The Hindu Editorial (​A bully blinks) – Apr 01, 2026

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The Hindu Editorial (​​​A bully blinks) – Apr 01, 2026:

1. bully (noun) – a person, organization, or country that uses strength or power to coerce or intimidate those who are weaker; oppressor, persecutor, tormentor, intimidator.
2. blink (verb) – to back down, yield, or show hesitation in a confrontation or contest of wills; capitulate, yield, flinch, give way.
3. break (verb) – violate, breach, contravene, flout, disobey, defy.
4. blockade (noun) – an act or means of sealing off a place, typically by military force, to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving; siege, barricade, embargo, restriction.
5. fuel-starved (adjective) – severely lacking or deprived of essential fuel or energy resources; energy-deprived, fuel-deficient,.
6. term in office (phrase) – tenure, stint, administration, incumbency.
7. administration (noun) – government, regime, executive, leadership.
8. conduct (noun) – handling.
9. schoolyard bully (noun) – a person who habitually intimidates or seeks to control smaller or weaker individuals, acting aggressively and immaturely; petty tyrant, aggressor, tormentor, oppressor.
10. launch (verb) – initiate, commence, instigate, trigger.
11. attack (noun) – assault, strike, offensive, raid.
12. oil-rich (adjective) – possessing abundant natural reserves of petroleum resources; petroleum-abundant, resource-rich, energy-rich, wealthy in oil.
13. blatantly (adverb) – in a completely open, unashamed, and flagrant manner; openly, undisguisedly, brazenly, overtly.
14. pretext (noun) – a false reason given in justification of a course of action to conceal the real intent; excuse, false plea, guise, ostensible reason.
15. term (verb) – call, name, label, designate.
16. cartel (noun) – an association of manufacturers, suppliers, or illegal syndicates formed to maintain high prices, restrict competition, or control illicit trade; syndicate, ring, monopoly, consortium.
17. at the instance of (phrase) – at the request, suggestion, or instigation of someone; at the behest of, on the instruction of, prompted by, directed by.
18. as with (phrase) – like, similar to, just as, along the lines of.
19. recognise (verb) – acknowledge, admit, accept, validate.
20. absence (noun) – lack, non-existence, unavailability, deprivation.
21. resistance (noun) – opposition, defiance, pushback, confrontation.
22. strangling (adjective) – severely restricting the growth, operation, or development of an entity or economy; stifling, suffocating, choking, repressing.
23. a case in point (phrase) – a clear, specific example that illustrates the problem, situation, or concept being discussed; prime example, instance, illustration, exemplar.
24. seize (verb) – to forcefully and legally or militarily take hold of assets or territory; capture, confiscate, impound, commandeer.
25. energy assets (noun) – critical resources, facilities, or properties related to the production, refining, and distribution of energy like oil and natural gas; petroleum resources, power infrastructure, fuel reserves, energy facilities.
26. abduct (verb) – to take someone away illegally by force, deception, or without legal right; kidnap, capture, seize, snatch.
27. cut off (phrasal verb) – to completely stop the supply of something or to isolate an entity; sever, discontinue, halt, suspend
28. Havana (noun) – the capital city of Cuba, used contextually as a metonym to represent the national government of Cuba; Cuban government, Cuban administration, Cuban leadership.
29. sought (verb) – the past tense of seek; to attempt to find, obtain, or do something; attempt, try.
30. step into (phrasal verb) – to become involved in a difficult situation to help, replace someone, or provide a solution; intervene, intercede, get involved, take over.
31. breach (noun) – a gap, void, or break in a barrier, defense, or established relationship; gap, opening, void, rupture.
32. step into the breach (phrase) – to intervene and provide assistance or take over a responsibility in a crisis, especially when another entity has failed, withdrawn, or created a vacuum; fill the void, step in, take over, intervene.
33. impose (verb) – inflict, enforce, exact, compel.
34. de facto (adjective) – actual, practical, effective, real.
35. naval (adjective) – maritime, marine, nautical, seaborne.
36. lead to (phrasal verb) – cause, result in, bring about, produce.
37. fuel crunch (noun) – a severe shortage of energy resources causing widespread economic and social difficulties; energy crisis, fuel shortage, energy deficit, fuel scarcity.
38. acute (adjective) – severe, intense, drastic, profound.
39. distress (noun) – hardship, suffering, adversity, difficulty.
40. take over (phrasal verb) – seize control, conquer, occupy, annex.
41. decades-long (adjective) – lasting for a period spanning multiple tens of years; long-standing, enduring, prolonged, protracted.
42. nakedly (adverb)  blatantly, openly, overtly, unabashedly.
43. imperial (adjective) – dominant, domineering, expansionist, hegemonic.
44. “Donroe Doctrine” (noun) – an interpretation of principles of President Donald Trump’s foreign policy in the Americas, adapting the historical Monroe Doctrine to aggressively assert American predominance and military dominance in the Western Hemisphere; Trump corollary, expansionist policy, interventionist doctrine, hegemonic framework.
45. crude play (noun) – a clumsy, unrefined, or rudimentary strategic move or manipulation used to assert dominance or achieve a specific geopolitical aim; clumsy maneuver, rudimentary tactic, unrefined strategy.
