Difference between revisions of "Tyrant - tyrannous"

From Hull AWE
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 7: Line 7:
 
**'''tyrranicide''', a [[noun]] meaning the crime of, or a person committing the crime of, killing a tyrant'. (Some republicans regard this action as no crime. ''The tyrannicide brief'', by Geoffrey Robertson, published in 2005 by Chatto & Windus in London, recounts the trials first of [[King Charles#Charles I|Charles I]], in 1649, which led to his execution; and second of the prosecutor, John Cooke in 1660 (after the [[Restoration]]) on a charge of high treason, which led in turn to his execution.)   
 
**'''tyrranicide''', a [[noun]] meaning the crime of, or a person committing the crime of, killing a tyrant'. (Some republicans regard this action as no crime. ''The tyrannicide brief'', by Geoffrey Robertson, published in 2005 by Chatto & Windus in London, recounts the trials first of [[King Charles#Charles I|Charles I]], in 1649, which led to his execution; and second of the prosecutor, John Cooke in 1660 (after the [[Restoration]]) on a charge of high treason, which led in turn to his execution.)   
  
**'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': The meaning of '''tyrant''' can be confusing. It has certainly changed over time. It is a [[GFrek]] word, dating back  
+
**'''''[[etymology|Etymological]] note''''': The meaning of '''tyrant''' can be confusing. It has certainly changed over time. It is a [[Greek]] word whose general sense is 'an individual exercising the power of government'. It dates back as far as the 7th century BCE, when i meant
 
***
 
***
  

Revision as of 14:06, 6 December 2009

The noun tyrant and its related adjective tyrannous look the same and share their origin and meaning - but they are pronounced differently.

  • The noun 'a tyrant' has a first vowel like that of 'tire', 'line' and 'sign': 'TIRE-ant', IPA: /ˈtaɪ rÉ™nt/.
  • In the adjective tyrannous, the first vowel is like that in 'sit', 'fit' and 'bit': 'TIRR-en-es', IPA: /tɪr É™n É™s/. The same is true of other words derived from tyrant:
    • tyrannical, an adjective meaning 'in the manner of a tyrant';
    • tyrannize, a verb meaning 'to behave like a tyrant', and in particular 'to rule harshly over'; and
    • tyranny, an abstract noun meaning 'the rule of a tyrant', 'bullying behaviour typical of a tyrant', or in the most general and least emotional sense, 'the form of government characterised by an autocratic ruler'.
    • tyrranicide, a noun meaning the crime of, or a person committing the crime of, killing a tyrant'. (Some republicans regard this action as no crime. The tyrannicide brief, by Geoffrey Robertson, published in 2005 by Chatto & Windus in London, recounts the trials first of Charles I, in 1649, which led to his execution; and second of the prosecutor, John Cooke in 1660 (after the Restoration) on a charge of high treason, which led in turn to his execution.)
    • Etymological note: The meaning of tyrant can be confusing. It has certainly changed over time. It is a Greek word whose general sense is 'an individual exercising the power of government'. It dates back as far as the 7th century BCE, when i meant