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Definition of law
1a (1) : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed (see prescribe 1a) or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority (2) : the whole body of such customs, practices, or rules The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law. (3) : common lawb (1) : the control brought about by the existence or enforcement of such law preserved law and order in the town (2) : the action of laws considered as a means of redressing wrongs; also : litigation developed the habit of going to law over the slightest provocation — H. A. Overstreet (3) : the agency of or an agent of established law When he saw that the fighting was escalating, he called in the law.c : a rule or order that it is advisable or obligatory to observe a law of self-preservationd : something compatible with or enforceable by established law The decrees were judged not to be law and were therefore rescinded.e : control, authority The child submits to no law.
2a often capitalized : the revelation of the will of God set forth in the Old Testamentb capitalized : the first part of the Jewish scriptures : pentateuch, torah — see bible table
3 : a rule of construction or procedure the laws of poetry
4 : the whole body of laws relating to one subject criminal law probate law
5a : the legal profession studied for a career in lawb : law as a department of knowledge : jurisprudencec : legal knowledge a man with much history but little law
6a : a statement of an order or relation of phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions a law of thermodynamics Boyle's lawb : a general relation proved or assumed to hold between mathematical or logical expressions
at law
: under or within the provisions of the law enforceable at law
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Examples of law in a Sentence
The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law.
a lawyer who specializes in criminal law
In our civics class we learned how a bill becomes a law.
She has proposed a new law to protect people from being evicted unfairly.
Schools are required by law to provide a safe learning environment.
The bill will become law at the beginning of the year.
He's been in and out of trouble with the law for the last 10 years.
Recent Examples of law from the Web
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The law had required cars driving on the business district’s main roads to carry at least three passengers during rush hours.
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In 1975, a new abortion law, which legalized the procedure during the first ten weeks of pregnancy, went into effect.
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House Democratic Leader Steve Shurtleff on Wednesday began circulating a petition calling for the Legislature to hold a special session to clarify the state law.
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An article on Saturday about Germany’s new law to crack down on hate speech in social media misstated the surname of a member of the Global Public Policy Institute who criticized the legislation.
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In response, the town submitted a petition to the Supreme Court hoping the nation's highest court would uphold noise restriction laws, according to the East Hampton Star.
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Burgess said Russell has an extensive history of contact with local law enforcement, including arrests for theft and drugs.
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Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner arrived in Israel last month and sat down with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an effort to help kick-start long-dormant negotiations.
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More years of data and rates tell experts and law enforcement about trends.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'law'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of law
Middle English, from Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse lǫg law; akin to Old English licgan to lie — more at lie
Synonym Discussion of law
synonyms see in addition hypothesis
Other Legal Terms
law
Definition of law
intransitive verb
: litigate
transitive verb
chiefly dialectal : to sue or prosecute at law
Recent Examples of law from the Web
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The reform laws probably won't knock Louisiana out of the top spot nationally for incarceration, but the changes move us in the right direction.
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Brown is an avowed transparency advocate who's made reforming the state's public records laws a central tenet of her tenure as governor.
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There are also bills in the Illinois General Assembly that are being discussed in committee, and that any state action in approving those bills would make the Cook County laws no longer valid, said village attorney Michael Jurusik.
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A former Kansas bail bondsman was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for the murder of his 7-year-old son, who law enforcement say was subject to abuse and starvation before his remains were fed to pigs on the family’s rental property.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'law'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of law
see 1law
Other Legal Terms
Law
Definition of Law
Edward 1750–1818 1st Baron El*len*bor*oughplay \ˈe-lən-ˌbər-ə, -ˌbə-rə, -brə\ English jurist
Law
Definition of Law
John 1671–1729 Scottish financier and speculator
Law
Definition of Law
William 1686–1761 English writer
LAW Defined for English Language Learners
law
playDefinition of law for English Language Learners
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: the whole system or set of rules made by the government of a town, state, country, etc.
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: a particular kind of law
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: a rule made by the government of a town, state, country, etc.
LAW Defined for Kids
law
playDefinition of law for Students
1 : a rule of conduct or action that a nation or a group of people agrees to follow
2 : a whole collection of established rules the law of the land
3 : a rule or principle that always works the same way under the same conditions the law of gravity
4 : a bill passed by a legislature
5 : 2police 1
6 : the profession of a lawyer
Medical Dictionary
law
playMedical Definition of law
: a statement of order or relation holding for certain phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions
Law Dictionary
law
playLegal Definition of law
1 : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority: as a : a command or provision enacted by a legislature — see also statute 1 b : something (as a judicial decision) authoritatively accorded binding or controlling effect in the administration of justice that case is no longer the law of this circuit
2a : a body of laws the law of a state; broadly : laws and justice considered as a general and established entity the law looks with disfavor on restraints on alienation b : common law — compare equity 2
3a : the control or authority of the law maintain law and order b : one or more agents or agencies involved in enforcing laws c : the application of a law or laws as distinct from considerations of fact an error of law — see also issue of law at issue, matter of law at matter, question of law at question 2
4 : the whole body of laws and doctrines relating to one subject contract law the law of attractive nuisance
5a : the legal profession practice law b : the nature, use, and effects of laws and legal systems as an area of knowledge or society the politics of law — compare jurisprudence
at law
: under or within the provisions of the law especially as opposed to equity a remedy at law
Origin and Etymology of law
Old English lagu, of Scandinavian origin
Learn More about law
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See words that rhyme with law Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for law Spanish Central: Translation of law Nglish: Translation of law for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of law for Arabic speakers
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