Acts of Parliament
Acts of Parliament
Pronunciation
Acts of Parliament
IPA: /ˈækts ɒv ˈpɑːrləmənt/
Syllable Breakdown:
Acts:
/æk/ (as in "ack" in "stack")
/ts/ (as in "cats")
of:
/ɒv/ (as in "ov" in "oven")
Par-lia-ment:
/pɑːr/ (as in "par" in "park")
/lə/ (as in "luh" in "sofa")
/mənt/ (as in "ment" in "moment")
Word Form Variations
"Acts of Parliament" is a plural noun phrase.
Singular: Act of Parliament
No other common variations (e.g., it doesn't have verb, adjective, or adverb forms as a combined phrase).
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Act of Parliament (singular) / Acts of Parliament (plural)
A law or statute enacted by a legislative body known as a Parliament. These legislative instruments represent the formal expression of the will of the Parliament and, once assented to by the head of state, become legally binding within the jurisdiction.
Synonyms: statute, law, legislation, bill (upon enactment), enactment
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a formal legal document, but conceptually: proposed bill, draft legislation)
A specific piece of legislation that has successfully passed through all stages of parliamentary procedure and received royal (or equivalent) assent, thereby becoming part of the codified law of the land.
Synonyms: decree, edict, regulation, ordinance
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; conceptually: unlegislated proposal, failed bill)
Examples of Use
Books:
"The Magna Carta, though not an 'Act of Parliament' in the modern sense, laid some foundational principles that would later be formalized in subsequent Acts of Parliament governing the rights of citizens and the power of the monarchy."
"Legal scholars frequently analyze the interplay between common law and specific Acts of Parliament to understand the evolution of property rights in England." (Bowers, J. A History of English Law, 2018)
Newspapers:
"The recent Act of Parliament on environmental protection has sparked considerable debate among industry leaders and conservation groups." ( The Guardian, October 2023)
"Opposition parties are calling for an immediate repeal of certain controversial clauses within the new Finance Act of Parliament." (Financial Times, January 2024)
Online Publications:
"A detailed analysis of the Data Protection Act of Parliament reveals its broad implications for tech companies operating within the UK." (TechCrunch.com, September 2023)
"The National Archives provides extensive resources for researching historical Acts of Parliament, offering insights into legislative changes over centuries." (nationalarchives.gov.uk, April 2024)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Documentary): "This documentary explores how the abolition of slavery was brought about through a series of progressive Acts of Parliament in the 19th century." (BBC History Documentaries, Aired February 2024)
Video Game (Historical Strategy): In a grand strategy game set in 18th-century Britain, a pop-up might read: "New opportunity! Pass the Enclosure Act of Parliament to consolidate land holdings and increase agricultural output, but beware of public unrest."
Podcast (Legal Commentary): "On today's episode, we dissect the recent Supreme Court ruling and its interpretation of the Human Rights Act of Parliament." (LexCast Legal Podcast, June 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"My local council is struggling to implement the new housing policies, all thanks to that last-minute Act of Parliament that changed everything." (Overheard in a café, March 2024)
"Do you think they'll ever pass an Act of Parliament making it mandatory for all new buildings to be carbon neutral?" (Online forum discussion, November 2023)
10 Famous Quotes Using Acts of Parliament
"It is for the legislature to alter the law if Parliament in its wisdom thinks an alteration desirable." (Lord Macnaghten, Hamilton v. Baker, "The Sara", 1889)
"No one knows better than Leader McConnell how to master the rules of the parliamentary procedure rules here in the Senate." (Bill Hagerty, undated) - While it refers to parliamentary procedure in the US context, the phrasing closely aligns with the spirit of Acts of Parliament as codified rules.
"Parliament's job is to conduct discussions. But many a time, Parliament is used to ignore issues, and in such situations, obstruction of Parliament is in the favour of democracy. Therefore, parliamentary obstruction is not undemocratic." (Arun Jaitley, undated) - Again, this speaks to the actions within a Parliament, leading to or from Acts of Parliament.
"The responsibility of a minister is to step aside when there is a criminal investigation of the department. That protects the propriety of Parliament and of responsible government." (Jack Layton, undated)
"A power of recall that depended solely on the electorate and was not subject to unnecessary hurdles of Parliamentary procedures would show trust in the good sense and fairness of the British people." (Jacob Rees-Mogg, undated)
"Until the control of the issue of currency and credit is restored to government and recognized as its most conspicuous and sacred responsibility, all talks of the sovereignty of Parliament and of democracy is idle and futile." (William Lyon Mackenzie King, undated)
"We may be proud that England is the ancient country of Parliaments. With scarcely any intervening period, Parliaments have met constantly for 600 years, and there was something of a Parliament before the Conquest." (John Bright, Speech at Birmingham, January 1865)
"It is impossible to practice parliamentary politics without having patience, decency, politeness and courtesy." (Khaleda Zia, undated)
"Our Parliamentary system has simply failed to meet the challenge of judicial activism." (Stockwell Day, undated)
"The greatest lesson for democracies to learn is for the majority to give to the minority a full, free opportunity to present their side of the case, and then for the minority, having failed to win a majority to their views, gracefully to submit and to recognize the action as that of the entire organization." (Henry Martyn Robert, undated)
Etymology
The phrase "Acts of Parliament" is a combination of two words with distinct origins, which together describe a fundamental legal concept.
Let's break them down:
Act:
This word comes from the Latin word "actus," which means "a doing," "a performance," or "something done." It also relates to "agere," meaning "to do" or "to drive."
In English, "act" began to be used in the 14th century to refer to "a thing done." Over time, this meaning evolved to include a formal decision or a decree. So, when we talk about an "Act" in a legal sense, it's essentially a formal "doing" or "action" by a governing body that results in a rule or law. The idea is that it's something concrete that has been acted upon and made official.
Parliament:
This word has its roots in Old French, from "parlement," which originally meant "discussion" or "discourse." This, in turn, came from "parler," meaning "to talk."
The concept of a "parliament" as a formal assembly where discussions take place, particularly among a monarch's advisors or representatives, began to solidify in England around the 13th century. Early parliaments were indeed forums for discussion and debate.
Over time, these discussions evolved into formalized processes for creating laws. By the 15th century in Britain, "Parliament" specifically referred to the legislative body, and its "acts" became the laws it created.
So, when you put "Acts" and "Parliament" together, "Acts of Parliament" literally means "the things done" or "the laws made" by the talking and debating assembly that is the Parliament. The first known use of this phrase in its current legal sense would coincide with the point when Parliament became a recognized law-making body, which was largely established by the 15th century in England, with earlier forms of such documents existing even before then.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Acts of Parliament
"Pass an Act of Parliament": The most common and literal phrase, referring to the legislative process of enacting a law.
"Under an Act of Parliament": Indicating that an action or situation is governed or authorized by a specific law.
"Repeal an Act of Parliament": To revoke or cancel an existing law.
"By virtue of an Act of Parliament": Meaning "because of" or "as a result of" a specific law.
"An Act of Parliament would be required": Often used in discussions about significant changes that necessitate new legislation.
"As sure as an Act of Parliament": (Lesser-known, but implies certainty, as an Act of Parliament is a formalized, binding law).
"A legal statute": (Using a synonym for "Act of Parliament" for a more general legal idiom).
"To be enshrined in law": (Similar effect, indicating something has become a formal, binding rule, often through a legislative process like an Act of Parliament).
"To be written into the rulebook": (Informal, but captures the essence of a new law being created, akin to an Act of Parliament).
"The letter of the law": (Refers to the strict interpretation of a statute or act).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of Acts of Parliament from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
