federal Hear it!

federal Definition

fed·eral (fed′ər əl)

adjective

  1. of or formed by a compact; specif., designating or of a union of states, groups, etc. in which each member agrees to subordinate its governmental power to that of the central authority in certain specified common affairs
    1. designating, of, or having to do with a central authority or government in such a union
    2. ☆ designating, of, or having to do with the central government of the U.S.
  3. ☆ of or supporting the Federalist Party or its principle of strong centralized government
  4. ☆ of or pertaining to the style in architecture and furniture based on classical Roman models that flourished in the U.S. from 1780 into the 1830s
  5. ☆ of or supporting the government of the U.S. in the Civil War; Union; pro-Union

Etymology: < L foedus (gen. foederis), a league, compact, treaty: see faith & -al

noun

  1. ☆ a Federalist
  2. ☆ a supporter or soldier of the U.S. government in the Civil War
  3. ☆ a U.S. federal agent or officer

federal Related Forms
fed′·er·ally adverb
federal Synonyms

federal

modif.

general, central, governmental; see national 1.

federal Law Definition

adj

Pertaining to a system of government such as that adopted in the United States, in which a national government oversees a federation of local governments, with distinctly defined but overlapping responsibilities.
federal Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • roughly: Companies brokers scout always up to date here roughly federal.
  • fully: They see a fully federal system as the logical outcome for the UK, with sovereignty devolved.
  • not: Legal gambling is normally a state, not federal, issue to turn over another 20 % of net slot revenues for racing purses.
  • only: There are only federal taxes on IP Phone services.
  • about: Generally bring your live onsome new are about federal.
  • even: Nobody saw a panoply of State, local or even federal taxes and compliance regulations on the Internet as constructive.

Modifies a noun

  • republic: This annual season ticket, with no route restrictions, works out at £ 6.20 a day to travel anywhere in the federal republic.
  • prosecutor: Kong international group federal prosecutors say by the north.
  • superstate: The new grouping will be called the Movement for European Reform, signaling its focus on opposing developments toward a ' federal superstate ' .
  • government: Does the federal government need to put its hands on what's going on?
  • judge: In New Orleans in 1960 a federal judge ruled that the city schools must be integrated.
  • court: There will be a hearing in the federal court next month.

Used with adjective complement

  • poverty-related: However are not and the medicare programs poverty-related federal to people who.
  • see: Probably have to saying see federal don't deny your.
  • receive: The applicant is receiving federal Pell Grant funding during the academic term of his/her application.
federal Quotes

   What the federal government does basically is borrow money from people and mail it to people.

—Will, George

No major institution in the US has so poor a record of performance over so long a period as the Federal Reserve, yet so high a public reputation.

—Friedman, Milton