enabling

Enabling is a term used for laws that confer legal powers to someone or something. An enabling act makes it possible for authorities to take action.

One meaning of the verb enable is "to provide with legal powers," so the adjective formed by adding -ing gets used to describe legislation that has that empowering effect. When new American states were formed out of frontier territories, they could either organize statehood themselves, or they could be admitted into the Union through an "enabling act" of Congress.

Definitions of enabling
  1. adjective
    providing legal power or sanction
    “an enabling resolution”
    “enabling power”
    Synonyms:
    facultative
    granting a privilege or permission or power to do or not do something
    sanctionative, sanctioning
    implying sanction or serving to sanction
    see moresee less
    Antonyms:
    disabling, disqualifying
    depriving of legal right; rendering legally disqualified
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Vocabulary lists containing enabling

David Cameron's Words After the Brexit Vote

On June 23, 2016, the people of Britain voted to decide whether Britain should remain in or leave the European Union- the so-called "Brexit" or "British Exit" vote. The British people voted to leave the European Union, and although the decision does not go into effect immediately, it is an historic decision whose effects will be felt by the entire world for years to come. After the vote, British Prime Minister David Cameron, who was in favor of remaining in the E.U., delivered a speech in which he addressed the future of Britain and announced his resignation, to take effect in a few months. Below are seventeen vocabulary words from Cameron's speech. The transcript of the entire speech is available here.

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