star-chamber

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The Word of the Day for February 10 is:

star-chamber   \STAR-CHAIM-ber\   adjective
     : characterized by secrecy and often being irresponsibly arbitrary and 
oppressive

Example sentence:
     The new department manager's star-chamber methods -- from closed-door 
meetings to ultimatums and disastrous snap decisions -- quickly alienated the 
staff.

Did you know?
     The adjective "star-chamber" comes from the name of a medieval English 
court that got off to a good start but later lost its luster. Created in the 
15th century and flourishing under the reign of Henry VIII, the Court of Star 
Chamber was initially a popular vehicle for obtaining justice where common-law 
courts, beset as they were with corruption and bias, failed. The Star Chamber 
(which apparently took its name from the gilded stars on the ceiling of the 
room where it met) didn't use a jury, just royal judges, so it was less subject 
to bribery. But the Star Chamber also lacked many of the safeguards to 
individual rights provided by common-law procedures and so was readily abused 
itself. When Charles I started using it to enforce unpopular policies, the Star 
Chamber acquired a reputation of being oppressive. It was abolished by 
Parliament in 1641.





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