Amnesty
noun
A decision by a government to forgive a group or individuals for certain crimes, not punishing them.
The government has extended an amnesty to prisoners of war.
Often appears as...
- political amnesty
- grant amnesty
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To officially forgive someone or a group for criminal actions.
Many political prisoners were amnestied after the regime change.
Often appears as...
- amnesty prisoners
- amnesty debts
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
A decision by a government to forgive a group or individuals for certain crimes, not punishing them.
The government has extended an amnesty to prisoners of war.
Often appears as...
- political amnesty
- grant amnesty
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To officially forgive someone or a group for criminal actions.
Many political prisoners were amnestied after the regime change.
Often appears as...
- amnesty prisoners
- amnesty debts
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Government Decision
Amnesty is an official government action affecting a group, not an individual's personal choice.
The president issued an amnesty for minor drug offenses.
Pro Tip 2/3Not a Right
Amnesty is granted by choice and is not a legal right that individuals can demand or expect.
The amnesty for traffic fines was a surprise to the citizens.
Pro Tip 3/3Usually Temporary
Amnesty often has a set time period during which individuals can benefit from it.
The tax amnesty program will end in December.
Pro Tip 1/3Government Decision
Amnesty is an official government action affecting a group, not an individual's personal choice.
The president issued an amnesty for minor drug offenses.
Pro Tip 2/3Not a Right
Amnesty is granted by choice and is not a legal right that individuals can demand or expect.
The amnesty for traffic fines was a surprise to the citizens.
Pro Tip 3/3Usually Temporary
Amnesty often has a set time period during which individuals can benefit from it.
The tax amnesty program will end in December.
Pro Tip 1/3Government Decision
Amnesty is an official government action affecting a group, not an individual's personal choice.
The president issued an amnesty for minor drug offenses.
Pro Tip 2/3Not a Right
Amnesty is granted by choice and is not a legal right that individuals can demand or expect.
The amnesty for traffic fines was a surprise to the citizens.
Pro Tip 3/3Usually Temporary
Amnesty often has a set time period during which individuals can benefit from it.
The tax amnesty program will end in December.
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Video examples
A librarian's case...
or read away your fines, where you can read off your fines. There's even another library in Wisconsin that offers scratch-off tickets at their counter, so you can scratch off and get 10 or 20 percent off your fines that day. And there are amnesty days. One day a year, you bring back your late materials and all is forgiven.
Video examples
History vs. Cleopatra -...
She stabilized the economy, managed the vast bureaucracy, and curbed corruption by priests and officials. When drought hit, she opened the granaries to the public and passed a tax amnesty, all while preserving her kingdom's stability and independence with no revolts during the rest of her reign."
Video examples
Chaos in the Heart of...
and basically talks to his former comrades. And I sat in on one of the sessions. And you know, he calls them by name, he tells them, you know, your you know, your family wants you home. There's amnesty for anybody. The guys that they are really, basically going after these days are Kony
Video examples
How Twitter needs to...
because I think there's been a lot written about people who feel they've been abused and harassed on Twitter, and I think no one more so than women and women of color and black women. And there's been data that's come out -- Amnesty International put out a report a few months ago
Video examples
The most successful...
weakened the confederation from within and rendered it more vulnerable to attack from without. So, when the Chinese government, desperate to stop the raids, offered amnesty in exchange for the pirates’ surrender, Madame Zheng and Zhang Bao agreed, but only on their own terms.
Video examples
What really happened...
Over the next four days, prisoners held negotiations with officials. They called for a minimum wage, rehabilitation programs, better education, and more. They promised all remaining hostages would be safe if they were given amnesty for crimes committed during the uprising.
Video examples
Richard Ledgett: The NSA...
through losing visibility into what our adversaries are doing. But I do think it's an important conversation. It's been reported that there's almost a difference of opinion with you and your colleagues over any scenario in which he might be offered an amnesty deal.
Video examples
Stanley McChrystal: The...
should give Edward Snowden amnesty? Stanley I think that Rick said something very important. We, most people, don't know all the facts. I think there are two parts of this. Edward Snowden shined a light on an important need that people had to understand.
Video examples
How we take back the...
I mean, The New York Times recently called for an amnesty for you. Would you welcome the chance to come back to America? Absolutely. There's really no question, the principles that have been the foundation
Video examples
How forgiveness can...
Should there be amnesty for immigration violations? Should a president offer pardons to protect himself or to induce lawbreaking? These are tough questions for our time.
Video examples
A librarian's case...
or read away your fines, where you can read off your fines. There's even another library in Wisconsin that offers scratch-off tickets at their counter, so you can scratch off and get 10 or 20 percent off your fines that day. And there are amnesty days. One day a year, you bring back your late materials and all is forgiven.
Video examples
History vs. Cleopatra -...
She stabilized the economy, managed the vast bureaucracy, and curbed corruption by priests and officials. When drought hit, she opened the granaries to the public and passed a tax amnesty, all while preserving her kingdom's stability and independence with no revolts during the rest of her reign."
