slavery
/ˈsleɪvəri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsleɪvəri/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈslā-v(ə-)rē/ (ame, mw)
slavery — noun
1. The system in which one person has legal ownership of another person and can for
The system in which one person has legal ownership of another person and can force them to work without payment or freedom.
Slavery was legal in the United States until 1865.
collocation: was legal / was abolished
Many people worked together to end slavery in the 1800s.
collocation: end slavery
Rafael learned about the history of slavery in his high school class.
The effects of slavery are still felt in many countries today.
- bondage
More literary and general; can refer to any state of being bound, not just legal ownership
- servitude
Formal or legal term for compulsory service; does not necessarily imply full ownership of a person
- chattel slavery
Specific term for slavery where people are treated as movable property; narrower and more formal
文法句型
slavery + verb (was abolished / ended)
in + slavery (in a system of)
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'abolish', 'ban', 'end', 'outlaw' to describe the act of stopping the system. Subject is usually a government or legislative body.
常見錯誤
2. A situation where one human being is treated as the legal property of another an
A situation where one human being is treated as the legal property of another and made to work without any payment.
Apinya read a book about a woman who lived through slavery in ancient Rome.
preposition: lived through slavery
Theo could not imagine what it was like to be born into slavery.
preposition: born into slavery
Kemi's great-grandmother told stories of her family's escape from slavery.
After years in slavery, Eli finally gained freedom when the country banned the practice.
- enslavement
Focuses on the process of being made a slave rather than the ongoing condition
- captivity
Broader term for being held against your will; does not necessarily involve forced labor
- subjugation
Formal; refers to being brought under control, often by force
- freedom
The state of not being owned or controlled
- liberation
The act of being set free from slavery or captivity
文法句型
into + slavery (born into / sold into)
from + slavery (escape from / freed from)
in + slavery (live in / keep in)
用法筆記
Commonly appears with prepositions such as 'into' (sold into ~, born into ~), 'from' (escape from ~, freed from ~), and 'in' (live in ~, keep someone in ~).
常見錯誤
3. Situations where threats, force, or lies are used to make people work in terribl
Situations where threats, force, or lies are used to make people work in terrible conditions for almost no money.
Shanti volunteers for a group that helps victims of modern slavery.
collocation: modern slavery
The charity reported that millions of people are trapped in slavery today.
collocation: trapped in slavery
Jisoo's documentary showed the use of modern slavery in the clothing industry.
Workers from other countries are sometimes tricked into slavery by false job promises.
- forced labor
More neutral legal term; focuses on the work being involuntary rather than on ownership
- human trafficking
Refers specifically to the trade and transport of people for exploitation; narrower in scope
- exploitation
Broader term for unfairly using someone for profit or gain
- fair labor
Work that provides proper pay, conditions, and worker rights
- decent work
Formal term used by international organizations for acceptable working conditions
文法句型
modern slavery
a form of slavery
trapped in slavery
用法筆記
Frequently used with the modifier 'modern' or 'present-day' to distinguish this from historical slavery. Common in discussions of human trafficking, forced labor, and supply-chain ethics.