Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
noun
In resolving a problem, the possible course of action that is considered the most extreme because of its collateral consequences.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A procedure by which the United States Senate can decide any issue with a simple majority, rather than the usual supermajority.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From analogy with the political decision to be the first to use nuclear weapons in a war.
