing | coalition | minority The socialists won 42% of the seats and formed a minority government. | caretaker, interim, transitional The president dissolved the assembly and swore in an interim government. | military | puppet | French, Western, etc. The report on world poverty calls for urgent action from Western governments. VERB + GOVERNMENT elect The present government was elected last year. | form A nre government was formed in September of that year. | install A puppet government was installed as the occupying forces withdrew. | swear in | head, run a new government headed by a former military leader | bring down, destabilize, oust, overthrow, topple This crisis could bring down the British government. The group aims to overthrow the military government. GOVERNMENT + VERB come to power | take office On May 23 a coalition government took office. | fall, resign a national emergency that could cause the government to fall | announce sth The government announced the cancellation of the dam project. | introduce sth, launch sth GOVERNMENT + NOUN agency, body, department | funds, money | aid, assistance, backing, funding, grant, subsidy, support | expenditure, spending | cuts The hospital has been hit by government cuts. | control | intervention, involvement calls for government intervention in the dispute | minister, official, representative, spokesman | sources According to government sources, two people died in the incident. | figures, statistics | post | reshuffle The former minister was relieved of his post in last month's extensive government reshuffle. | decisions, legislation, measures, plans, policy, proposals | report | propaganda PREP. in ~ a problem facing whichever party is in government | under a/the ~ measures that were introduced under the last government PHRASES a change of government It is time we had a change of government. | the government of the day This was a decision taken by the government of the day. | a member of a government The prime minister has been meeting members of the French government. act of governing ADJ. democratic, representative | firm, good, strong We need strong government to take the country through this crisis. | weak
Oxford Collocations Dictionary