politics
[pol-i-tiks]
- the science or art of political government.
- the practice or profession of conducting political affairs.
- political affairs: The advocated reforms have become embroiled in politics.
- political methods or maneuvers: We could not approve of his politics in winning passage of the bill.
- political principles or opinions: We avoided discussion of religion and politics. His politics are his own affair.
- use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any position of power or control, as in business, university, etc.
- (initial capital letter, italics) a treatise (4th century b.c.) by Aristotle, dealing with the structure, organization, and administration of the state, especially the city-state as known in ancient Greece.
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- play politics,
- to engage in political intrigue, take advantage of a political situation or issue, resort to partisan politics, etc.; exploit a political system or political relationships.
- to deal with people in an opportunistic, manipulative, or devious way, as for job advancement.
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Origin of politics
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for politics
Contemporary Examples
In the meantime, he should just accept that the holdup has nothing to do with his politics.
Conservative Curt Says His Politics, Not His Pitching, Kept Him Out of the Hall of FameBen Jacobs
January 9, 2015
Former Red Sox star Curt Schilling says his politics are keeping him out of Cooperstown.
Conservative Curt Says His Politics, Not His Pitching, Kept Him Out of the Hall of FameBen Jacobs
January 9, 2015
But he added that the tactic ensured all “relevant” topics in the world of politics were back to the world of Paul.
Liberal Democrats like to blow their bugles about how all the big money in politics comes from rich Republicans.
I believe in the power of institutions—Congress, public policy, certain ideas about politics—that last for a long time.
Historical Examples
He who gives his mind to politics, sails on a stormy sea, with a giddy pilot.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Politics, for example, would be less entertaining without it.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Judged by the discussions of to-day, what advance has in politics been effected?
'Tis Sixty Years SinceCharles Francis Adams
He has been the very madman of politics from the point of view of Mr. Worldly Wiseman.
The Grand Old ManRichard B. Cook
Of course, in times of peace, they may facilitate the common business of politics.
politics
- (functioning as singular) the practice or study of the art and science of forming, directing, and administrating states and other political units; the art and science of government; political science
- (functioning as singular) the complex or aggregate of relationships of people in society, esp those relationships involving authority or power
- (functioning as plural) political activities or affairsparty politics
- (functioning as singular) the business or profession of politics
- (functioning as singular or plural) any activity concerned with the acquisition of power, gaining one's own ends, etccompany politics are frequently vicious
- (functioning as plural) opinions, principles, sympathies, etc, with respect to politicshis conservative politics
- (functioning as plural)
- the policy-formulating aspects of government as distinguished from the administrative, or legal
- the civil functions of government as distinguished from the military
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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
Word Origin and History for politics
n.
1520s, "science of government," from politic (adj.), modeled on Aristotle's ta politika "affairs of state," the name of his book on governing and governments, which was in English mid-15c. as "Polettiques." Also see -ics.
Politicks is the science of good sense, applied to public affairs, and, as those are forever changing, what is wisdom to-day would be folly and perhaps, ruin to-morrow. Politicks is not a science so properly as a business. It cannot have fixed principles, from which a wise man would never swerve, unless the inconstancy of men's view of interest and the capriciousness of the tempers could be fixed. [Fisher Ames (1758-1808)]
Meaning "a person's political allegiances or opinions" is from 1769.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with politics
politics
see play politics.
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.