diplomatic service
1
5.6
- noun
- /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪk ˈsɜrvɪs/
:
servicio diplomático
- He was an avid student of Islam and the Middle East, and consistently strove to build the proverbial bridge between our two cultures in the face of sometimes overwhelming antagonism and bitter misunderstanding," a friend from the diplomatic service tells us.
Examples
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He was in the diplomatic service.
Fiction book (1991) -
The Hungarian diplomatic service in Damascus is also overseeing the representation of other countries, just as the Hungarian Embassy was one of a handful of delegations that continued operations during hostilities in Libya.
Blog text (6) -
My father was in the diplomatic service.
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My grandfather was in the diplomatic service.
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A number have risen to the highest ranks in the U.S. diplomatic service.
Academic text (2003) -
Thereafter, I had a stint in the diplomatic service of Pakistan.
Blog text (4) -
You're in the diplomatic service, aren't you?
-
(Darwin) In the diplomatic service, it's not as if a mad wife were any kind of professional disadvantage.
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"One of the areas where climate change needs to be prioritized by the British government is in the diplomatic service, and we do need someone who can help Britain maximize its leverage in countries across the world," Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth (FoE) UK, told the BBC News website.
Blog text (22) -
My father spent over twenty years in the diplomatic service, representing our country in various international negotiations.
Synonyms
419
3.4
The United States government office that decides and manages relations with other countries
14
3.4
A United States government department that handles relations with other countries
14
4.4
The part of the United States Department of State with diplomats who work in embassies and consulates abroad
6
3.5
A government department that manages relations with other countries especially in the UK
1
4.3
A US government department that handles relations with other countries
How Official
1
5.6
- Formal
4
7.6
- Specialized
624
3.5
7
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the government department of officials representing their country' is directly and compositionally derived from 'diplomatic' (relating to diplomacy and foreign relations) + 'service' (a department or organisation that performs a public function). This adjective + noun pattern is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Diplomatic service comes from the old idea of officials carrying special papers and of service meaning work for the ruler. Imagine messengers travelling with folded documents that let them speak for their country; those doing this diplomatic work formed the team that dealt with other countries. That's why diplomatic service means the group who 'represent their country' abroad.