parliament

/ˈpɑːləmənt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈpɑːrləmənt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈpär-lə-mənt also ˈpärl-yə-/ (ame, mw)

parliament — noun

1. the official assembly of representatives, mostly chosen by election, whose job i

1.名詞B2
釋義

the official assembly of representatives, mostly chosen by election, whose job is to debate and pass laws for a nation; in the UK it has two chambers — Commons and Lords.

例句

Maya was elected to parliament for the first time last spring.

elected to parliament (no article)

The new tax bill will be debated in parliament next Tuesday morning.

debated in parliament: typical legislative collocation

同義詞
  • legislature

    more technical and neutral; covers any law-making body, including the U.S. Congress

  • congress

    the usual term for the U.S. national legislature, not used for the UK system

  • assembly

    broader; can mean a regional or non-national elected body

文法句型

sit in parliament

elected to parliament

用法筆記

Often capitalised as 'Parliament' when naming a specific national body (e.g. the UK Parliament). Used both countably ('a parliament', 'parliaments around the world') and as a bare noun without 'the' in fixed phrases like 'in parliament' and 'elected to parliament'.

常見錯誤

❌She was elected to the parliament last year.
✅She was elected to parliament last year.
💡drop 'the' in this set phrase when speaking generally.
❌The parliament are discussing the bill.
✅Parliament is discussing the bill.' / 'Members of Parliament are discussing the bill.
💡use singular agreement, or shift the subject to the members.

2. a single stretch of time, usually running from one general election to the next,

2.名詞C1
釋義

a single stretch of time, usually running from one general election to the next, in which one set of elected members serves and meets in sittings.

例句

Housing reform became the main goal of the new parliament after the May election.

the new parliament: term-of-office reading

Three pension bills failed during the last parliament because of repeated delays.

during the last parliament: time-period use

同義詞
  • term

    more general; works for any elected body or official, not only legislatures

  • session

    narrower; a session is one sitting period within a parliament, not the whole stretch

文法句型

the [first/last/next] parliament

during this parliament

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a period of time, not the institution itself. Typical signals are time markers like 'during', 'last', 'next', 'this', and verbs of duration ('last', 'end', 'open'). Often appears with ordinal numbering in formal writing, e.g. 'the 58th Parliament'.

常見錯誤

❌The parliament voted yes' (when meaning the term of office).
✅During the last parliament, members voted yes.
💡sense 2 is a span of time, so it can't be the agent of a single vote.