Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The upper house of the British Parliament: The House of Lords is one of the two houses of the UK Parliament. It is not elected by the public. Its members include life peers, bishops, and hereditary peers. Its main roles are to examine and revise legislation from the House of Commons and to provide expertise.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The bill was sent to the House of Lords for review.
  • Members of the House of Lords debated the proposed law for several hours.
  • The government's proposal was amended by the House of Lords.

Advanced Usage

• "to sit in the House of Lords": to be a member of the House of Lords.
  • After his retirement, he was appointed to sit in the House of Lords.
• "a vote in the House of Lords": a formal decision-making process within the chamber.
  • The measure passed by a narrow margin in a vote in the House of Lords.

Variants and Related Words

• The Lords (n): A common shortened, informal name for the House of Lords.
  • The issue will be discussed in the Lords next week.
• Lord (n): A title for a member of the House of Lords (e.g., a life peer).
  • Lord Smith spoke during the debate.
• House of Commons (n): The lower, elected house of the UK Parliament.
  • The bill originated in the House of Commons.

Synonyms

• Upper house: A general term for the less populous chamber in a bicameral legislature.
• Second chamber: Another term for the upper house in a parliamentary system.

Related Phrases

• Act of Parliament: A law that has been approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
  • The Act of Parliament received Royal Assent after being passed by the House of Lords.
• Parliamentary scrutiny: The examination of government work by Parliament, a key function of the House of Lords.
  • The House of Lords carries out detailed parliamentary scrutiny of legislation.

Noun

1. the upper house of the British parliament