Society, law and government

Crime, the law, government, families, young people, gender and history.

161 words

overpopulationB2nouna situation where there are too many people living in a place for its resources
migrationB2nounthe movement of people or animals from one place to another, often in large numbers
immigrationB1nounthe act of coming to live in a foreign country, or the number of people who do this
immigrantB2nouna person who has come to live permanently in a country that is not their own
emigrateB2verbto leave your own country to live permanently in another one
refugeeB2nouna person who has had to leave their country because of war, danger or disaster
ethnicB2adjectiveconnected with a group of people who share the same culture, traditions or origin
diversityC1nouna range of many different types of people or things, for example in a workplace
multiculturalB2adjectiveincluding people from many different countries, races or cultures
inequalityB2nouna situation in which some people have more money, power or chances than others
povertyB1nounthe state of having too little money to pay for basic things like food and housing
welfareB2nounthe health, safety and happiness of people; also government help for people who need money
homelessB1adjectivehaving no place to live
homelessnessB2nounthe situation of having no place to live
charityB1nounan organization that collects money to help people in need; also help given to them
volunteerB1verbto offer to do something without being asked or paid
discriminationB2nountreating a person or group unfairly because of their race, sex, age, religion or similar reasons
prejudiceB2nounan unfair opinion or feeling about a person or group, formed without knowing the facts
stereotypeB2nouna fixed, simple idea about what a type of person or thing is like, which is often unfair
equalityB2nounthe situation in which all people have the same rights, chances and treatment
minorityB1nouna smaller part of a group, or a group of people who differ from most others in a country
agingB2adjectivebecoming older, especially when more people in a group are old
upbringingB2nounthe way a child is cared for and taught how to behave while growing up
parentingB2nounthe work of raising a child, including caring for them and teaching them how to behave
siblingB2nouna brother or sister
spouseB2nouna husband or wife
householdB1nounall the people who live together in one home
childcareB2nounthe care of young children while their parents are at work, often paid for
adolescentB2nouna young person who is no longer a child but not yet an adult
adolescenceB2nounthe period of life between being a child and being an adult
divorceB2nounthe legal end of a marriage
guardianB2nouna person who is legally responsible for looking after a child whose parents cannot
offenderB2nouna person who has committed a crime
criminalB1nouna person who has broken the law
juvenileC1adjectiverelating to young people who are not yet adults in law; also silly and childish
delinquencyC1nounbad or illegal behavior by young people, such as stealing or damaging property
burglaryB2nounthe crime of breaking into a building to steal things
theftB1nounthe crime of taking something that belongs to someone else
fraudB2nounthe crime of tricking people to get money or goods; also a person who does this
vandalismB2nounthe crime of damaging public or private property on purpose
shopliftingB2nounthe crime of taking goods from a store without paying for them
assaultB2nouna violent attack on a person; also a military attack, or strong criticism
imprisonmentB2nounthe punishment of being kept in prison
prisonB1nouna building where people are kept as punishment after a court finds them guilty of a crime
sentenceB2verbto officially say in court what punishment a guilty person will receive
punishmentB1nounsomething unpleasant that is done to a person because they have broken a law or rule
deterrentC2nounsomething that makes people decide not to do something because they fear what will happen
penaltyB2nouna punishment for breaking a rule or law; in football, a free shot at goal
fineB1adjectiveokay, healthy or acceptable; also of high quality, or very thin and detailed
reoffendC1verbto commit another crime after being punished for an earlier one
paroleC1nounpermission for a prisoner to leave prison early if they promise to behave well
custodyC1nounthe state of being kept by the police before a trial; also the legal right to look after a child
trialB2nounthe process of judging a case in court to decide if someone is guilty; also a test of something new
verdictC1nounthe decision a judge or jury makes about whether someone is guilty; also an opinion after judging something
legislationB2nouna law, or a set of laws, that a parliament or government makes
regulationB1nounan official rule, or the control of something by rules
policyB1nouna set of rules or plans that a government or organization agrees to follow
