The Hindu Editorial (​​​​Timely restatement) – Mar 31, 2025

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The Hindu Editorial (​​​​​​​​​​​Timely restatement) – Mar 31, 2025:

1. timely (adjective) – prompt, well timed, at the right time, opportune, appropriate.
2. restatement (noun) – reiteration, paraphrase, rewording, restating, reassertion, repetition.
3. free speech (noun) – the right to express one’s opinions publicly (without any restraint).
4. stifle (verb) – constrain, restrain, prevent, hamper, impede.
5. tool (noun) – mechanism, instrument, machinery, apparatus.
6. fraught (adjective) – worried, troubled, stressful, overwrought, distressed, agitated, distracted, frantic, desperate, distraught (and with many problems).
7. democracy (noun) – a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through fairly & freely elected representatives.
8. welcome (adjective) – pleasing, agreeable, favourable, promising, much needed.
9. quash (verb) – cancel, reverse, repeal, abrogate, overrule, override, invalidate, nullify, revoke, annul, abolish.
10. allegedly (adverb) – apparently, ostensibly, supposedly, presumably , evidently, seemingly.
11. inflammatory (adjective) – provocative, provoking, agitating, fomenting.
12. intervention (noun) – the process of intervening in something; involvement, interference.
13. in favour of (phrase) – in support of; to the advantage of.
14. restate (verb) – repeat, rephrase, paraphrase, reword, reiterate, recapitulate, sum up.
15. nearly (adverb) – almost, practically, virtually.
16. jurisprudence (noun) – legal system.
17. criminalise (verb) – make something (an activity) illegal.
18. influential (adjective) – powerful, dominant, strong; important.
19. claim (verb) – state, declare, profess, assert, affirm.
20. honour (verb) – respect, value; obey.
21. preserve (verb) – protect, care for, look after, take care of.
22. freedom of expression (noun) – the ability of an individual or group of individuals to express their beliefs, thoughts, ideas, and emotions about different issues free from government censorship, restraint, or legal penalty.
23. overzealous (adjective) – too zealous; excessively sincere, feeling, fervent, impassioned, passionate, enthusiastic.
24. rush (verb) – run, hurry, hasten.
25. first information report (FIR) (noun) – a written document prepared by the police when they receive information  about the commission of a cognizable offence.
26. splatter (verb) – to cover with a small amount/number of something.
27. speech-restrictive (adjective) – referring to laws, policies, or actions that limit or restrict freedom of speech, often for reasons of public order, security, or morality, but also potentially infringing on fundamental rights.
28. penal (adjective) – disciplinary, punitive, correctional, retributive.
29. provision (noun) – clause, condition, stipulation, requirement, term.
30. motivated (adjective) – provided with a motive; influenced, stoked, triggered.
31. strong-minded (adjective) – determined, resolute, resolved, uncompromising, stubborn.
32. vacillating (adjective) – undecided, uncommitted, uncertain, unsure, wavering.
33. insecurity (noun) – vulnerability, defencelessness, unguardedness, lack of protection.
34. perceive (verb) – view, regard, think of, consider, deem.
35. Bench (noun) – a court of law with a number of judges.
36. Constitution Bench (noun) – a bench of the Supreme Court having five or more judges on it. These benches are not a routine phenomenon.  Constitution Benches are exceptions, set up only if some circumstances exist).
37. Division Bench (noun) – a bench of two or three judges is called a division bench.
38. go on to (phrasal verb) – continue, carry on, proceed, remain.
39. race (noun) – ethnic group.
40. imputation (noun) – insinuation, insult, reference, inference.
41. appeal (noun) – attraction, temptation, interest.
42. likely (adverb) – probably, presumably, potentially.
43. disharmony (noun) – discord, friction, enmity, divisiveness, disunity, conflict, hostility.
44. enmity (noun) – hostility, antipathy, resentment, ill will, hatred, discord, aversion.
45. hatred (noun) – enmity, antipathy, antagonism, hostility, resentment, aversion.
46. ill-will (noun) – hostility, hatred, enmity, dislike, aversion, antipathy.
47. dismiss (verb) – reject, deny, repudiate, spurn, brush off, set aside.
48. appellant (noun) – litigator, litigant, petitioner, complainant, claimant, plaintiff.
49. outrage (verb) – offend, enrage, affront, anger, infuriate, displease.
50. injustice (noun) – lack of justice, unfairness, misdeed, unjust/unfair act.
51. In effect (phrase) – really, in fact, in reality, effectively, practically.
52. ingredient (noun) –  element, part, portion, item, aspect.
53. offence (noun) – crime, illegal act, breach of the law, violation of the law, wrongdoing, act of misconduct, misdeed.
54. divisive (adjective) – alienating/isolating, disharmonious, discordant.
55. detrimental (adjective) – harmful, damaging, dangerous, destructive, adverse, counterproductive, unfavourable.
56. public order (noun) – it is essentially the absence of disorder – the quiet and orderly behaviour of people in public space. It involves people behaving sensibly and rationally, and respecting others.
57. public order (noun) – it means the situation that exists when people obey the laws, rules or authority of the State.
58. provocation (noun) – annoyance, irritation, agitation, vexation; stirring, goading, prompting.
59. sentiment (noun) – feeling, opinion, point of view.
60. serve as (verb) – act as, function as.
61. invoke (verb) – cite, mention, refer to, point to, adduce, turn to, resort to, have recourse to, use, put to use.
62. Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (noun) – It pertains to “promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony”.
63. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act, 2023 (noun) – An Act to consolidate and amend the provisions relating to offences and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. It is the official criminal code in India and it replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It came into effect on 1 July 2024 after being passed by the parliament in December 2023.
64. Section 153A of the IPC (noun) – it deals with speech that seeks to promote enmity between different communities.
65. Indian Penal Code (IPC) (noun) – The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The draft was passed into law on 6 October 1860. The Code came into operation on 1 January 1862. The Indian Penal Code of 1860, subdivided into 23 chapters, comprises 511 sections. IPC deals with crimes and punishments.
66. direction (noun) – command, instruction, order, requirement.
67. trenchant (adjective) – vigorous, forceful, strong.
68. defamation (noun) – it is defined as spoken or written words or visible representations, concerning any person intended to harm his/her reputation; character assassination, libel, misrepresentation, vilification, backbiting, abuse, scandalmongering, malicious gossip.
69. browbeat (verb) – frighten, threaten, scare, intimidate, unnerve, terrify, overawe, bully.
70. critic (noun) – criticizer, censurer, castigator, attacker, fault-finder.
71. dissenter (noun) – dissident, objector, protester, agitator, nonconformist.

Note : 

1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation, example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc. from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.

2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context.  

3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.

The Hindu Editorial (​​​​​​​​Timely restatement) – Mar 31, 2025: