ukase
/juːˈkeɪz
/noun
1(In tsarist Russia) a decree with the force of law.In the late 1960s comprehensive education had been imposed on local authorities by Labour with all the ruthlessness of a ukase....
- In Ukraine, all performances and translations of Shakespeare into Ukrainian were banned by strict ukases, thus turning Shakespeare into samizdat literature well before the Soviet period.
1.1An arbitrary or peremptory command.Why not ease up on the ukases against kids singing songs about mangers and stars?...
- The Bush doctrine seeks to extend American ukase all around the world, whereas we ought to be seeking ways for attenuating all national sovereignties in favor of collective global decision-making.
- The brusque style of Washington has managed to antagonize its best friends by means of anachronistic ukases and its treatment of allies as unruly children.
Origin
From Russian ukaz 'ordinance, edict', from ukazatʹ 'show, decree'.