taxationB2nounthe system by which a government collects money from people and businesses
taxpayerB2nouna person or company that pays tax to the government
subsidyC2nounmoney that a government pays to help a business or industry, or to keep prices low
subsidizeC2verbto pay part of the cost of something so that people can buy or use it more cheaply
budgetB2nouna plan of how much money you can spend, or the money available for something
expenditureC1nounthe total amount of money that a government, organization or person spends
infrastructureC1nounthe basic systems a country or city needs, such as roads, bridges, power and water supply
bureaucracyB2nouna system with many complicated rules and slow processes, or the officials who run such a system
democracyB1nouna system of government in which people choose their leaders by voting
electionB1nouna time when people vote to choose a leader, a government or a representative
campaignB2nouna planned series of activities to achieve a goal, such as winning an election or changing a law
ballotB2nouna paper or system used to vote secretly; also the act of voting itself
referendumC1nouna vote in which all citizens answer yes or no to one important question
parliamentB2nounthe group of elected people in a country who make and change its laws
ministerB2nouna person who leads a government department; also a priest in some Christian churches
authorityB1nounthe power to give orders or make decisions; also an official group with this power
medievalB2adjectiveconnected with the period in European history between about the years 500 and 1500
civilizationB1nouna society with its own culture, government and way of life, especially one from the past
dynastyB1nouna series of rulers from the same family, or the period when they ruled
empireB1nouna group of countries ruled by one leader or government; also a large group of businesses controlled by one person
colonialB2adjectiveconnected with a time when a country controlled and ruled another country
archaeologyB2nounthe study of the past by digging up and examining old buildings, tools and other objects
archaeologistB2nouna scientist who studies the past by digging up and examining old buildings, tools and objects
artifactC2nounan object made by people long ago, especially one that is historically interesting
monumentB1nouna statue or building made to remember a person or event, or a very old important building
preserveB1verbto keep something safe or in good condition so that it lasts
preservationC1nounthe act of keeping something safe, in good condition, or the same as before
restorationC1nounthe work of repairing something old so it looks as it did; also bringing back a system or situation
lawsuitB2nouna case that a person or company brings to a court of law against someone else
sueB2verbto take legal action against a person or company, usually to get money from them
plaintiffC1nouna person or company that brings a case against someone in a court of law
defendantC1nounthe person in a court case who is accused of a crime or is being sued
prosecuteB2verbto officially accuse someone of a crime in court and try to prove they are guilty
prosecutionC1nounthe process of charging someone with a crime in court, or the lawyers who do this
attorneyB2nouna lawyer, especially in the United States, who speaks for people in court and gives legal advice
witnessB2nouna person who sees an event, such as a crime or accident, and can describe it, often in court
juryB2nouna group of ordinary people who decide in court whether someone is guilty; also judges of a competition
legalB1adjectiveallowed by the law, or connected with the law
legitimateB2adjectiveallowed by the law or the rules; also fair and reasonable
compensationB2nounmoney or something else given to someone for loss, injury or trouble
feminismB2nounthe belief that women should have the same rights and chances as men, and the movement that works for this
feministB2nouna person who believes that women should have the same rights and chances as men
patriarchyC1nouna society or system in which men have most of the power and make most of the important decisions
empowermentC1nounthe process of giving people more control over their own lives and the power to make decisions
maternityB2nounthe time before and after a baby is born, especially in connection with work or hospital care
paternityB2nounthe state of being a father; also used for rights and leave connected with becoming a father
rebelliousB2adjectiverefusing to obey rules or authority, especially in a deliberate way
idolB1nouna famous person, such as a singer or athlete, whom many people love and admire
acquaintanceB1nouna person you know a little but who is not a close friend
companionB2nouna person or animal you spend a lot of time with or travel with
neighborB1nouna person who lives next to you or very near you
traitB2nouna particular quality in someone's character, or a feature passed down in a family
