emergency power

[ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi ˈpaʊər]
nounpl: emergency powers
poder de emergência
1. Special authority granted to a government or official to act without normal constitutional or legal restrictions during a crisis or disaster
The president declared emergency powers to respond quickly to the natural disaster.
O presidente declarou poderes de emergência para responder rapidamente ao desastre natural.
2. Backup electrical power system activated when primary power sources fail
The hospital's emergency power generators kicked in when the main grid failed.
Os geradores de energia de emergência do hospital acionaram quando a rede principal falhou.
3. Authority vested in executives to make urgent decisions bypassing normal procedural requirements
Under emergency powers, the governor could implement restrictions without legislative approval.
Sob poderes de emergência, o governador poderia implementar restrições sem aprovação legislativa.
In Brazil, emergency powers (poderes de emergência) are constitutionally regulated and typically declared during natural disasters, public health crises, or security threats. The 1988 Brazilian Constitution defines specific conditions for declaring such powers. In the USA, emergency powers became particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic and are hotly debated regarding the balance between executive authority and constitutional protections. The electrical sense of 'emergency power' is universal in both countries as a critical infrastructure safety system.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
emergency authorityexecutive emergency powersspecial powerscrisis powersbackup powerstandby power
Antonyms / Antônimos
normal powersconstitutional powersregular authoritylimited powers

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
poder de emergência
Standard term used in legal and administrative contexts
General Brazilian
energia de emergência
Used specifically for backup electrical power systems
São Paulo
poder extraordinário
Alternative legal terminology sometimes used in formal documents
Portugal
poderes de emergência
Standard term in Portuguese legal framework; similar usage to Brazil

Related Words

state of emergencymartial lawexecutive orderpower outagegeneratorbackup systemdisaster responseconstitutional law

Related Idioms & Phrases

declare emergency powers
invoke emergency powers
suspend under emergency powers
exercise emergency powers
emergency power kicks in
state of emergency
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