U.S. Constitution
26
3.3
- noun
- /juː ɛs kənˈstɪtjuːʃən/
- Formal
:
Constitución de los Estados Unidos
- The federal government's powers, however, are limited by the U.S. Constitution.
- amendments to the U.S. Constitution
- clauses of the U.S. Constitution
- violation of the U.S. Constitution
Examples
-
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right to a free press.
Fiction book (2000) -
There is no provision of the U.S. Constitution that contradicts this method of protection.
Academic text (1993) -
According to the U.S. Constitution, the President is the commander in chief of the armed forces.
Fiction book (2000) -
Fortunately, the U.S. Constitution provides voters with the opportunity to do this every two years.
Academic text (1996) -
In this country, generals are supposed to be loyal first and foremost to the U.S. Constitution, not to any political party.
Academic text (2008) -
The philosophy behind the U.S. Constitution, a fear of accumulated power, is as relevant today as it was in 1789.
Academic text (1997) -
The argument boils down to this: The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees compensation for property taken by eminent domain.
Academic text (1995) -
Most constitutions, including the U.S. Constitution, begin with an invocation of God, providence, or Allah.
Academic text (1996) -
Secondary procedures, like tertiary procedures, are governed by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.
Academic text (2000) -
The U.S. Constitution is the foundational document that establishes the government of the United States.
Synonyms
484
5.1
A set of rules, often written, that shows how a country or organization is run
31
3.0
A written document that sets the rules and structure of the United States government
16
3.2
The basic law of the United States that sets up the federal government and protects citizens' rights
11
4.6
The highest law of the United States that sets the main rules for the national government
1
5.6
A set of basic rules that explains how a country's government works and what rights people have
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the fundamental law of the United States' is directly and transparently derivable from combining 'U.S.' (the country of fifty states) with 'Constitution' (a fundamental governing document); it is a compositional proper-name phrase. Many languages use the same '[country] constitution' pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will understand this MWE.
Etymology
The U.S. Constitution began as a short 'rule book' the country's founders wrote in 1787 to say how power is shared and how the government should work, and that's why it is now the nation's 'basic law' that guides courts and leaders.