/ kənˈskrɪpʃn; NAmE / noun
[ U ] ( especially BrE ) ( US usually the draft [ sing. ]) the practice of ordering people by law to serve in the armed forces
SYN call-up
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WORD ORIGIN
early 19th cent.: via French (conscription was introduced in France in 1798), from late Latin conscriptio(n-) levying of troops, from Latin conscribere write down together, enrol, from con- together + scribere write.