law

SayLAW/lɔ//lɔː//loː/

Plurallaws

26 meanings of law

1
nouncountable or uncountablewith the
The whole set of rules a country makes and enforces, that everyone must follow.
Like the rulebook for a whole country that everyone has to play by.
Breaking the law can lead to serious punishment.
In a free country, everyone must follow the law.
UsageSay break the law or against the law.
Similarlegislation
Note
2
statutenouncountable or uncountable
A single rule made by a government that people must obey.
Like one rule in a big book of rules everyone has to keep.
Congress passed a new law about online privacy.
A law against littering keeps the parks clean.
UsageSay a law against something.
Similarstatute, act, regulation, ordinance, rule
Note
3
nouncountable or uncountablewith the
All the rules that deal with one certain subject.
Like the chapter in a rulebook that covers just one game.
She specializes in family law.
Environmental law protects rivers and forests.
UsageSay family law or tax law.
Similarlegislation
4
nouncountable or uncountable
The subject or job of understanding and using legal rules, as studied at university or done by lawyers.
Like the way history is a subject you can study, not just events that happen.
She plans to study law at college next year.
Scholars of law argue about how rules should be read.
UsageSay study law.
Similarjurisprudence
5
policenouncolloquialcountable or uncountable
The police, or other people whose job is to make everyone follow the rules.
Like the referee who makes sure players follow the rules.
You'd better run. The law is coming!
He spent his whole life running from the law.
UsageSay running from the law.
Similarpolice, authorities, cops
Note
6
rule of naturenouncountable or uncountable
A rule that describes what always happens in nature, maths or other areas, like the law of gravity.
Like a rule in nature that never breaks, such as objects always falling down.
The law of gravity explains why things fall to the ground.
Newton's third law says every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
UsageOften used with of: the laws of nature, the law of supply and demand.
Similarprinciple, rule
Note
7
public ordernouncountable or uncountable
The peace and order that comes when people follow the rules.
Like the calm in a classroom when everyone follows the teacher's rules.
Soldiers were sent to restore law and order after the riots.
Without law, the small town quickly fell into fighting and stealing.
UsageSay law and order.
Similarorder
Oppositeanarchy, chaos, disorder
8
nounjudaismchristianityusually the law
The rules God gave through Moses, or the first five books of the Bible that contain them, also called the Torah.
Every Saturday, a part of the Law is read aloud from a scroll in the synagogue.
Before her bat mitzvah, she spent months learning to read the Law in Hebrew.
UsageOften written with a capital: the Law. You may also see lowercase law.
SimilarTorah
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Less common meanings

