law
- 01 A2 Elementary
the whole system of rules that everyone in a country or city must obey.
the body of binding rules and regulations established by legislative and judicial authorities within a jurisdiction.
Simple“In this country, the law says you must wear a seatbelt while driving.”
In context“The new law aims to protect consumer privacy by imposing heavy fines on companies that mishandle personal data.”
PitfallHe broke the laws. He broke the law.When referring to the legal system in general, use the uncountable form 'the law' rather than the plural.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
one particular rule that has been officially made by a government.
a specific binding regulation or custom established in a community.
Simple“The government passed a new law to reduce plastic waste in the ocean.”
In context“Several local laws were enacted to restrict noise levels in residential areas after midnight.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
the work or study of being a lawyer or judge.
the profession or field of knowledge encompassing jurisprudence and legal practice.
Simple“After finishing university, she decided to study law and become a solicitor.”
In context“He spent thirty years practicing law before being appointed as a senior judge in the high court.”
Synonymsjurisprudencelegal practice - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
a rule that explains how something always works in nature or science.
a statement of fact, deduced from observation, to the effect that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions are present.
Simple“Students in physics class learn about Newton's laws of motion.”
In context“The second law of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can never decrease over time.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
a way to talk about the police or people with authority.
a collective reference to law enforcement officers or agencies.
Simple“The bank robbers tried to escape, but they couldn't outrun the law.”
In context“After years of living on the edge of the legal system, he finally had a serious run-in with the law.”
Synonyms - 06 C2 Proficiency
a word used in some places for a hill that looks like a cone.
a rounded or conical hill, primarily used in Scottish and Northern English contexts.
Simple“We spent the afternoon hiking up the local law to see the view.”
In context“The village sits at the foot of a steep law that dominates the surrounding landscape.”
Usage law enforcement · law firm · law requires
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.