kangaroo court

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See synonyms for kangaroo court on Thesaurus.com

noun

a self-appointed or mob-operated tribunal that disregards or parodies existing principles of law or human rights, especially one in a frontier area or among criminals in prison.

any crudely or irregularly operated court, especially one so controlled as to render a fair trial impossible.

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Origin of kangaroo court

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Words nearby kangaroo court

kanga, kanga pirau, kangaroo, kangaroo care, kangaroo closure, kangaroo court, kangaroo dog, kangaroo grass, Kangaroo Island, kangaroo paw, kangaroo rat

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use kangaroo court in a sentence

The series that followed, tackling disinformation and kangaroo courts and cancel culture and race optics was as good as this show—which has proven itself to be so damn good—can get.
The Daily Beast’s 21 Best TV Shows of 2021: From ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Succession’ to ‘Sex Education’|Kevin Fallon|December 20, 2021|The Daily Beast
Sharpe was executed after a kangaroo court found him guilty, and his corpse buried in the sand near Montego Bay Harbor.
Jamaica’s Christmas Slave Uprising|Sean Braswell|December 23, 2020|Ozy
Unless there is a court decision that changes our law, we are OK.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
On Dec. 30, she filed a similar lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court.
Ex-CBS Reporter Sharyl Attkisson’s Battle Royale With the Feds|Lloyd Grove|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Cassandra, whose hair has already begun to fall out from her court-mandated chemotherapy, could face a similar outcome.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He added: “People say he deserves his day in court… Do we have enough time?”
Bill Maher: Hundreds of Millions of Muslims Support Attack on ‘Charlie Hebdo’|Lloyd Grove|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The court ruled she lacked the maturity to make her own medical decisions.
Should Teens Have The Right To Die?|Brandy Zadrozny|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
M'Bongo and his whole court are now clothed, I am happy to say, at least to a certain extent.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
When I was at Portugal, there was held at that time the court of justice of the Inquisition.
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)|Daniel Defoe
He also states that the Audiencia is virtually non-existent, and so there is no high court in which justice may be sought.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
Rene le Pays, a French poet, died; well known at court by his miscellanies.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
The Kangaroo can hop and hop and hop; Somehow he never seems to want to stop.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for kangaroo court

kangaroo court

noun

an irregular court, esp one set up by prisoners in a jail or by strikers to judge strikebreakers

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for kangaroo court

kangaroo court

A court that ignores principles of justice; a court characterized by incompetence and dishonesty.

Other Idioms and Phrases with kangaroo court

kangaroo court

A self-appointed tribunal that violates established legal procedure; also, a dishonest or incompetent court of law. For example, The rebels set up a kangaroo court and condemned the prisoners to summary execution, or That judge runs a kangaroo court—he tells rape victims they should have been more careful. This expression is thought to liken the jumping ability of kangaroos to a court that jumps to conclusions on an invalid basis. [Mid-1800s]