Kangaroo-court definition
A mock court, especially one hastily improvised or irregularly conducted.
noun
A court characterized by dishonesty or incompetence.
noun
An unauthorized, irregular court, usually disregarding normal legal procedure, as one in a frontier region.
noun
Any tribunal in which judgment is rendered arbitrarily or unfairly.
noun
Pejorative. Of an unfair court, in which justice cannot be obtained.
noun
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(idiomatic) A judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding, or a group which conducts such proceedings, which is without proper authority, abusive, or otherwise unjust.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
kangaroo-court
Plural:
kangaroo-courtsOrigin of kangaroo-court
- First attested 1853 in a Texas context, possibly from the notion of proceeding by leaps or because the kangaroo's appearance defies nature.
From Wiktionary