outgoingB1adjectivefriendly, confident and happy to meet and talk to new people
sociableB2adjectivefriendly and happy to talk and spend time with other people
reservedB2adjectivequiet and not willing to show your feelings or talk about yourself much
ambitiousB1adjectivewanting very much to be successful; also needing a lot of effort to achieve
generousB1adjectivehappy to give money, time or help to others; also larger than usual
loyalB1adjectivealways supporting a person, group or company and not changing to another
reliableB1adjectiveable to be trusted to work well or to do what you expect
humbleB2adjectivenot thinking you are better than others; also simple, ordinary and not rich
arrogantB2adjectivebehaving as if you are better or more important than other people
stubbornB1adjectivenot willing to change your opinion or behavior, even when you should; also hard to get rid of
communityB2nounall the people living in one area, or a group who share interests, background or beliefs
residentB2nouna person who lives in a particular place, building or area
citizenshipB1nounthe legal right to belong to a country, with its rights and duties
donationB2nounmoney or goods given to help a person or organization, especially a charity; also giving blood or an organ
fundraisingB2nounthe activity of collecting money from people for a charity or a cause
nonprofitB2adjectiveworking to help people or a cause, not to make money for owners
gapB1nounan empty space between two things; also a big difference between two groups or amounts
privilegeB2nouna special right or advantage that only some people have
marginalizedC1adjectivetreated as unimportant and pushed to the edge of society, with little power or voice
vulnerableC1adjectiveeasily hurt or harmed, physically or emotionally
politicianB1nouna person whose job is in politics, especially someone elected to government
voterB2nouna person who votes, or who has the right to vote, in an election
constituencyC1nounan area whose people elect one representative, or the group of voters in that area
senateB2nounthe smaller of the two groups that make laws in some countries, such as the United States
congressB2nounthe group of elected people who make laws in the United States; also a large formal meeting
presidentB1nounthe leader of a country without a king or queen, or the head of a company or club
mayorB1nounthe person who is elected or chosen to lead the government of a town or city
councilB1nouna group of people elected or chosen to make decisions for a town, city or organization
enforcementC1nounthe act of making sure that people obey a law or rule
ageismC1noununfair treatment of people because of their age, especially older people
sexismB2noununfair treatment of people, usually women, because of their sex, or the belief that one sex is better
racismB2noununfair treatment of people, or the belief that some people are better, because of their race
racistB2adjectiveshowing the unfair belief that some races are better than others, or treating people badly because of their race
inclusiveC1adjectiveopen to everyone so no group is left out; also including all the stated items or costs
inclusionC1nounthe act of including someone or something, or making sure everyone can take part and is treated fairly
inclusivityC1nounthe practice of making sure that everyone, whatever their background or ability, is included and treated fairly
accessibilityB2nounhow easy something is to reach, use or understand, especially for disabled people
disabilityB1nouna physical or mental condition that makes some everyday activities difficult
disabledB1adjectivehaving a physical or mental condition that makes some everyday activities difficult
affordabilityB2nounthe quality of costing an amount of money that most people can pay
overpopulatedB2adjectivehaving more people living in a place than it can support comfortably
depopulationC1nouna large fall in the number of people living in an area
birthrateB2nounthe number of babies born in a year for every 1,000 people in a place
pensionerB2nouna person who receives a pension, usually because they are old and no longer work
caregiverB2nouna person who looks after someone who is sick, old or very young, at home or as a job
caretakerB2nouna person whose job is to look after a building, land or property
breadwinnerC1nounthe person in a family who earns the money that the family lives on
homemakerB2nouna person who stays home to run the house and care for the family, rather than having a paid job
vandalC1nouna person who deliberately damages public property or other people's things
graffitiB2nounwriting or drawings painted or sprayed on walls and other public places, often without permission
litteringB2nounthe act of leaving trash on the ground in a public place instead of putting it in a bin
curfewB2nouna rule that people must be at home or off the streets after a certain time