Main Entry:: tyr·an·ny
Pronunciation:: \ˈtir-ə-nē\
Function:: noun
Inflected Form(s):: plural tyr·an·nies
Etymology:: Middle English tyrannie, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, from Latin tyrannus tyrant
Date:: 14th century

1: oppressive power <every form of tyranny over the mind of man — Thomas Jefferson> ; especially : oppressive power exerted by government <the tyranny of a police state>2 a: a government in which absolute power is vested in a single ruler ; especially : one characteristic of an ancient Greek city-state b: the office, authority, and administration of a tyrant3: a rigorous condition imposed by some outside agency or force <living under the tyranny of the clock — Dixon Wecter>4: a tyrannical act <workers who had suffered tyrannies>

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