minister1 nounminister2 verb
ministermin‧is‧ter1 /ˈmɪnɪstə $ -ər/ ●●○ noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINminister1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French ministre, from Latin minister ‘servant’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The Russian foreign minister was also present at the meeting.
- Chancellor Norman Lamont and fellow finance ministers began hammering out the final draft in Edinburgh yesterday afternoon.
- Federal and state ministers have met 20 times since the earlier massacres and failed to agree on change.
- For at least another thirty to forty-five seconds the former prime minister just stared back at them.
- He sent the defence minister, Peter Reith, in his place.
- In 1906-14 successive foreign ministers were authorised by the tsar to report to it on only five occasions.
- Socialist Franco Reviglio, previously budget minister, was made finance minister.
- Tactics that shunted money into the hands of prime ministers or sycophantic merchants did not generally help the citizens of a nation.
- The minister, it seemed, had an urge to hear Mitchell talk.
THESAURUS
someone who is specially trained to perform religious duties and ceremonies in the Christian church: · a Catholic priest· a Buddhist priest· Women priests are much more common these days.· The priest who married us was very friendly and helpful.
a priest of high rank in some branches of the Christian church, who is the head of all the churches and priests in a large area: · the Bishop of Oxford· a meeting of bishops
a priest in the Church of England who is in charge of a church in a particular area: · our local vicar
someone who gives the sermon (=a religious talk as part of a church service) in some Protestant churches: · a Methodist preacher
the formal word for any priest in some branches of the Christian church: · In 1843, 450 ministers of the church broke away from the established church of Scotland.
someone, especially a priest, who takes care of the religious needs of an organization such as a college, hospital, prison, or the military: · the prison chaplain
American English someone who is in charge of the prayers, ceremonies etc in some branches of the Protestant church: · a Baptist pastor
the person who is in charge of the prayers, ceremonies etc in the Jewish religion: · Israel’s chief rabbis
a Muslim teacher of law and religion: · The people turned to their traditional leaders, the mullahs.
someone who is treated with great respect by people who belong to a religion: · A Sadhu, or Hindu holy man, was performing yoga on the banks of the River Ganges.
the official leaders in organized religions, such as the priests, rabbis, and mullahs: · Around 30 members of the clergy gathered for the meeting.
a male member of the clergy – used especially in the past: · His youngest son decided to become a clergyman.
WORD SETSabbess, nounabbey, nounabbot, nounabsolution, nounAdvent, nounalleluia, interjectionaltar boy, nounAnglican, nounAnglo-Catholic, nounapocalyptic, adjectiveapostle, nounapostolic, adjectivearchbishop, nounarchbishopric, nounarchdeacon, nounarchdiocese, nounArk of the Covenant, nounAsh Wednesday, nounAuthorized Version, banns, nounbaptism, nounBaptist, nounbaptize, verbbasilica, nounbeadle, nounbeatify, verbBenedictine, nounbenediction, nounbenefice, nounbiblical, adjectivebiretta, nounbishop, nounbishopric, nounblaspheme, verbblasphemy, nounbrother, nounbull, nounCalvinism, nounCalvinist, adjectivecanon, nouncanonical, adjectivecanonize, verbcanon law, nouncantor, nouncardinal, nouncardinal sin, nouncarol, nouncatechism, nouncathedral, nounCatholic, adjectivechantry, nounchapel, nounchaplain, nounchaplaincy, nounchapter, nounchapterhouse, nouncherub, nounChrist, nounchristen, verbChristendom, nounchristening, nounChristian, nounChristian, adjectivechurch, nounchurchgoer, nounchurchman, nounChurch of England, nounchurchwarden, nounchurchwoman, nounchurchyard, nounclergyman, nounclergywoman, nouncleric, nounclerical, adjectiveclerk, nouncloister, nouncollect, nouncommandment, nouncommunicant, nouncompline, nounconfess, verbconfession, nounconfessional, nounconfessor, nounconfirmation, nouncongregation, nounCongregationalism, nounconsecrate, verbcope, nouncreationist, nouncreche, nouncrib, nouncrosier, nouncrozier, nouncrucifix, nouncrucifixion, nouncrusade, nouncrusade, verbcrypt, nouncuracy, nouncurate, noundeacon, noundeaconess, noundean, noundeanery, noundiocese, noundisciple, noundisestablish, verbdispensation, noundog