Confederacy

/kən'fedərəsi/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act: A formal or informal pact made in secret to do something illegal or harmful.
    • A group of conspirators banded together to achieve some harmful or illegal purpose: The collective body of people who have formed such a secret agreement.
    • A union of political organizations: A league or alliance of states, groups, or parties for mutual support or common action.
    • The southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861: Specifically, the Confederate States of America, a union of 11 Southern states that fought against the Union in the American Civil War.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:
    • The prosecutor argued that the men had formed a confederacy to defraud the company. (Referring to a secret agreement for an unlawful act.)
    • The police dismantled a dangerous confederacy plotting to overthrow the government. (Referring to a group of conspirators.)
    • The small nations formed a confederacy for mutual defense. (Referring to a political union.)
    • During the Civil War, the Confederacy fought for its independence. (Referring to the historical entity, the Confederate States of America.)
Advanced Usage
  • "In confederacy with": In a secret partnership or alliance with someone, typically for a dubious purpose.
    • He was acting in confederacy with foreign agents.
  • Historical/Legal Context: When capitalized ("the Confederacy"), it almost exclusively refers to the Confederate States of America (1861-1865). In legal contexts, "confederacy" often implies criminal conspiracy.
Variants and Related Words
  • Confederate (noun): A member of a confederacy; specifically, a supporter of the Confederate States of America.
    • He was a Confederate soldier.
  • Confederate (verb): To bring into a league or alliance.
    • The tribes confederated for protection.
  • Confederation (noun): A more formal or official term for a union of states or groups with a central authority for specific purposes.
    • The Articles of Confederation was an early U.S. constitution.
Synonyms
  • Conspiracy: A secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful. (Closest synonym for the first two definitions.)
  • Alliance: A union or association formed for mutual benefit.
  • League: A collection of people, countries, or groups that combine for a particular purpose.
  • Federation: A group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs. (Note: A federation typically has a stronger central government than a confederacy.)
Related Phrases
  • Band together: To unite in a group, often for a common purpose.
    • The villagers banded together to rebuild after the storm.
  • In cahoots (with): (Informal) In close partnership, often for a secret or shady purpose.
    • They were in cahoots to rig the election.
Related Idioms
  • A house divided against itself cannot stand: This famous quote by Abraham Lincoln, alluding to the conflict between the Union and the Confederacy, speaks to the instability of a nation in internal conflict.
    • The CEO warned the board, "We must unite; a house divided against itself cannot stand."
Noun
  1. a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
  2. a group of conspirators banded together to achieve some harmful or illegal purpose
  3. a union of political organizations
  4. the southern states that seceded from the United States in 1861

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