lay down the law

phrase

: to make a strong statement about what someone is or is not allowed to do

The agreement lays down the law (to everyone) on what the group allows.

When she came home after midnight, her father laid down the law: if she came home that late again, she would not be allowed to watch TV for a month.

Examples of lay down the law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ron makes clumsy attempts to lay down the law, ordering Janice to get on board with the plan at Redeemer, where one of the mothers, Laura Gates (Jennifer Engstrom), speaks in tongues and spends services in an ecstatic trance. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 June 2023

With the Browns having discipline issues on defense throughout the 2022 season, Schwartz will lay down the law in the meeting rooms too. — cleveland, 17 Jan. 2023

The movie is aware of the Church’s connection to power, and the male Church hierarchy arrives right on time to lay down the law. — Elle Carroll, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2021

For all of Baker’s attempts at public diplomacy, sometimes a governor has to simply lay down the law and enforce it. — BostonGlobe.com, 29 Oct. 2021

Officials have already begun to lay down the law on curbing water usage, and additional restrictions are imminent, experts say. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 12 July 2021

But his attempt to lay down the law meets equal rage on her part. — Washington Post, 29 June 2021

Rhymes for lay down the law

• avoirdupois
• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada

Video

Lay vs. Lie

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.