9
rule of conductnouncountable or uncountable
A rule people should follow in doing something, such as good manners, writing or music.
Like the rules your family keeps at home, even if no one wrote them down.
The first law of the playground is that you share your toys.
An old law of hospitality says you never turn away a guest.
UsageSay an unwritten law.
Similarrule, principle, convention
10
nouncountable or uncountablewith the
The older set of court-made rules, separate from the more flexible rules called equity.
Like one rulebook built from old decisions, sitting next to a second rulebook about fairness.
For centuries, England kept law and equity in separate courts.
At law, she could only ask for money to cover her loss.
Oppositeequity
11
going to courtnouncountable or uncountable
Going to court to settle a problem or fix a wrong.
Like asking a judge to decide who is right when two people argue.
Rather than go to law, the two neighbors agreed to talk it over.
She decided to go to law to get her money back.
UsageSay go to law for going to court.
Similarlitigation
12
verbcolloquialtransitive
To make sure people obey the rules and laws.
Like a referee making sure everyone plays by the rules.
The sheriff promised to law the town and keep order.
The new marshal rode west to law the wild cattle towns.
Similarpolice
13
verbobsolete
To work as a lawyer.
That was in 1877 you were lawing with Herdick?
1889, New York (State). Court of Appeals, New York Court of Appeals. Records and BriefsHere, lawing means working as a lawyer.
J. H. Turner is married and lawing in Milwaukee.
1897, The Scroll of Phi Delta Theta - Volume 21Here, lawing means working as a lawyer.
Note
14
regulateverbraretransitive
To place legal limits or rules on something.
She knows what's tethered underwater. Not Children's bodies, but their toys, their lost, Lawed-against pleasures
1994, Lisa Lewis, The UnbelieverHere, lawed-against means forbidden or limited by law.
Similarregulate
Oppositederegulate
Note
15
sueverbdialectaltransitive or intransitive
To sue someone or take them to court.
Like taking someone to a judge to settle a fight.
If they don't pay up, I'll law them.
He threatened to law his neighbor over the damaged fence.
Similarsue, prosecute
Note
16
sound changenouncountable or uncountable
A rule that describes how the sounds in a language change over time.
Like a pattern where the same sound always changes the same way in old words.
Grimm's law explains how certain sounds shifted in old Germanic words.
Students learn how one sound law reshaped a whole family of words.
Similarrule
Note
17
cricket rulenouncountable or uncountable
A rule of cricket, set out by the game's official rulebook.
Like a rule in a board game that every player must follow.
The umpire applied the law covering leg before wicket without hesitation.
Cricket's laws spell out exactly how a batsman can be given out.
Similarrule
Note
18
flight controlnouncountable or uncountable
A setting that decides how an aircraft's computers respond when the pilot moves the controls.
Like the different driving modes in a car, such as sport or eco.
The aircraft reverted to a simpler law after the sensor failed.
Pilots train for the backup flight-control law that activates when systems fail.
Similarmode
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19
order (fantasy)nouncountable or uncountable
In some fantasy stories, a power of order that fights against chaos.
Like the good side in a story that fights against disorder.
The paladin swore himself to the side of law against the rising chaos.
In that world, law and chaos wage an endless cosmic struggle.
Similarorder
Oppositechaos
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20
head startnounrarecountable or uncountable
A head start in distance or time given to a weaker racer to make things fair.
Similarstart (entry), allowance, handicap
Note
21
governverbnonstandardtransitive
To govern a place or people by means of laws.
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)
2007, Henry Grenryk Ledesma, The Little Book: The Sound of the Seventh TrumpetHere, lawed means ruled over or governed by law.
Beyond the ocher and yellow-washed buildings, French colonial with a suggestion of Beau Geste from the castellated balconies, it is an arm-grabbing, loosely lawed bazaar of a place.
2011, Brian Freemantle, The Iron CageHere, lawed means ruled or governed by laws, here only loosely.
Similargovern, rule
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22
oh myinterjectiondated
An exclamation of mild surprise, like saying 'oh my!'
Law, child, you gave me such a fright!
‘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?’
1791, Jane Austen, ‘The Three Sisters’Here, Law is a mild cry of surprise, like saying Lord.
SimilarLord, lordy, gosh, golly
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23
court oathnounhistoricalcountable or uncountable
Long ago, an oath sworn in court, often to deny owing a debt.
Like promising in court, under oath, that you owe nothing.
The defendant came to court prepared to wage his law and deny the debt.
As to the depriving the defendant of waging his law, it was thought, the practice merited discouragement, as a temptation to perjury.
1793, Richard Wooddeson, A Systematical View of the Laws of EnglandHere, waging his law means swearing an oath in court that he owes nothing.
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24
hillnounarchaicNorthern EnglandScotland
A rounded hill, especially one standing on its own.
Like a small hill standing alone above flat land.
They climbed the law at dawn to watch the sun rise over the valley.
[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.
1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, “The Lantern-bearers”Here, Law means a rounded hill standing alone above the land.
Note
25
nounobsolete
A burial mound made of piled stones.
Note
26
share of costnounobsolete
A bill or share of costs that someone has to pay.
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–21, 23

It comes from Old English lagu, borrowed from Old Norse lǫg meaning "law," literally "things laid down." It is not usually thought to be related to the word legal.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Law comes from Old English lagu, borrowed from Old Norse lǫg. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse lǫg means law, literally things laid down. en.wiktionary.org
Law is not usually considered etymologically related to legal. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 24–25

It comes from Old English hlāw, meaning "burial mound."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Law meaning a hill or mound derives from Old English hlāw. en.wiktionary.org
Old English hlāw meant burial mound. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 26

The word came from Old Norse "lag". It meant "that which is lying or laid", and also a position or a price.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

This sense of law derives from Old Norse lag. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse lag meant that which is lying or laid, and also position or price. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 22

A softened way of saying Lord in exclamations.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The interjection law is a softened form of Lord. en.wiktionary.org