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Glite Dictionary
James Polk

James Polk

1 5.4
The 11th President of the United States who added a lot of land to the country
  • proper noun
  • /dʒeɪmz poʊk/
: James Polk
  • The 11th President, James Polk, served from 1845 to 1849.

Examples

  • James Polk's presidency was marked by significant territorial expansion in the United States.

  • The annexation of Texas took place under James Polk's leadership.

  • Many historians credit James Polk with achieving most of his administration's major goals.

  • James Polk was a key figure in American history.

  • James Polk's presidency was marked by significant territorial expansion, including the annexation of California.

  • During his time in office, James Polk advocated for policies that led to the Mexican-American War.

  • Many key decisions regarding U.S. territories were made under James Polk, the 11th President of the United States.

Synonyms

Polk
vsJames Polk
6 5.1

The 11th President of the United States known for expanding the country

uses the full given name instead of the brief surname
President Polk
vsJames Polk
1 5.3

The eleventh President of the United States who expanded its territory in the 1840s

uses the simple personal name rather than a formal office title
James Knox Polk
vsJames Polk
1 5.8

The 11th President of the United States known for expanding the country's territory, adding California and much of the southwest

uses the simpler common name without the middle name

Surface Forms

James Polk main

Morphology

James + Polk

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent words 'James' and 'Polk' does not allow a learner to deduce the referent or the biographical meaning (11th U.S. president). Proper names are arbitrary and referential rather than compositional, so the expression's meaning must be learned from context or prior knowledge.

Etymology

James Polk is often remembered by a simple image: Polk standing over a map and drawing the country's borders farther west. He led wars and deals that added large areas like California to the United States, so his name is linked with 'territorial expansion'.