| 释义 |
federation|fɛdəˈreɪʃən|
[a. F. fédération, ad. L. fœderātiōn-em, n. of action f. fœderāre: see federate v. and -ation.]
1. The action of federating or uniting in a league or convenant. Now chiefly spec. the formation of a political unity out of a number of separate states, provinces, or colonies, so that each retains the management of its internal affairs; a similar process applied to a number of separate societies, etc.
1721–1800Bailey, Federation, a Covenanting. 1867Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) I. iii. 98 There must have been, if not centralization, at any rate something like federation. 1888Sir C. G. Duffy in Contemp. Rev. Jan. 27 If federation of the colonies be partly accomplished.
b. Federation of the (British) Empire, Imperial Federation: a proposed readjustment of the relations between the various parts of the empire, by which the colonies would have shared with the mother country the control and the cost of all measures taken for the safety and well-being of the empire as a whole.
1885Marquis of Lorne (title), Imperial Federation. 1886Pall Mall G. 16 June 11/1 A paper was read by Sir George F. Bowen on ‘The Federation of the British Empire’..He adopted Mr. Forster's definition of..Imperial Federation—viz., such a union of the mother country with her colonies as would keep the British Empire one State in relation to other States, through the agency of an organisation for common defence, and a joint foreign policy.
2. A society or league formed for joint action or mutual support; now chiefly, a body formed by a number of separate states, societies, etc., each retaining control of its own internal affairs.
Often in names of political societies and trade-unions, as, the Miners' Federation, the National Liberal Federation, the Social Democratic Federation, the Shipping Federation.
1791Burke App. Whigs Wks. VI. 126 Is he obliged..to keep any terms with those clubs and federations? 1855Macaulay Hist. Eng. xix. 325 The Batavian federation. 1859Helps Friends in C. Ser. ii. I. Addr. to Rdr. 5 There would be a federation amongst the sensible..people. 1861M. Pattison Ess. (1889) I. 40 All this was in the century preceding the formation of the Hanseatic federation. 1865H. Kingsley Hillyars & Burtons lxii, The Australian Federation..need not despair of finding a casus belli among themselves. 1892Daily News 14 Mar. 5/8 In Durham the Federation means the union of the Durham collieries.
3. attrib.
1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. iv. ix, Our sublime Federation Field is wetted..with French blood. 1893Westm. Gaz. 8 Apr. 5/2 At an evening meeting Shipping Federation cards and books..were burnt.
Hence fedeˈrationist, an advocate of federation.
1865Pall Mall G. 27 Apr. 5 The object of the Federationists. 1887Athenæum 28 May 703/1 The federationist leaves this problem ‘outside the discussion’. |