tyranny

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: tyr=an=ny

CIDE DICTIONARY

tyranny, n. [OE. tirannye, OF. tirannie, F. tyrannie; cf. It. tirannia; Gr. tyranni`a, tyranni`s, L. tyrannis. See Tyrant.].

•  The government or authority of a tyrant; a country governed by an absolute ruler; hence, arbitrary or despotic exercise of power; exercise of power over subjects and others with a rigor not authorized by law or justice, or not requisite for the purposes of government.  [1913 Webster]

  "“Sir,” would he [Seneca] say, “an emperor mote need
  Be virtuous and hate tyranny.”"  [1913 Webster]
•  Cruel government or discipline; as, the tyranny of a schoolmaster.  [1913 Webster]
•  Severity; rigor; inclemency.  [1913 Webster]

  "The tyranny of the open night's too rough
  For nature to endure."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tyranny, n. (pl. -ies)
1 the cruel and arbitrary use of authority.
2 a tyrannical act; tyrannical behaviour.
3 a rule by a tyrant. b a period of this. c a State ruled by a tyrant.

Derivative

tyrannous adj. tyrannously adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF tyrannie f. med.L tyrannia f. Gk turannia (as TYRANT)

THESAURUS

tyranny

Caesarism, Nazism, Stalinism, absolute monarchy, absolutism, arbitrariness, argumentum baculinum, aristocracy, autarchy, authoritarianism, autocracy, autonomy, benevolent despotism, big battalions, big stick, bond service, bondage, brute force, captivity, coalition government, colonialism, commonwealth, constitutional government, constitutional monarchy, control, czarism, debt slavery, democracy, deprivation of freedom, despotism, dictatorship, disenfranchisement, disfranchisement, domination, domineering, dominion rule, duarchy, duumvirate, dyarchy, enslavement, enthrallment, fascism, federal government, federation, feudal system, feudalism, feudality, force, garrison state, gerontocracy, heavy hand, helotism, helotry, heteronomy, hierarchy, hierocracy, high hand, home rule, indentureship, iron boot, iron hand, iron heel, kaiserism, limited monarchy, main force, martial law, meritocracy, militarism, military government, mob rule, mobocracy, monarchy, monocracy, naked force, neocolonialism, ochlocracy, oligarchy, one-man rule, one-party rule, oppression, pantisocracy, paternalism, patriarchate, patriarchy, peonage, physical force, police state, pure democracy, regency, reign of terror, representative democracy, representative government, republic, restraint, rule of might, self-determination, self-government, serfdom, serfhood, servility, servitude, slavery, social democracy, steamroller, stratocracy, subjection, subjugation, suppression, technocracy, terrorism, thearchy, theocracy, thought control, thrall, thralldom, totalitarian government, totalitarian regime, totalitarianism, totality, triarchy, triumvirate, ultima ratio, vassalage, villenage, welfare state

ROGET THESAURUS

tyranny

Severity

N severity, strictness, harshness, rigor, stringency, austerity, inclemency, arrogance, precisianism, arbitrary power, absolutism, despotism, dictatorship, autocracy, tyranny, domineering, oppression, assumption, usurpation, inquisition, reign of terror, martial law, iron heel, iron rule, iron hand, iron sway, tight grasp, brute force, brute strength, coercion, strong hand, tight hand, hard lines, hard measure, tender mercies, sharp practice, pipe-clay, officialism, tyrant, disciplinarian, precisian, martinet, stickler, bashaw, despot, hard master, Draco, oppressor, inquisitor, extortioner, harpy, vulture, accipitres, birds of prey, raptorials, raptors, severe, strict, hard, harsh, dour, rigid, stiff, stern, rigorous, uncompromising, exacting, exigent, exigeant, inexorable, inflexible, obdurate, austere, hard-headed, hard-nosed, hard-shell, relentless, Spartan, Draconian, stringent, strait-laced, searching, unsparing, iron-handed, peremptory, absolute, positive, arbitrary, imperative, coercive, tyrannical, extortionate, grinding, withering, oppressive, inquisitorial, inclement, cruel, haughty, arrogant, precisian, severely, with a high hand, with a strong hand, with a tight hand, with a heavy hand, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, Delirant reges plectuntur Achivi, manu forti, ogni debole ha sempre il suo tiranno.

Insolence

N insolence, haughtiness, arrogance, airs, overbearance, domineering, tyranny, impertinence, sauciness, flippancy, dicacity, petulance, procacity, bluster, swagger, swaggering, bounce, terrorism, assumption, presumption, beggar on horseback, usurpation, impudence, assurance, audacity, hardihood, front, face, brass, shamelessness, effrontery, hardened front, face of brass, assumption of infallibility, saucebox, insolent, haughty, arrogant, imperious, magisterial, dictatorial, arbitrary, high-handed, high and mighty, contumelious, supercilious, overbearing, intolerant, domineering, overweening, high-flown, flippant, pert, fresh, cavalier, saucy, forward, impertinent, malapert, precocious, assuming, would-be, bumptious, bluff, brazen, shameless, aweless, unblushlng, unabashed, brazen, boldfaced-, barefaced-, brazen-faced, dead to shame, lost to shame, impudent, audacious, presumptuous, free and easy, devil-may-care, rollicking, jaunty, janty, roistering, blustering, hectoring, swaggering, vaporing, thrasonic, fire eating, full of sound and fury, with a high hand, ex cathedra, one's bark being worse than his bite, beggars mounted run their horse to death, quid times? Caesarem vehis, wagahai wa (expressing superiority).