DEDALO's definitions

Refusenik

Refusenik (Russian: отказник, otkaznik, from "отказ", "refusal") was an unofficial term for individuals, typically but not exclusively Soviet Jews, who were denied permission to emigrate abroad by the authorities of the former Soviet Union and other countries of the Eastern bloc.1 The term refusenik derived from the "refusal," handed down to a prospective emigrant from the Soviet authorities.

Over time, "refusenik" has entered colloquial English usage for any type of protester.

The rise of the refusenik
movement will produce the first of the forecast

by DEDALO August 28, 2009

Internecine

pronounced IN-ter-NEE-sin. It comes from the Latin: "inter" (between, among) and "necare" (to kill). It means a conflict destructive to both sides, or very bloody. We do tend to use it to describe civil wars.

The United States fought a terrible internecine war from 1861 to 1865

by DEDALO August 28, 2009