collar, nounDominican, nounEaster, nounecclesiastic, nounecclesiastical, adjectiveecumenical, adjectiveEden, nounelder, nounencyclical, nounEpiphany, nounepiscopal, adjectiveEpistle, nounevangelical, adjectiveevangelist, nounevangelize, verbevensong, nounexcommunicate, verbexegesis, nounfellowship, nounflagellant, nounflagellate, verbflock, nounfont, nounFr, friar, nounfrock, nounfundamentalist, noungargoyle, noungenuflect, verbgodfather, nounGod-fearing, adjectivegodless, adjectivegodly, adjectivegodmother, noungodparent, noungodson, nounGood Friday, noungrace, noungracious, adjectiveHail Mary, nounharvest festival, nounHigh Church, nounHigh Mass, nounHoly Communion, nounHoly Father, nounHoly Spirit, nounHoly Week, nounHoly Writ, nounhomily, nounhymn book, nounimprimatur, nounincarnation, nouninduct, verbindulgence, nouninquisitor, nouninterdenominational, adjectiveinterdict, nounJehovah, Jesuit, nounJesus, judgment day, nounlay, adjectivelay reader, nounlectern, nounlesson, nounlitany, nounLow Church, nounlychgate, nounMadonna, nounmanna, nounmanse, nounmatins, nounmeeting-house, nounmessianic, adjectiveMethodist, nounminister, nounministerial, adjectiveministry, nounminster, nounmiracle, nounmissal, nounmissionary, nounmitre, nounmoderator, nounMonsignor, nounMorning Prayer, nounmortal sin, nounMother of God, nounMother Superior, nounname day, nounNativity, nounNativity play, nounnave, nounNegro spiritual, nounNoah's ark, nounNonconformist, adjectivenuncio, nounoffertory, nounoratory, nounordination, nounoriginal sin, nounOur Father, nounOur Lady, Our Lord, padre, nounPalm Sunday, nounpapacy, nounpapal, adjectivepapist, nounparable, nounparish, nounparish church, nounparish clerk, nounparishioner, nounparochial, adjectiveparochial school, nounparson, nounparsonage, nounpassion play, nounpastor, nounpatriarch, nounpatron saint, nounpenance, nounpenitent, nounPentecost, nounPentecostal, adjectiveperdition, nounPlymouth Brethren, nounpontiff, nounpontifical, adjectivepontificate, nounPope, nounprayer book, nounpredestination, nounprelate, nounPresbyterian, nounpresbytery, nounpriest, nounPrimate, nounprior, nounprioress, nounpriory, nounPromised Land, the, Protestant, nounpsalm, nounpsalmist, nounpsalter, nounpulpit, nounQuaker, nounRC, rector, nounrectory, nounredeem, verbredemption, nounrequiem, nounRev, Revd, Reverend, nounReverend Mother, nounrevival, nounrevival meeting, nounRoman Catholic, adjectiverood screen, nounrosary, nounsacrament, nounsacristan, nounsacristy, nounsaint, nounsainted, adjectivesainthood, nounsaint's day, nounsalvation, nounsanctuary, nounSatan, nounsave, verbschism, nounscriptural, adjectivesecular, adjectivesee, nounseminary, nounseraph, nounsermon, nounsexton, nounShrove Tuesday, nounsister, nounsisterhood, nounSJ, special licence, nounsteeple, nounstigmata, nounstoup, nounSunday school, nounsurplice, nounsynod, nountabernacle, nountestify, verbtransubstantiation, nounTrappist, noununfrock, verbUnitarian, nounvenial, adjectivevespers, nounvestment, nounvestry, nounvicar, nounvicarage, nounvotive, adjectivevow, nounVulgate, the, nounWhitsun, nounwimple, nounXmas, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
a meeting of EU foreign ministers a senior Cabinet ministerCOLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a meeting of EU foreign ministers a senior Cabinet minister· Cabinet ministers voted against the proposal.
· A government minister said that there would be an inquiry.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· During the Westland affair he provided that rare occasion, the resignation of a cabinet minister on a matter of principle.· My salary more than doubled; at least on paper, I earned more money than a cabinet minister.· Mo Mowlam, the retiring Cabinet Office minister, is believed to have refused a peerage.· As a Cabinet minister, he is a member of the executive.· Everyone puts his hand out, from cabinet ministers to loan underwriters.· This is what happened when Mr Mbeki turned up in Harare with a few cabinet ministers in tow.· He was the eighth of 18 Cabinet ministers to say he might abstain or vote against an agreement.
· The power of the chief executive or minister can in this way be used to increase the power of some one else.· He was rescued by chief minister Robert Harley, who put him to work as a government spy and propagandist.· When he succeeded to the throne in 1625, Buckingham became his chief minister.· After that, any chief minister daring to build his own political base stood in danger of being turned out.· He was an archbishop, the king's chief minister, but he was also a cardinal of the Roman church.· Sharad Pawar, chief minister of Maharashtra, is by far the strongest Congress state leader.· In response, Kashmir's chief minister, Farooq Abdullah, produced new autonomy proposals.
