legislate
C1Formal; used in legal, political, journalistic, and academic contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To make or enact laws through a formal, official government process.
To control, regulate, or bring about a specific outcome by creating or applying laws or rules.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an intransitive verb (Parliament legislates) but can be used transitively with an object like 'law' or 'bill' (legislate a new tax) or followed by a prepositional phrase (legislate against/for/on something).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The process and institutions (Congress vs. Parliament) differ.
Connotations
Neutral; implies a formal, deliberate process of lawmaking.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties within comparable formal contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] (intransitive)[V + for/against/on + NP][V + NP] (transitive, rare)[V + to-INF] (rare, e.g., 'legislate to ban')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “legislate from the bench (US: judges making law via rulings)”
- “legislate morality”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Concerned about new compliance costs if the government legislates on carbon emissions.
Academic
The study examines how societies legislate for social welfare.
Everyday
People often complain that politicians legislate too much.
Technical
The federal government lacks the constitutional authority to legislate in that area.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Parliament is expected to legislate on online safety before the recess.
- They failed to legislate for such an eventuality.
American English
- Congress cannot legislate away the First Amendment.
- The state moved quickly to legislate against the practice.
adverb
British English
- The measure was passed legislatively, not by executive order.
- They acted legislatively to address the loophole.
American English
- The issue must be solved legislatively, not in the courts.
- The change was enacted legislatively.
adjective
British English
- The legislative process was slow.
- She has considerable legislative experience.
American English
- The legislative branch is distinct from the executive.
- We face a complex legislative challenge.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Governments make laws. (Note: 'legislate' is too advanced for A2.)
- The government wants to make a new law about recycling.
- It is difficult for a single country to legislate effectively on global environmental issues.
- The administration has been criticised for attempting to legislate morality rather than addressing the economic root causes.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of LEGISLATE: LEGIS (like 'legal') + LATE (as in 'to make' - but don't be late making the law!).
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT IS A LAW-MAKING MACHINE (e.g., 'The machinery of government continues to legislate.')
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите как 'легислировать' — это ложный друг. Используйте 'принимать/издавать законы', 'законодательствовать'.
- Не путать с 'legalize' (легализовать).
Common Mistakes
- *They legislated a new policy. (Better: 'They legislated a new law' or 'They implemented a new policy.')
- Incorrect preposition: *legislate about (use 'on' or 'concerning').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'legislate' in a formal context?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Legislate' is a broader, more formal term for the entire process of making laws. 'Pass a law' refers specifically to the final approval of a single piece of legislation.
Yes, but it's less common. A transitive object is usually the law itself (e.g., 'legislate a tax credit'), not the subject of the law. The intransitive use with a preposition (legislate on/for/against) is more frequent.
No. While most common for national parliaments/congresses, it can be used for any body with law-making authority, such as state/provincial legislatures, city councils (within their jurisdiction), or the European Parliament.
The primary noun is 'legislation' (the laws themselves or the process). A person who legislates is a 'legislator', and the adjective is 'legislative'.
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