Legal Concepts

noun a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle

adjective pertaining to or characteristic of an apostate

• The apostate was excommunicated from the church for renouncing their faith.
• I heard Sarah was labeled an apostate for leaving the religious group.
• Don't trust him, he's a total apostate when it comes to sticking to his word.
• In the world of politics, switching parties can brand you as an apostate among your former colleagues.

noun a legal or moral entitlement or claim

adjective pertaining to law or justice

• Le droit est l'ensemble des règles qui régissent la vie en société.
• Il faut respecter le droit pour éviter les problèmes.
• T'as pas le droit de faire ça, c'est interdit!
• Le droit chemin est souvent le plus sûr pour arriver à bon port.

noun the act of establishing something firmly

• The company's entrenchment in the market was evident through its long-standing reputation and loyal customer base.
• The team's entrenchment in their winning streak has boosted their confidence for the upcoming game.
• His entrenchment in the music scene made him a household name among fans.
• The politician's entrenchment in his beliefs made it difficult for him to consider alternative viewpoints.

adjective relating to or characterized by heteronomy, which is the state or condition of being governed by external laws or authorities

• In a heteronomous society, laws and regulations are imposed by an external authority.
• Living in a heteronomous culture means following rules set by someone else.
• I hate feeling heteronomous, I just want to do my own thing.
• Her mind felt heteronomous, controlled by outside influences rather than her own thoughts.

noun a system of government in which a local city or town has the power to govern itself within the limits of the law

• The concept of home rule allows local governments to have more control over their own affairs.
• Home rule means that the city council gets to make more decisions without asking the state for permission.
• With home rule, the town can do its own thing without outside interference.
• In a way, practicing home rule is like being the captain of your own ship in local governance.

noun the quality of being merciful; showing compassion or forgiveness towards others

• The mercifulness of the judge was evident in the lenient sentence he handed down.
• I appreciate your mercifulness in forgiving me for my mistake.
• Her mercifulness knows no bounds, she's always willing to give people a second chance.
• The mercifulness of nature is seen in the way it provides sustenance to all living beings.

verb to assume as a fact or principle; to put forward as a basis for argument

• It is important to posit a well-reasoned argument in academic writing.
• I posit that we should go out for dinner tonight.
• I'm just gonna posit that we grab some pizza and call it a night.
• She likes to posit herself as a leader among her peers.

noun the action of withdrawing formally from membership of a federation or body, especially a political state

• The secession of the Southern states from the Union led to the American Civil War.
• The secession of that group from the club caused quite a stir.
• The secession of the band member was a real bummer.
• The secession of the company's top talent will have a huge impact on their success.