outlaw
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a person who has broken the law and is hiding from the police, especially in stories about the past.
n.a person who has broken the law and remains at large; historically, a person deprived of the protection of the law.
Simple“The famous outlaw hid in the forest to escape the king's soldiers.”
In context“Historical accounts of the American West often romanticise the outlaw as a misunderstood hero rather than a violent criminal.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make something illegal so that people are not allowed to do it.
v.to prohibit something by making it illegal through legislation or official decree.
Simple“The government decided to outlaw smoking in all public parks.”
In context“The new legislation aims to outlaw predatory lending practices that target vulnerable households during economic downturns.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a funny way to talk about your relatives by marriage, like your husband's or wife's parents.
n.a humorous play on the word 'in-law', used to refer to a relative by marriage.
Simple“We are spending Christmas with the outlaws this year.”
In context“He jokingly referred to his wife's boisterous brothers as the outlaws whenever they visited for the weekend.”
Synonymsin law
“There are links to outlaw motorcycle gangs, and it’s not impossible that that’s why he was killed.”