Star Chamber
Preserved but no longer current.
A court of civil and criminal jurisdiction at Westminster, abolished in 1641, and notorious for its arbitrary proceedings, its chief activity being the punishment of such offences as the law had made no provision for.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Star Chamber” mean?
A court of civil and criminal jurisdiction at Westminster, abolished in 1641, and notorious for its arbitrary proceedings, its chief activity being the punishment of such offences as the law had made no provision for.
Is “Star Chamber” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.