legislate
/'ledʤisleit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To make or enact laws through a formal legislative process.
- To bring something into effect or control it by means of passing laws.
Usage
- The verb "legislate" describes the action of a legislative body (like a parliament or congress) creating new laws or statutes.
- It can be used with a direct object (to legislate something) or without one (to legislate on an issue).
- It often implies an official, governmental process of lawmaking.
Examples
- Intransitive use (without a direct object):
- The new parliament will legislate on environmental issues.
- It is the primary function of Congress to legislate.
- Transitive use (with a direct object):
- The government legislated new safety standards for the industry.
- You cannot legislate morality. (Meaning: You cannot use laws to force people to be moral.)
Advanced Usage
- "to legislate for/against something": To create laws intended to promote or prevent a particular thing.
- The state legislated against discrimination in the workplace.
- They are attempting to legislate for greater transparency.
- "to legislate something into existence/out of existence": To create or abolish something by law.
- The new agency was legislated into existence last year.
Variants and Related Words
- Legislation (n): Laws, considered collectively, or the process of making laws.
- New legislation was introduced to address the crisis.
- Legislator (n): A person who makes laws; a member of a legislative body.
- The legislator proposed a new bill.
- Legislative (adj): Relating to the making of laws.
- The bill is now in the legislative process.
- Legislature (n): The body of people in a state or country with the power to make laws.
- The state legislature meets twice a year.
Synonyms
- Enact: To make into law.
- Pass: To approve a law or bill.
- Ordain (formal): To order or establish by law.
Phrasal Verbs / Common Collocations
- Legislate away: To remove or eliminate something by passing a law.
- They tried to legislate away the problem, but it persisted.
- Legislate on/upon: To make laws concerning a specific topic.
- The committee is tasked with legislating upon digital privacy.
Verb
- make laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislation
- They passed the amendment
- We cannot legislate how people spend their free time