Video examples
Chaos in the Heart of...
and basically talks to his former comrades. And I sat in on one of the sessions. And you know, he calls them by name, he tells them, you know, your you know, your family wants you home. There's amnesty for anybody. The guys that they are really, basically going after these days are Kony
Video examples
How Twitter needs to...
because I think there's been a lot written about people who feel they've been abused and harassed on Twitter, and I think no one more so than women and women of color and black women. And there's been data that's come out -- Amnesty International put out a report a few months ago
Video examples
The most successful...
weakened the confederation from within and rendered it more vulnerable to attack from without. So, when the Chinese government, desperate to stop the raids, offered amnesty in exchange for the pirates’ surrender, Madame Zheng and Zhang Bao agreed, but only on their own terms.
Video examples
What really happened...
Over the next four days, prisoners held negotiations with officials. They called for a minimum wage, rehabilitation programs, better education, and more. They promised all remaining hostages would be safe if they were given amnesty for crimes committed during the uprising.
Video examples
Richard Ledgett: The NSA...
through losing visibility into what our adversaries are doing. But I do think it's an important conversation. It's been reported that there's almost a difference of opinion with you and your colleagues over any scenario in which he might be offered an amnesty deal.
Video examples
Stanley McChrystal: The...
should give Edward Snowden amnesty? Stanley I think that Rick said something very important. We, most people, don't know all the facts. I think there are two parts of this. Edward Snowden shined a light on an important need that people had to understand.
Video examples
How we take back the...
I mean, The New York Times recently called for an amnesty for you. Would you welcome the chance to come back to America? Absolutely. There's really no question, the principles that have been the foundation
Video examples
How forgiveness can...
Should there be amnesty for immigration violations? Should a president offer pardons to protect himself or to induce lawbreaking? These are tough questions for our time.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
David Blunkett
British Politician
I said it's impossible to have an amnesty without ID cards and a clean database, because you firstly don't have any incentives for people to actually come up front and register, and make themselves available, and secondly you have no means of tracking them.
Quote examples
Ken Cuccinelli
American Politician
Let's help take back our country with our wallets, and don't forget to contact your senators and congressman to let them know that you don't want amnesty for illegal aliens, that you want them to restore our borders and our sovereignty.
Quote examples
Mark Meadows
American Politician
Granting amnesty to those who willfully broke the law makes a mockery of our legal system and encourages even more lawlessness - potentially more severe crimes than entering the U.S. illegally.
Quote examples
Blake Farenthold
American Politician
I will support a path to citizenship if it does not fall within the definition of amnesty, and we've got to define what amnesty is in this country.
Quote examples
Michael J. Knowles
American Author
Democrats in sanctuary states support amnesty for illegal aliens, just so long as those illegal aliens don't wind up in sanctuary states.
Quote examples
Richard Lamm
American Politician
Amnesty is a big billboard, a flashing billboard, to the rest of the world that we don't really mean our immigration law.
Quote examples
Virgil Goode
American Politician
Obama gave temporary amnesty to well over 1 million illegal immigrants, and Romney said nothing.
Quote examples
John Fleming
American Politician
Most Americans do not support amnesty, especially without securing the borders.
Quote examples
Bill Flores
American Politician
I will never support amnesty legislation because it will not work.
Quote examples
Ted Cruz
American Politician
If you support amnesty, you should vote for the Democrats.
Quote examples
David Blunkett
British Politician
I said it's impossible to have an amnesty without ID cards and a clean database, because you firstly don't have any incentives for people to actually come up front and register, and make themselves available, and secondly you have no means of tracking them.
Quote examples
Ken Cuccinelli
American Politician
Let's help take back our country with our wallets, and don't forget to contact your senators and congressman to let them know that you don't want amnesty for illegal aliens, that you want them to restore our borders and our sovereignty.
Quote examples
Mark Meadows
American Politician
Granting amnesty to those who willfully broke the law makes a mockery of our legal system and encourages even more lawlessness - potentially more severe crimes than entering the U.S. illegally.
Quote examples
Blake Farenthold
American Politician
I will support a path to citizenship if it does not fall within the definition of amnesty, and we've got to define what amnesty is in this country.
Quote examples
Michael J. Knowles
American Author
Democrats in sanctuary states support amnesty for illegal aliens, just so long as those illegal aliens don't wind up in sanctuary states.
Quote examples
Richard Lamm
American Politician
Amnesty is a big billboard, a flashing billboard, to the rest of the world that we don't really mean our immigration law.
Quote examples
Virgil Goode
American Politician
Obama gave temporary amnesty to well over 1 million illegal immigrants, and Romney said nothing.
Quote examples
John Fleming
American Politician
Most Americans do not support amnesty, especially without securing the borders.
Quote examples
Bill Flores
American Politician
I will never support amnesty legislation because it will not work.
Quote examples
Ted Cruz
American Politician
If you support amnesty, you should vote for the Democrats.
Example 1 of 10
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