parliament
see also: Parliament
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈpɑːləmənt/, /ˈpɑːlɪəmənt/
  • (GA) IPA: /ˈpɑɹləmənt/
Noun

parliament (plural parliaments)

  1. (now, chiefly, historical) A formal council summoned (especially by a monarch) to discuss important issues. [from 13th c.]
  2. In many countries, the legislative branch of government, a deliberative assembly or set of assemblies whose elect#Verb|elected or appointed members meet to debate the major political issues of the day, make, amend, and repeal laws, authorize the executive branch of government to spend money, and in some cases exercise judicial powers; a legislature. [from 14th c.]
  3. A particular assembly of the members of such a legislature, as convened for a specific purpose or period of time (commonly designated with an ordinal number – for example, first parliament or 12th parliament – or a descriptive adjective – for example, Long Parliament, Short Parliament and Rump Parliament). [from 14th c.]
    Following the general election, Jane Doe took her oath of office as a member of the nation's fifth parliament.
  4. A gathering of birds, especially rooks or owls. [from 15th c.]
    • 2016, Alan Moore, Jerusalem, Liveright 2016, p. 122:
      He'd seen a parliament of rooks a hundred strong fall on and kill one of their number amongst the nodding barley rows, and had been shown a yew that had the face of Jesus in its bark.
  5. (historical) Parliament cake, a type of gingerbread. [from 19th c.]
    • 1869, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, chapter II, in Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. [...] In Three Volumes, volume I, London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, […], OCLC 847456482 ↗, page 9 ↗:
      A certain boy leaning up against me would not allow my elbow room, and struck me very sadly in the stomach part, though his own was full of my parliament.
Translations Translations
  • German: (owls) Eulenschwarm
Translations
Parliament
Proper noun
  1. Any of several parliaments of various countries.



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