oppression


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Related to oppression: Spiritual oppression

op·pres·sion

 (ə-prĕsh′ən)
n.
1.
a. The action of oppressing; arbitrary and cruel exercise of power: a system of oppression.
b. The state of being oppressed: caught in the oppression of poverty.
2. A feeling of being weighed down in mind or body: "Every time I entered my house, an oppression settled on me so heavy that I had to stand for minutes at a time in the doorway, gathering what strength I could find" (Erin McGraw)."One has ... to come under the shadow of war to feel fully its oppression" (J.R.R. Tolkien).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

oppression

(əˈprɛʃən)
n
1. the act of subjugating by cruelty, force, etc or the state of being subjugated in this way
2. the condition of being afflicted or tormented
3. the condition of having something lying heavily on one's mind, imagination, etc
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

op•pres•sion

(əˈprɛʃ ən)

n.
1. the exercise of authority or power in a cruel or unjust manner.
2. something that oppresses.
3. the feeling of being oppressed.
[1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.oppression - the act of subjugating by cruelty; "the tyrant's oppression of the people"
persecution - the act of persecuting (especially on the basis of race or religion)
2.oppression - the state of being kept down by unjust use of force or authority: "after years of oppression they finally revolted"
subjection, subjugation - forced submission to control by others
yoke - an oppressive power; "under the yoke of a tyrant"; "they threw off the yoke of domination"
3.oppression - a feeling of being oppressed
depression - sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
weight - an oppressive feeling of heavy force; "bowed down by the weight of responsibility"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

oppression

noun persecution, control, suffering, abuse, injury, injustice, cruelty, domination, repression, brutality, suppression, severity, tyranny, authoritarianism, harshness, despotism, ill-treatment, subjugation, subjection, maltreatment an attempt to escape political oppression
justice, mercy, compassion, sympathy, goodness, kindness, tenderness, clemency, benevolence, humaneness
Quotations
"the most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed" [Steve Biko `Black Consciousness and the Quest for a True Humanity']
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
ظُلْم، اضْطِهاد
útlak
undertrykkelse
kúgun
útlak

oppression

[əˈpreʃən] Nopresión f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

oppression

[əˈprɛʃən] noppression f
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

oppression

n
(= tyranny)Unterdrückung f
(fig: = depression) → Bedrängnis f, → Bedrücktheit f; (due to heat, climate) → bedrückende Atmosphäre; the oppression of his spiritsseine Bedrängtheit
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

oppression

[əˈprɛʃn] noppressione f
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

oppress

(əˈpres) verb
1. to govern cruelly. The king oppressed his people.
2. to worry or depress. The thought of leaving her oppressed me.
opˈpression (-ʃən) noun
After five years of oppression, the peasants revolted.
opˈpressive (-siv) adjective
oppressing; cruel; hard to bear. oppressive laws.
opˈpressively adverb
opˈpressiveness noun
opˈpressor noun
a ruler who oppresses his people; a tyrant.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

op·pres·sion

n. opresión, pesadez;
an ___ in the chestuna ___, una sofocación en el pecho.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
References in classic literature ?
"After centuries of oppression I have wrested my rights from the grasp of the jealous gods.
In populous cities, it may be enough the subject of conjecture, to occasion the oppression of individuals, without much aggregate benefit to the State; but beyond these circles, it must, in a great measure, escape the eye and the hand of the tax-gatherer.
Meanwhile there was the snow and the low arch of dun vapor-- there was the stifling oppression of that gentlewoman's world, where everything was done for her and none asked for her aid-- where the sense of connection with a manifold pregnant existence had to be kept up painfully as an inward vision, instead of coming from without in claims that would have shaped her energies.-- "What shall I do?" "Whatever you please, my dear:" that had been her brief history since she had left off learning morning lessons and practising silly rhythms on the hated piano.
On the other hand, such and so multiplied were the means of vexation and oppression possessed by the great Barons, that they never wanted the pretext, and seldom the will, to harass and pursue, even to the very edge of destruction, any of their less powerful neighbours, who attempted to separate themselves from their authority, and to trust for their protection, during the dangers of the times, to their own inoffensive conduct, and to the laws of the land.
And if those few who have large fortunes should acquire still greater power, the oligarchy will then alter into one of the third sort; for they will get all the offices of the state into their own hands by a law which directs the son to succeed upon the death of his father; and, after that, when, by means of their increasing wealth and powerful connections, they extend still further their oppression, a monarchical dynasty will directly succeed wherein men will be supreme, and not the law; and this is the fourth species of an oligarchy correspondent to the last-mentioned class of democracies.
"Moreover," the Sheikh added, "in the days of the Oppression the Emirs and their creatures dispossessed many people of their lands.
Months pass, years maybe--and then you come again; and again I am here to plead with you, to know if want and misery have yet done their work with you, if injustice and oppression have yet opened your eyes!
"We be not outlaws from choice alone," continued Robin; "but have been driven to outlawry through oppression. Grant us grace and royal protection, and we will forsake the greenwood and follow the King."
Either the existence of the same passion or interest in a majority at the same time must be prevented, or the majority, having such coexistent passion or interest, must be rendered, by their number and local situation, unable to concert and carry into effect schemes of oppression. If the impulse and the opportunity be suffered to coincide, we well know that neither moral nor religious motives can be relied on as an adequate control.
The causes and motives of seditions are, innovation in religion; taxes; alteration of laws and customs; breaking of privileges; general oppression; advancement of unworthy persons; strangers; dearths; disbanded soldiers; factions grown desperate; and what soever, in offending people, joineth and knitteth them in a common cause.
Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it is everybody's business to interfere when they see it; you did right, my boy."
An indescribable oppression, which seemed to generate in some unfamiliar part of her consciousness, filled her whole being with a vague anguish.