United States

Proper noun

the United States

1. (singular, formerly also plural) A country in North America, also including Hawaii in Oceania; in full, United States of America.
   • As soon as the war in Europe had embraced those powers with whom the United States have the most extensive relations there was reason to apprehend that our intercourse with them might be interrupted and our disposition for peace drawn into question by the suspicions too often entertained by...1793 December 3, George Washington, Fifth State of the Union Address
   • As we have seen, people migrated to the United States for a variety of reasons. But nearly all shared two great hopes: the hope for personal freedom and the hope for economic opportunity.1964, John F. Kennedy, “The Immigrant Contribution”, in A Nation of Immigrants, Revised and Enlarged edition, Harper & Row, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 64
   1. (broadly, singular, formerly also plural) The American federal government.
      • The United States effectively nationalized Fannie and Freddie during the 2008 financial crisis to prevent their collapse.
      • The United States is causing problems for herself with this policy.
2. (in plural) The collection of individual states of the United States of America.
   • life in these United States
   • The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State. (Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, 1794)
3. (name) A federal nation consisting of several states, whether actual, historical or hypothetical.
   • the Republic of the United States of Brazil (the First Brazilian Republic)
   • the United States of Mexico (the United Mexican States)