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

amnesty

noun
 
/ˈæmnəsti/
 
/ˈæmnəsti/
(plural amnesties)
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  1. [countable, usually singular, uncountable] an official statement that allows people who have been put in prison for crimes against the state to go free
    • The president granted a general amnesty for all political prisoners.
    • Guerrilla groups have accepted the government’s offer of amnesty and have begun demobilizing.
    Extra Examples
    • They announced a general amnesty for crimes committed during the war.
    • The amnesty was largely a public relations exercise.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • blanket
    • general
    • political
    verb + amnesty
    • give somebody
    • grant
    • offer
    amnesty + noun
    • program
    preposition
    • amnesty for
    See full entry
  2. [countable, usually singular] a period of time during which people can admit to a crime or give up weapons or stolen items without being punished
    • 2 000 knives have been handed in during the month-long amnesty.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • blanket
    • general
    • political
    verb + amnesty
    • give somebody
    • grant
    • offer
    amnesty + noun
    • program
    preposition
    • amnesty for
    See full entry
  3. Word Originlate 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek amnēstia ‘forgetfulness’.
See amnesty in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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