John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address

Glossary

• absolute complete and unconditional
• asunder into separate parts or groups
• alliance formal pact of confederation between nations for a common cause
• beachhead a position opening the way for further development
• belaboring harping on
• civility courtesy
• colonial relating to lands settled by an imperial country and subject to the laws of that country
• embattled engaged in combat
• endeavor concerted effort toward a given end
• forebears ancestors
• instruments implements (in this case, weapons)
• invective abusive or denunciatory expression
• mortal liable or subject to death
• republics political powers whose heads of state are not monarchs and usually are insteadpresidents
• sovereign self-governing
• subversion the undermining of character, morals, or allegiance
• tempered modified by the addition of an agent or quality
• this Hemisphere the Western Hemisphere, including North, Central, and South America
• tyranny a government in which a single ruler is vested with absolute power
• writ a written court order