national bank noun

1. A central bank
2. (in the USA) a commercial bank chartered by the Federal government and a member of the Federal Reserve System

national call noun

(formerly trunk call) a long-distance telephone call within the country, not international

national church noun

A church established by law in a country

national code noun (Aust)

Australian rules football

National Convention noun

1. A convention held every four years by a political party to choose its candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections (US)
2. The sovereign assembly in France from 21 September 1792 to 26 October 1795

National Curriculum noun

The curriculum taught in all schools in England and Wales from 1989, divided into core subjects (English, mathematics and science) and foundation subjects (technology and design, history, geography, music, art, physical education and a foreign language), with testing at regular intervals to assess each child's performance in comparison with nationally set attainment targets, under the control of the National Curriculum Council

national debt noun

Money borrowed by the government of a country and not yet paid back

National Front noun

(in Britain) an extreme right-wing political party with racist and fascist policies, now largely superseded by its offshoot the British National Party

national grid noun

The grid (qv) of power-lines in, or of lines on maps of, Great Britain

National Guard noun

1. A force which took part in the French Revolution, first formed in 1789
2. An organized military force in individual States, also subject to the call of the federal army (US)

National Health Service noun

In Britain, the system under which medical, dental, etc treatment is available free, or at a nominal charge, to all, paid for out of public taxation

National Hunt noun

(also without caps) horse-racing over jumps, opp to flat racing

national income noun

The total money earned (from wages, interest, rents, etc) by the residents of a nation

national insurance noun

A system of compulsory insurance paid for by weekly contributions by employee and employer, and yielding benefits to the sick, retired, unemployed, etc

National Lottery noun

In Britain, a state-controlled lottery established in 1994

national park noun

An area owned by or for the nation, set apart for the preservation and enjoyment of what is beautiful or interesting

National Savings Bank noun

A bank, run by the government, with which money may be deposited to accumulate interest

national school noun

(in England, formerly) a school established by the National Society (established in 1811) to promote elementary education among poor people

national service noun

Compulsory service in the armed forces

National Socialism noun

Nazism, the policies of the National Socialist Party

National Socialist (German Workers’) Party noun

An extreme nationalistic fascist party in Germany, led by Adolf Hitler, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945

national treasure noun

Someone or something regarded as a cultural asset to a nation

National Trust noun

A charitable body concerned with the preservation of historic monuments and buildings, and areas of natural beauty, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (the National Trust for Scotland performs a similar function in Scotland)

National Vocational Qualification noun

A qualification awarded in the workplace by the NCVQ for competence in job skills at any of five levels from basic to university standard (abbrev NVQ)

nation state noun

An independent state with a population largely of common descent, language or culture