hansardize means to confront a Member of Parliament with his former opinions as recorded in his speeches in Hansard. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 89 out of 100.
Why “hansardize” is a great word
HANSARDIZE — [Verb] To confront a Member of Parliament with his or her former opinions as recorded in the official parliamentary debates. From Hansard (the surname of the printer and publisher of the official UK parliamentary reports) + -ize (verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make, to subject to, or to act in the manner of'). Popularized and possibly coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in the 19th century; first attested in 1869. Unlike “contradict” (which simply asserts the opposite) or “quote” (which neutrally cites a passage), to hansardize is to weaponize the documented past—a parliamentary joust fought with the speaker’s own words as the lance. It is the sharp rustle of a bound volume opened to a precise column, the cold recitation of a decade-old promise in a silent chamber, and the politician’s stricken pause as the ghost of their former self enters the room. In politics, the past is not merely prologue, but a permanent transcript.
verb
- To confront a Member of Parliament with his former opinions as recorded in his speeches in Hansard.