· A deputy prime minister, Yulia Timoshenko, is facing criminal charges for tax fraud, smuggling and forgery.· Kamal Ganzouri, the 62-year-old deputy prime minister, was asked to form a government after cabinet ministers quit.· These are major obstacles to effective trade but they will be removed, assures deputy foreign minister Sadegh Kharazi.· He is also deputy prime minister and commander of the 57, 000-strong National Guard.· Mr Kasyanov, a deputy prime minister in the outgoing government, is urbane, polished and managerial.
· When a separate Foreign Ministry was established in 1952, he became his own foreign minister.· As the standoff continued in Suva, Commonwealth foreign ministers met in London on Tuesday.· Nesselrode, his foreign minister, remained pacific to the end.
· He was a few weeks short of his fiftieth birthday, a somewhat elderly junior minister.· Oh, yes, the nonentity of a junior health minister.· The official opening ceremony was performed by junior health minister Tom Sackville, during a visit to the hospital.· Nobody thanked the prime minister. Junior ministers have been inviting the sack by asking him to resign.· Mr Fallon, a junior education minister, puts the figure being lost to Darlington schools at around £700,000 each year.
· None of the 11 new ministers named had previously served in the cabinet.· However, the new minister on arrival soon found that he was faced with a seemingly impossible task.· Only then could the new prime minister formally take up the vast burden of his office.· This means restraint in public spending and holding back the natural enthusiasm of a clutch of new ministers to open the purse strings.· Mr Bolona, the new finance minister, is a former head of the institute's economics department.
· Ministers proved reluctant to side with the Treasury in an attack on other ministers' programmes.· According to some sources Goh was not Lee's first choice for the succession; at least one other minister reportedly declined the post.· Like every other Cabinet minister, I was asked for my opinion.· The other ministers were confirmed in their posts.· Alan Cairn's view was echoed by most other ministers I talked to.· The problem for President Roh is finding a suitable replacement for Mr Ro and possibly other ministers.
· However, in parliamentary terms Mr Nelson has been long waiting for a call from a prime minister offering jobs.· The president has limited power, and most control is exercised by the prime minister and cabinet.· The prime minister re-defined the responsibilities of the Tory chief whip.· Surely they were not going to ask the prime minister about his Trotskyist past again?· He made his displeasure plain to the prime minister.· The liberal Yabloko party campaigned for another former prime minister, Sergei Stepashin.· Former prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu is under investigation on suspicion of bribery.· Afterwards, he will offer less bustling prime ministers a whisky-and-soda.
· The senior ministers fell easily into the habit of cooperation. but many in the party refused even to attempt the transition.· Added to this was the deep suspicion felt by senior ministers, influential judges and lawyers about purists themselves.· Like Attlee and his senior ministers in 1945, Churchill had seen the wartime machine and it had worked.· Thousands of people received the letter, which purports to be signed by the senior minister of judicial affairs.· No one is saying senior ministers shouldn't be entitled to certain perks.· Warning of coup Senior ministers warned foreign journalists on Oct. 16 of a possible conservative-led coup against Yeltsin and the reforms.· Each of the departments listed above has its senior minister, the secretary of state, in the Cabinet.
NOUN· The strongest force there is run by Ahmed Shah Masoud, the defence minister.· He sent the defence minister, Peter Reith, in his place.· So said defence minister Peter Blaker last week in response to a question from Tam Dalyell.· General Powell was present at the meeting between the two defence ministers yesterday.· Later on, we were on another job, looking after a defence minister from somewhere or other.· The defence minister, General Pavel Grachev, called for a compromise and promised that the army would stay out of the dispute.· In a weekend of violence, the defence minister, Khaled Nezzar, narrowly escaped from a car bomb attack.
· Peres was named prime minister, his deputy Yitzhak Rabin became defense minister, and Shamir became foreign minister.
· But the environment minister, Tom King, could not give any firm commitment to further government funds.· The summit's failure to address environmental issues may however be mitigated by meeting of G7 environment ministers later this year.· The environment ministers were due to make their decision late last month.· The environment minister, Michael Meacher, conceded that the pyres could be a health risk.· This afternoon that put them on environment minister Michael Howard's hit list.· After Papandreou's electoral victory in 1981, Tritsis was appointed environment minister.· Peter Gauweiler, Bavaria's environment minister, thinks his state is still well to the right of the nation.
