tyranny

(tĭr'ə-nē)
n., pl., -nies.

1. A government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power.
2. The office, authority, or jurisdiction of an absolute ruler.
3. Absolute power, especially when exercised unjustly or cruelly: "I have sworn . . . eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man" (Thomas Jefferson).
4. 1. Use of absolute power.
   2. A tyrannical act.
5. Extreme harshness or severity; rigor.

[Middle English tyrannie, from Old French, from Late Latin tyrannia, from Greek turanniā, from turannos, tyrant.]

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noun

1. A government in which a single leader or party exercises absolute control over all citizens and every aspect of their lives: absolutism, autarchy, autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, monocracy. See over/under, politics.
2. Absolute power, especially when exercised unjustly or cruelly: autocracy, despotism, dictatorship, totalitarianism. See over/under, politics.

n

Definition: dictatorship
Antonyms: democracy

In classical thought, a corrupt form of monarchy in which a person ruled in his own interest. More generally, the abuse of the state's coercive force in the absence of the rule of law. This absence more particularly suggests government by the will of the tyrant (cf. dictatorship) and the arbitrary treatment of citizens, if not the systematic use of terror. Democratic theorists like J. S. Mill have been concerned to avoid the tyranny of the majority. They fear that the rights of minorities and the stability of expectations built on settled law could be neglected by the majority's abuse of its numerical superiority under a system apparently legitimating the carrying out of its will.

— Andrew Reeve

• Artist: Front 242
• Rating:
• Release Date: January 24, 1991
• Total Time: 46:39
• Genre: Rock

Review

What should have been an amped-up consolidation of the group's considerable strengths, coming off the blazingly brilliant Front by Front album, instead was a sometimes successful but sometimes repetitive effort. As a major label debut, Tyranny (For You) shows no sign of compromise for greater airplay -- it's Front 242 straight up, powerful, pounding, and following its own muse. It's just not quite as spot-for-spot successful as Front by Front, though technically the group sound even more comfortable with sampling and the art of atmospherics. Where it falls apart is the relentless one-note nature of the experience, with only the occasional variety in the beats per minute on tracks. Front 242 shouldn't be sounding like uninspired imitators who have only the one idea, but more than once songs like "Trigger 2" seem to be just that. The high points of Tyranny, though, are stunners. With the cinematic, slow groove of "Sacrifice" leading things off -- a wonderful, threatening start, heightened by compressed orchestral samples and the heavy echo and low whispers of de Meyer and 23 -- the group collectively pour it on for "Rhythm of Time," a great, charging single. Even more compelling is the sheer mania of "Tragedy (For You)," the leadoff single from the album as a whole, starting with a quick collage of random sounds before settling into the aggressive, nervous bassline. De Meyer's straightforward delivery of the cryptic lyrics, notably about the only time on Tyranny that he's quite so noticeable and upfront, immeasurably adds to the track's power, with 23 topping things off on the choruses. Another winner is "Neurobashing," one of the band's best instrumentals, with yells and crowd chants turned into a mesmerizing call-and-response exchange over an absolutely nonstop beat. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi

Previous:	Tyranny & the Hired Hand (1989 Album by Frank Tovey)
Next:	Tyranny Off the Beat, Vol. 4 (2004 Album by Various Artists)

IN BRIEF: Dominance through threat of punishment and violence.

The distrust of wit is the beginning of tyranny. — Edward Abbey (1927-1989)

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Quotes:

"Death is softer by far than tyranny." - Aeschylus

"In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend." - Aeschylus

"Tyranny and anarchy are never far apart." - Jeremy Bentham

"The most insupportable of tyrannies is that of inferiors." - Napoleon Bonaparte

"No totalitarians, no wars, no fears, famines or perils of any kind can really break a man's spirit until he breaks it himself by surrendering. Tyranny has many dread powers, but not the power to rule the spirit." - Edgar Sheffield Brightman

"The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don't turn against him, they crush those beneath them." - Emily Bronte

See more famous quotes about Tyranny

For a list of words related to tyranny, see:

• Forms, Systems, and Philosophies - tyranny: government by single absolute authority, esp. one exercising oppressive power

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Common misspelling(s) of tyranny

• tyrany
• tyrrany

Dansk (Danish)
n. - tyranni

Nederlands (Dutch)
tirannie, dwingelandij

Français (French)
n. - tyrannie

Deutsch (German)
n. - Tyrannei, Gewaltherrschaft, Willkürherrschaft

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - τυραννία

Italiano (Italian)
tirannia

Português (Portuguese)
n. - tirania (f), despotismo (m)

Русский (Russian)
тирания, деспотизм

Español (Spanish)
n. - tiranía

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - tyranni

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
压治统治, 暴政

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 壓治統治, 暴政

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 전제 정치, 횡포, 포학행위

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 専制政治, 僭主政治, 抑圧的な力, 圧力, 横暴, 圧政, 虐待

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) طغيان, أستبداد, حكومه استبداديه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רודנות, עריצות‬

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