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oligarchy

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oligarchy

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++
Related topics: Government
ol·i·gar·chy /ˈɒləɡɑːki $ ˈɑːləɡɑːrki/ noun (plural oligarchies)  1. [countable usually singular]PG a small group of people who run a country or organization, or a country that is run by a small group of people 寡头统治集团;寡头统治的国家2 [uncountable]PG when a country or organization is run by a small group of people 寡头政治 Eventually oligarchy took over from democracy. 最终寡头政治取代了民主制度。
Examples from the Corpus
oligarchyPerhaps inevitably, with such wealth and diversity an oligarchy of local tradesman emerged, organised into a merchant guild.The struggle is probably better understood as one between a dominant oligarchy and those whom they excluded from power.However, because of the opposition of a still-powerful landed oligarchy, the effects of the legislation were diluted.But the municipal oligarchy was too weak to pursue its course for long, and eventually came to terms with the state.In Britain the big cities were notoriously in the hands of the oligarchy of local businessmen.These educational institutions suffer from very poor standards and give tacit or open support to the oligarchy.The corrupt types include tyranny, oligarchy, and democracy.Whenever oligarchy took over from democracy, pay for office was one of the first things to be abolished.
From Longman Business Dictionaryoligarchyol‧i‧gar‧chy /ˈɒləgɑːkiˈɑːləgɑːrki, ˈoʊ-/ noun (plural oligarchies)1[uncountable] when a country is ruled or controlled by a small group of people, usually from the same social classOligarchy took over from democracy.2[countable] a country, organization, industry etc controlled by a small group of people, or the group who control itThe industry is dominated by an oligarchy of three oil companies.oligarch noun [countable]the changing alliances of Russia’s corporate oligarchsoligarchic (also oligarchical) adjectivethe dominance of a small oligarchical group of businessmenOrigin oligarchy (1400-1500) Greek oligarchia, from oligos few + -archia ( → -ARCHY)
ol·i·gar·chy nounChineseSyllable
of a people Business group small who Corpus


oligarchy
oligarchy /ˈɒləɡɑːki, ˈɒlɪɡɑːki $ ˈɑːləɡɑːrki/ noun (plural oligarchies)
 Date: 1400-1500
 Language: Greek
 Origin: oligarchia, from oligos __few__ + -archia ( -archy)
1. [countable usually singular] a small group of people who run a country or organization, or a country that is run by a small group of people
2. [uncountable] when a country or organization is run by a small group of people:
    Eventually oligarchy took over from democracy.


oli·garchyBrE /ˈɒlɪɡɑːki/ 🔊NAmE /ˈɑːləɡɑːrki/ 🔊 noun (
plural
oli·garchies
)
[uncountable] a form of government in which only a small group of people hold all the power 寡头政治 [countable + singular or plural verb] the people who hold power in an oligarchy 寡头统治集团 [countable] a country governed by an oligarchy 寡头统治的国家