· Former finance minister Boris Fyodorov, who represents minority investors, was reelected to the board.· Kubo succeeds as finance minister Sakigake Party head Masayoshi Takemura.· There are two other candidates in the field, finance minister Albert Reynolds and foreign minister Gerard Collins.· His finance minister was busy answering charges of bribery.· The finance minister said now was the time for winning over greater interest in the stock exchange.· And economic policy now has clearer direction since Mihaly Kupa was appointed finance minister and made economics supremo.· Hashimoto served as finance minister from 1989 to 1991.
· Lord Hunt, the junior health minister, announced that an investigation was under way.· The departure of health minister Andrea Fischer and farm minister Karl-Heinz Funke follows a collapse in consumer confidence.· Oh, yes, the nonentity of a junior health minister.· But health minister Marc-Yvan Cote said the monies won't be divided equally.· Every health minister gets put into his mouth in his early months an ambitious and laudatory summons to voluntary effort.· This law is arbitrary and gives the health minister too many powers...· Mr Jereissati's main rival so far is Jose Serra, the health minister.· According to Kenneth Clarke the health minister there's more to come.
· The news leaked out last weekend, and pressure has mounted on the justice minister, Oliviero Diliberto, to investigate.· Earlier this month the justice minister was forced to depart.· Former justice minister Tzahi Hanegbi faces indictment on corruption charges.· The justice minister is currently being investigated for insulting the police, who wanted to ban the League's praetorian guard.· But the justice minister, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, is against this.· Mr Salazar is the ninth justice minister since August 1986.· Wasn't it Lord Chief Justice Hewitt who first made this remark in 1967 when justice minister?· In 1967 he entered Lester Pearson's cabinet as justice minister.
· I now have a letter from the Foreign Office minister Douglas Hogg setting out the change in policy.· Mo Mowlam, the retiring Cabinet Office minister, is believed to have refused a peerage.· He asked Office minister David Mellor whether he still wished or instructed local authorities to enforce the law as it now stands.· John Patten, 46, a long-serving Home Office minister, has been put in charge of Education.· Home Office ministers and officials are currently wooing judges and magistrates to the new approach.· Mr Mandelson, as the Cabinet Office minister, was in charge of the project.
· If you were transport minister, what would be your first action?
VERB· The Prime Minister appoints ministers, reshuffles Cabinets, dismisses ministers, and promotes ministers.· The newly appointed finance minister, Wataru Kubo, is expected to deflect opposition criticism over the housing lender bailout.· To ensure that our plans for science and technology diffuse throughout government Labour will appoint a minister for science.· He thus emerged as champion of the free market, appointing western-educated technocrats as ministers.· It appears that he appointed as his prime minister, Mr. Omer Arteh Qalib.· A number of military commanders from the southern, central and northern regions were appointed as ministers on Sept. 24.· Sólnes was appointed its first minister.· The boards and commissions that run these organizations are commonly appointed by ministers and so provide an increase in ministerial patronage.
· When Lloyd George became prime minister in December 1916 he was backed by the Unionists in a coalition government.· If a legislative majority can be created, their leader becomes prime minister.· Neil Kinnock, 13 years in opposition, knows that he is finally about to become prime minister.· Peres was named prime minister, his deputy Yitzhak Rabin became defense minister, and Shamir became foreign minister.· When a separate Foreign Ministry was established in 1952, he became his own foreign minister.· In 1996 Carter became an ordained minister and plans to become a full-time minister after football.· Before becoming a minister, he was director-general of the World Trade Organisation, the body responsible for enforcing free trade.
· As protesters battled the police in the streets outside the meeting, ministers argued inside, and the talks eventually collapsed.· The first of its kind between Washington and Pyongyang, the meeting of foreign ministers was the message.· This week he met environment minister Tony Baldry to discuss Government proposals to give local authorities greater powers to curb illegal camping.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► president-elect/governor-elect/prime minister-elect etc► I give you the chairman/prime minister/groom etc
- He was an Ambassador Extraordinary Plenipotentiaryfor all mankind.
WORD FAMILYnounministryministeradjectiveministerial
1a politician who is in charge of a government department, in Britain and some other countriesminister of the Minister of Agricultureminister for the Minister for Foreign Affairsforeign/defence/finance etc minister a meeting of EU foreign ministers a senior Cabinet minister → Prime Minister2a priest in some Christian churches: a Baptist minister3someone whose job is to represent their country in another country, but who is lower in rank than an ambassadorminister1 nounminister2 verb
ministerminister2 verb [intransitive] to work as a priest: Rev Wilson spent 20 years ministering in some of New York’s poorest areas.minister to somebody/something phrasal verb formal to give help to someone who needs it, especially someone who is sick or old: She spent much time ministering to the sick. ministering to the needs of other people