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legal

adj. · n.
US //ˈɫiɡəɫ// UK //lˈiːɡəl// le·gal
  1. 1 allowed by law (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Law

    allowed or permitted by the official rules of a country.

    permitted, required, or established by statute or common law.

    Example

    In many countries, it is not legal to drive a car without insurance.

    Example

    The court must determine whether the evidence was obtained through legal means before it can be admitted into the trial.
  2. 2 relating to the law (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Academic Law

    connected to the law or the work that lawyers do.

    relating to the system of laws, the administration of justice, or the legal profession.

    Example

    You should seek legal advice before you sign a business contract.

    Example

    The university offers a comprehensive legal studies programme for students interested in pursuing a career in international arbitration.
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  1. 3 valid in a system (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    following the correct rules of a game, sport, or computer system.

    conforming to the established rules or syntax of a specific non-judicial system, such as a game or programming language.

    Example

    The referee ruled that it was a legal move and the goal counted.

    Example

    The compiler rejected the code because the variable name was not a legal identifier in this programming language.
  2. 4 paper size (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English

    a specific size of paper that is longer than standard paper.

    referring to a paper size measuring 8.5 by 14 inches, commonly used for contracts in North America.

    Example

    Please print the contract on legal paper so there is enough room for the signatures.

    Example

    The office manager ordered several boxes of legal pads for the attorneys to use during depositions.

  3. 5 old enough (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    being old enough to do something by law, like drinking alcohol or voting.

    having reached the age of majority or the specific age required by law for a particular activity.

    Example

    He finally turned twenty-one, so he is now legal to enter the club.

    Example

    The bartender checked her identification to ensure she was of legal age before serving the cocktail.
    • of age
  4. 6 the law department (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Law

    the department in a company that deals with law and contracts.

    the department within an organisation responsible for providing legal services and ensuring regulatory compliance.

    Example

    I need to send this agreement to legal for them to check it.

    Example

    After the merger was announced, legal spent several weeks reviewing the intellectual property clauses in the existing employee contracts.

    Usage

    Usually used as an uncountable noun referring to the team as a whole.
    • legal department
Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin lēgālis (“legal”), from lēx (“law”). Doublet of loyal and leal.

Word family
Idioms2 entries

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