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Definition of decree noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

decree

noun
 
/dɪˈkriː/
 
/dɪˈkriː/
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  1. [countable, uncountable] an official order from a leader or a government that becomes the law
    • to issue/sign a decree
    • a presidential/royal decree
    • a leader who rules by decree (= not in a democratic way)
    Extra Examples
    • He has been governing by emergency decree under the provisions of the constitution.
    • In an emergency decree, the government banned all rallies.
    • The president issued a decree prohibiting trade unions.
    • Local inspectors helped enforce presidential decrees.
    • The general will rule by decree until a general election.
    • The government had the power to legislate by emergency decree independently of Parliament.
    • The general ruled by decree.
    • Thousands of demonstrators defied the decree and gathered in the square.
    Topics Law and justicec2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • emergency
    • divine
    • papal
    verb + decree
    • issue
    • pass
    • sign
    preposition
    • in a/​the decree
    • decree on
    See full entry
  2. [countable] a decision that is made in court
    • a decree on property rights
    Topics Preferences and decisionsc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • emergency
    • divine
    • papal
    verb + decree
    • issue
    • pass
    • sign
    preposition
    • in a/​the decree
    • decree on
    See full entry
  3. Word OriginMiddle English (denoting an order issued by an ecclesiastical council to settle a point of doctrine or discipline): from Old French decre, decret, from Latin decretum ‘something decided’, from decernere ‘decide’.
See decree in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee decree in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
perspective
noun
 
 
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