law

1. 1

   The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.countableuncountableusually

   • The courts interpret the law but should not make it.
   • In theory, entrapment is against the law.
2. 2

   The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.; The body of such rules that pertain to a particular topic.countableuncountableusually

   • property law
   • commercial hunting and fishing law
3. 3

   The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.; Common law, as contrasted with equity.countableuncountableusually

4. 4

   A binding regulation or custom established in a community in this way.countableuncountable

   • There is a law against importing wallabies.
   • A new law forbids driving on that road.
5. 5

   A rule, such as:; Any rule that must or should be obeyed, concerning behaviours and their consequences. (Compare mores.)broadlycountableuncountable

   • "Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you" is a good law to follow.
   • the law of self-preservation
6. 6

   A rule, such as:; A rule or principle regarding the construction of language or art.broadlycountableuncountable

   • the laws of playwriting and poetry
7. 7

   A rule, such as:; A statement (in physics, etc) of an (observed, established) order or sequence or relationship of phenomena which is invariable under certain conditions. (Compare theory.)broadlycountableuncountable

   • the laws of thermodynamics
   • Newton's third law of motion states that to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.
8. 8

   A rule, such as:; A statement (of relation) that is true under specified conditions; a mathematical or logical rule.broadlycountableuncountable

   • Mathematical laws can be proved purely through mathematics, without scientific experimentation.
9. 9

   A rule, such as:; Any statement of the relation of acts and conditions to their consequences.broadlycountableuncountable

   • the law of scarcity
   • the law of supply and demand
10. 10

    A rule, such as:; A sound law; a regular change in the pronunciation of a language.broadlycountableuncountable

    • Grimm's law
    • Dahl's law

syn. act · canon · code · convention · constitution · corpus · decree · dictate · directive · doctrine · edict · enactment

1. 1

   To work as a lawyer; to practice law.obsolete

   • That was in 1877 you were lawing with Herdick?
   • J. H. Turner is married and lawing in Milwaukee.
2. 2

   To prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.ambitransitivedialectal

   • Your husband's … so given to lawing, they say. I doubt he'll leave you poorly off when he dies.
3. 3

   To rule over (with a certain effect) by law; to govern.nonstandard

   • Nicholas Downton (February 1615) says of the people of Surat: "a mixt people, quiet, peaceable, very subtle; civil, and universally governed under one King, but diversely lawed and customed".
   • So that, when GOD said, “Let there be light:” Behold the first created light burst out unto its glory (here GOD lawed the power of heat, fire, light, melting, cooling, and freezing)
4. 4

   To enforce the law.informal

   • De gram jury lawed me all de time an' dat place got too hot.
   • The only time I ever got lawed [arrested] was for the union. Happened three times.
5. 5

   To subject to legal restrictions.

   • Insurance may fairly be said to head the list of objects of legislative interference. It has been lawed and lawed until it is nearly outlawed, and the cry for more continues to go up unsatisfied
   • No man knew what his water rights were until they had been lawed over, and lawed over, and lawed over again.

1. 1

   A tumulus of stones.obsolete

2. 2

   A hill.Northern-EnglandScotlandarchaic

   • [Y]ou might climb the Law, where the whale's jawbone stood landmark in the buzzing wind, and behold the face of many counties, and the smoke and spires of many towns, and the sails of distant ships.

syn. act · canon · code · convention · constitution · corpus · decree · dictate · directive · doctrine · edict · enactment

1. 1

   A score; share of expense; legal charge.dialectalobsolete

syn. act · canon · code · convention · constitution · corpus · decree · dictate · directive · doctrine · edict · enactment

1. 1

   An exclamation of mild surprise; lawks; in interjections, a minced oath for Lord.dated

   • ‘Do tell me once for all, whether you intend to marry Mr Watts or not?’ ‘Law Mama, how can I tell you what I don't know myself?’