Annex: To add on to an existing thing; annexing a territory, for example, means that a nation officially adds another territory to its possessions.

Arbitration: When a neutral third party settles an issue involving two opposing sides.

Bar: A term that encompasses all certified lawyers—those who have passed all official requirements (the bar exam) to be certified as lawyers.

Confederate: Relating to and representing the Southern states that seceded from the United States in the 1860s and fought against the Union during the American Civil War (1861-65).

Dark horse: A term that describes a littleknown candidate who shows marginal promise but could finish surprisingly strong.

Electoral College: A body officially responsible for electing the president of the United States. In presidential elections, the candidate who receives the most popular votes in a particular state wins all of that state's electoral votes. Votes...