constitution
con‧sti‧tu‧tion AC /ˌkɒnstəˈtjuːʃən, ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃən $ ˌkɑːnstəˈtuː-/
noun [countable]
1. (also Constitution) a set of basic laws and principles that a country or organization is governed by:
The right to speak freely is written into the Constitution of the United States.
2. your health and your body’s ability to fight illness
(have) a strong/good/weak etc constitution
She’s got a strong constitution – she’ll recover in no time.
3. formal the parts or structure of something
constitution of
What’s the chemical constitution of the dye?
■ adjectives
▪the American/Russian etc constitution the 1993 Russian constitution
▪a written constitution A written consitution forms the fundamental law of the nation.
▪an unwritten constitution (=a constitution that is not formally written down as a separate document) Britain's unwritten constitution allows for flexibility when circumstances change.
▪a draft constitution (=one that is not yet in its final form) By 1908 China had a draft constitution.
▪a state constitution There was an amendment to Arizona’s state constitution.
▪a federal constitution (=relating to a central government, not a state) Canada was granted a federal constitution in 1867.
▪a democratic constitution Andorra voted in favour of a new democratic constitution.
■ verbs
▪draw up/draft a constitution (=write one) The American constitution was drafted in 1787.
▪adopt/approve a constitution (=agree one and start to use it) In 1984, the South African government adopted a new constitution.
▪amend/change the constitution (=make changes to it) Congress amended the constitution more than 300 times during 1992.
▪violate the constitution (=do something that is against it) Such discrimination violates the constitution.
▪suspend the constitution (=stop it from continuing, usually for a short time) The army suspended the constitution and formed a military government.
▪a constitution requires something The U.S. Constitution requires that a census be done every ten years.
▪a constitution provides for something (=it says something must be done) Singapore's constitution provides for an elected president as head of state.
▪a constitution allows something The Constitution allows police to seize property used in a crime.
▪a constitution forbids/prohibits something Colombia's constitution forbids extradition.
▪a constitution guarantees something (=says it must happen or exist) Hungary's constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
■ phrases
▪an amendment to the constitution (=a change) the First Amendment to the American Constitution
▪the principles of the constitution (=the ideas and aims that it is based on) the guiding legal principles of the constitution
▪a clause/provision in the constitution (=a rule or condition in it) The provision in the European constitution that limited women's roles in the military was found to be discriminatory.
con‧sti‧tu‧tion AC /ˌkɒnstəˈtjuːʃən, ˌkɒnstɪˈtjuːʃən $ ˌkɑːnstəˈtuː-/
noun [countable]1. (also Constitution) a set of basic laws and principles that a country or organization is governed by:
2. your health and your body’s ability to fight illness
(have) a strong/good/weak etc constitution
3. formal the parts or structure of something
constitution of
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Constitution
Constiˌtution of the Uˌnited ˈStates, the (also Constitution)
the highest law of the government of the US, often unofficially called The Constitution. The Constitution was first written at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and it officially came into use in 1789. It consists of seven articles and 27 amendments (=additions and changes to the original).
Constiˌtution of the Uˌnited ˈStates, the
(also Constitution)the highest law of the government of the US, often unofficially called The Constitution. The Constitution was first written at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and it officially came into use in 1789. It consists of seven articles and 27 amendments (=additions and changes to the original).