46. instrument (noun) – tool, mechanism, vehicle, apparatus.
47. hemispheric (adjective) – relating to one half of the earth, in this geopolitical context specifically referring to the Western Hemisphere; regional, continental, territorial.
48. dominance (noun) – supremacy, control, hegemony, authority.
49. brittle (adjective) – fragile, delicate, breakable, frail.
50. hold (verb) – endure, persist, stand firm, remain intact.
51. call someone’s bluff (phrase) – challenge, confront, expose, put to the test.
52. ally (noun) – a state formally cooperating with or supporting another for military, political, or economic purposes; partner, confederate, associate, supporter.
53. Soviet era (noun) – the historical period from 1922 to 1991 characterized by the existence and governance of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) as a dominant global superpower; USSR period, communist era, cold war era.
54. tanker (noun) – a specialized marine vessel designed to transport large quantities of bulk liquids, especially crude oil and petroleum products; oil vessel, fuel carrier, transport ship, cargo vessel.
55. Anatoly Kolodkin (noun) – a Russian crude oil tanker ship, named after an outstanding Russian maritime lawyer, deployed to deliver humanitarian fuel to Cuba despite US sanctions.
56. humanitarian aid (noun) – material, logistical, or life-saving assistance provided to people in need to alleviate severe suffering and distress.
57. will (noun) – resolve, determination, volition, intent.
58. interdict (verb) – to militarily intercept, halt, or prevent the movement of a prohibited commodity, ship, or person; intercept, halt, block, stop.
59. nuclear power (noun) – a sovereign state that officially possesses nuclear weapons and significant military capabilities; atomic state, nuclear-armed nation, major global power.
60. it turns out (phrase) – as it happens, apparently, evidently, surprisingly.
61. push back (phrasal verb) – resist, oppose, fight back, retaliate.
62. bluff (noun) – deception, fake, sham, pretense.
63. stands exposed (phrase) – to be completely revealed as false, inadequate, or lacking in actual power or truth; laid bare, unmasked, revealed, shown up.
64. neighbouring (adjective) – adjacent, bordering, adjoining, nearby.
65. fuel crisis (noun) – energy crunch, oil shortage, fuel deficit, power emergency.
66. hang over (phrasal verb) – loom, threaten, menace, shadow.
67. socialist (adjective) – adhering to or based on the political and economic principles of socialism, involving collective or state ownership; left-wing, communist-leaning, collectivist, egalitarian.
68. timely (adjective) – opportune, prompt, punctual, well-timed.
69. reveal (verb) – disclose, uncover, expose, unveil.
70. endure (verb) – undergo, withstand, sustain, tolerate.
71. go about (phrasal verb) –  undertake, tackle, approach, proceed with.
72. accepted (adjective) – recognized, established, acknowledged, standard.
73. tenet (noun) – a fundamental principle, belief, or doctrine, rule.
74. international order (noun) – the formalized body of rules, norms, agreements, and institutions that govern diplomatic and economic relations between sovereign states.
75. flaw (noun) – defect, shortcoming, imperfection, weakness.
76. one-party state (noun) – a sovereign nation where only a single political party legally holds power and forms the government, restricting political opposition; single-party system, autocratic state, dominant-party regime.
77. avowed (adjective) – self-proclaimed, declared, stated, admitted.
78. Non-Aligned Movement (noun) – an international forum of member states not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc, whose mandate is to ensure the national independence, sovereignty, and security of non-aligned nations.
79. solidarity (noun) – unity, harmony, cohesion, unanimity.
80. Global South (noun) – the developing nations of the world, predominantly located in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, generally characterized by less advanced economic structures; developing nations, emerging economies, third-world countries, less industrialized nations.
81. Global North (noun) – the wealthy and highly industrialized nations of the world, primarily located in North America, Europe, and parts of East Asia and Oceania; developed nations, industrialized countries, advanced economies, wealthy nations.
82. deploy (verb) – to strategically bring personnel or resources into effective action or position them for a specific purpose; utilize, position, station.
83. well-trained (adjective) – highly skilled, proficient, qualified, capable.
84. materially (adverb) – substantially, significantly, physically, tangibly.
85. anti-colonial (adjective) – anti-imperialist, liberationist, pro-independence, sovereign.
86. decade (noun) – ten-year period.
87. repay (verb) – to give something in return for vital help, a favor, or a valuable service rendered; reciprocate, compensate, reward, reimburse.
88. sovereign (adjective) – independent, autonomous, self-governing, self-determining.
89. assert (verb) – declare, maintain, contend, argue.
90. after all (phrase) – ultimately, in the end, essentially, when all is said and done.
91. constituent  (noun) – member.
92. might (noun) – power, strength, force, muscle.
93. might make right (phrase) – the cynical political doctrine asserting that possessing overwhelming power gives one the authority to dictate morality and justice; power dictates justice, strength rules, force prevails.

Note:

1. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are our personal work. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context. 

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