Star Chamber

See in a sentence

  1. a royal English court or tribunal abolished in 1641, notorious for its secret sessions without jury, and for its harsh and arbitrary judgments and its use of torture to force confessions
  2. any similar tribunal or inquisitorial body

Origin: ME, earlier Sterred Chambre: said to be so called because the ceiling was ornamented with stars

See Star Chamber in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. A 15th-century to 17th-century English court consisting of judges who were appointed by the Crown and sat in closed session on cases involving state security.
  2. star chamber A court or group that engages in secret, harsh, or arbitrary procedures.

Origin:

Origin: So called because the ceiling of the original courtroom was decorated with stars

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adjective
Secret, harsh, or arbitrary, as in procedures.

Origin:

Origin: From Star Chamber

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© 1996-2013 LoveToKnow, Corp. All Rights Reserved. Audio pronunciation provided by LoveToKnow, Corp.