watergate
pronunciation
How to pronounce watergate in British English:
UK 
How to pronounce watergate in American English:
US
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- Noun:
- a political scandal involving abuse of power and bribery and obstruction of justice; led to the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974
Word Origin
- watergate (n.)
- mid-14c., "channel for water;" late 14c., "flood-gate;" from water (n.1) + gate (n.). The name of a building in Washington, D.C., that housed the headquarters of the Democratic Party in the 1972 presidential election, it was burglarized June 17, 1972, which led to the resignation of President Nixon.
Example
- 1. He is reviled for his watergate lies .
- 2. Would citizen journalists have exposed watergate ?
- 3. Her oversight committee had been created after watergate specifically to curb such abuses .
- 4. But don 't expect every journalist to suddenly start working on the next watergate .
- 5. The public mood has grown more cynical since then ; watergate showed that presidents can be villains .