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law
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As a noun, law means the body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities. As a verb, it means prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.
Meanings of law
36 meaningsnoun
usually with "the"The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.
“The courts interpret the law but should not make it.”
“In theory, entrapment is against the law.”
The body of such rules that pertain to a particular topic.
“property law”
“commercial hunting and fishing law”
Common law, as contrasted with equity.
A binding regulation or custom established in a community in this way.
“There is a law against importing wallabies.”
“A new law forbids driving on that road.”
more generallyA rule, such as:
Any rule that must or should be obeyed, concerning behaviours and their consequences. (Compare mores.)
“"Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you" is a good law to follow.”
“the law of self-preservation”
A rule or principle regarding the construction of language or art.
“the laws of playwriting and poetry”
A statement (in physics, etc) of an (observed, established) order or sequence or relationship of phenomena which is invariable under certain conditions. (Compare theory.)
“the laws of thermodynamics”
“Newton's third law of motion states that to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction.”
mathematicslogicA statement (of relation) that is true under specified conditions; a mathematical or logical rule.
“Mathematical laws can be proved purely through mathematics, without scientific experimentation.”
Any statement of the relation of acts and conditions to their consequences.
“the law of scarcity”
“the law of supply and demand”
linguisticsA sound law; a regular change in the pronunciation of a language.
cricketOne of the official rules of cricket as codified by the its (former) governing body, the MCC.
The control and order brought about by the observance of such rules.
“They worked to maintain law and order.”
“It was a territory without law, marked by violence.”
informalA person or group that act(s) with authority to uphold such rules and order (for example, one or more police officers).
“Here comes the law — run!”
“then the law arrived on the scene”
Older and rare meanings (3)
obsoleteA tumulus of stones.
Northern EnglandScotlandarchaicA hill.
dialectalobsoleteA score; share of expense; legal charge.
verb
chiefly dialectalTo prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.
nonstandardTo rule over (with a certain effect) by law; to govern.
informalTo enforce the law.
To subject to legal restrictions.
Older and rare meanings (1)
obsoleteTo work as a lawyer; to practice law.
interjection
datedAn exclamation of mild surprise; lawks.
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).