Essential Vocabulary for World War I
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Unit 4: Key Vocabulary
| Definition | Term |
|---|---|
| Military conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918, also known as the Great War | First World War |
| Women’s right to vote in elections | Women’s suffrage |
| Based on the ideas of Karl Marx; describes a person or political party which advocates the dictatorship of the proletariat, the elimination of private property, and a society in which everyone is equal | Communist |
| Non-democratic system of government in which one person has all the power | Dictatorship |
| New, unusual, or experimental | Avant-garde |
| Formal agreement between two or more countries to cooperate | Alliance |
| Impartial, not supporting any side in a war or dispute | Neutral |
| Try to resolve a problem or difficult situation | Deal with |
| Take control of a country or region, often by force | Annex |
| Country which is part of an alliance | Ally |
| Competition between countries to acquire large quantities of weapons | Arms race |
| Cause something to happen quickly | Trigger |
| Hold someone responsible for something negative | Blame |
| Continue or stay | Remain |
| Zone where the fighting is taking place; also areas where the territory controlled by one side meets the territory controlled by the other side | Front |
| Type of fighting in which there is little movement on either side; both armies dig long holes in the ground where soldiers can protect themselves from enemy fire | Trench warfare |
| Remove oneself or others from a situation, such as a war | Withdraw |
| Give up the title of monarch or emperor | Abdicate |
| Agreement to stop fighting | Armistice |
| Authorise or agree to something by writing one’s name | Sign |
| System for transferring messages long distance along a wire using a code of electric signals | Telegraph |
| Small bomb that is thrown by hand | Grenade |
| Gun which can fire continuously | Machine-gun |
| Large, heavy guns | Artillery |
| When there is not enough of something | Shortage |
| Limiting the amount of certain goods that people can have when there is a shortage | Rationing |
| Illegal trade in goods that people can have when there is a shortage | Black market |
| Force people to join the armed forces | Conscript |
| Ask for volunteers | Recruit |
| Join the army voluntarily | Enlist |
| Woman who participated in the movement for women’s suffrage | Suffragette |