law
n. C / Un. a system of rules created by a government or society that everyone must follow. If you break these rules, you might be punished by the police or a court.
n. a system of rules established by a governing authority to regulate behavior within a society. It also applies to a single rule within this system or the academic discipline concerned with jurisprudence.
You must obey the law when you drive a car.
The government passed a new law that requires all local factories to reduce their pollution.
In many jurisdictions, the law struggles to keep pace with rapid technological advancements, leaving judges to apply outdated statutes to novel digital disputes.
Clipping of Lawrence; From the given name Lawrence.
From Old English hlaw (“a hill or burial mound”).
A semantic loan of Greek νόμος (nómos, “law”), rendering Hebrew תּוֹרָה (tōrāh, “instruction, teaching”) in the sense of divine law.
From Cantonese 羅 /罗 (lo⁴). Doublet of Luo and Lo.
Uncountable when referring to the legal system or profession as a whole; countable when referring to a specific rule or statute.