conspiracy

/kənˈspɪrəsi/ (bre, ipa) · /kənˈspɪrəsi/ (ame, ipa) · /kən-ˈspir-ə-sē/ (ame, mw)

conspiracy — noun

  • conspiracysingular
  • conspiraciesplural

1. a secret arrangement among several individuals or organisations to commit an ill

1.名詞B2
釋義

a secret arrangement among several individuals or organisations to commit an illegal or harmful act; the process of agreeing on such a plan in private

例句

Ravindra was charged with conspiracy to defraud the elderly couple of their life savings.

conspiracy + to-infinitive for illegal purpose

The documentary exposed a conspiracy among the oil executives to keep fuel prices artificially high.

conspiracy among [people]

同義詞
  • plot

    a plan made secretly, usually with a set goal; often used in stories about crime or politics

  • scheme

    a dishonest plan, often involving deception; broader than conspiracy, not necessarily requiring multiple people

  • collusion

    a formal word for secret cooperation, especially in business or political wrongdoing

反義詞
  • openness

    the quality of acting without secrecy

文法句型

conspiracy + to-infinitive

conspiracy + between/among + [people/groups]

用法筆記

Frequently used with a following to-infinitive (a conspiracy to [do something]) or the preposition 'between' or 'among' to state who is involved. Common in legal contexts.

常見錯誤

❌That was a conspiracy of the two friends.
✅That was a conspiracy between the two friends.
💡use 'between' or 'among', not 'of', when listing the people involved.
❌They conspired a conspiracy to steal the data.
✅They formed a conspiracy to steal the data.
💡the verb 'conspire' already contains the idea, so 'conspired a conspiracy' is redundant.

2. an unspoken agreement among a group of people not to talk about something, espec

2.名詞C1
釋義

an unspoken agreement among a group of people not to talk about something, especially something embarrassing, harmful, or illegal, in order to protect themselves or others from the consequences

例句

The neighbours maintained a conspiracy of silence about the abuse in the apartment next door.

conspiracy of silence + about [topic]

A conspiracy of silence protected the bank's executives from public anger until the scandal broke.

同義詞
  • pact of silence

    a more literal, less common alternative that carries the same idea

  • cover-up

    emphasises the active hiding of wrongdoing rather than the agreement to stay silent

反義詞
  • whistleblowing

    the act of speaking out about wrongdoing, the opposite of staying silent

文法句型

a conspiracy of silence

a conspiracy of silence + about/around/over + [topic]

用法筆記

Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'a conspiracy of silence' followed by 'about', 'around', or 'over' to name the hidden topic. This sense does not take a to-infinitive, which helps distinguish it from sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌There was a conspiracy of silence to hide the truth.
✅There was a conspiracy of silence about the truth.
💡this sense does not use a to-infinitive; use 'about' or 'around' instead.