Definition of law. Meaning of law. Synonyms of law

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Definition of law

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Book of the Law of Moses
Pentateuch Pen"ta*teuch, n. [L. pentateuchus, Gr. ?; ? (see Penta-) + ? a tool, implement, a book, akin to ? to prepare, make ready, and perh. to E. text. See Five, and Text.] The first five books of the Old Testament, collectively; -- called also the Law of Moses, Book of the Law of Moses, etc.
Brehon laws
Brehon Bre"hon, n. [Ir. breitheamh judge.] An ancient Irish or Scotch judge. Brehon laws, the ancient Irish laws, -- unwritten, like the common law of England. They were abolished by statute of Edward III.
Commercial law
Commercial Com*mer"cial, a. [Cf. F. commercial.] Of or pertaining to commerce; carrying on or occupied with commerce or trade; mercantile; as, commercial advantages; commercial relations. ``Princely commercial houses.' --Macaulay. Commercial college, a school for giving instruction in commercial knowledge and business. Commercial law. See under Law. Commercial note paper, a small size of writing paper, usually about 5 by 71/2 or 8 inches. Commercial paper, negotiable paper given in due course of business. It includes bills of exchange, promissory notes, bank checks, etc. Commercial traveler, an agent of a wholesale house who travels from town to town to solicit orders. Syn: See Mercantile.
Conflict of laws
Conflict Con"flict, n. [L. conflictus a striking together, fr. confligere, -flictum, to strike together, to fight: cf. F. conflit, formerly also conflict. See Conflict, v.] 1. A striking or dashing together; violent collision; as, a conflict of elements or waves. 2. A strife for the mastery; hostile contest; battle; struggle; fighting. As soon as he [Atterbury] was himself again, he became eager for action and conflict. --Macaulay. An irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces. --W. H. Seward. Conflict of laws, that branch of jurisprudence which deals with individual litigation claimed to be subject to the conflicting laws of two or more states or nations; -- often used as synonymous with Private international law. Syn: Contest; collision; struggle; combat; strife; contention; battle; fight; encounter. See Contest.
Criminal law
Criminal Crim"i*nal (kr?m"?-nal), a. [L. criminalis, fr. crimen: cf. F. criminel. See Crime.] 1. Guilty of crime or sin. The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God. --Rogers. 2. Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness. Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves. --Addison. 3. Relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal code. The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject . . . were in some cases liable to criminal process. --Hallam. Criminal action (Law), an action or suit instituted to secure conviction and punishment for a crime. Criminal conversation (Law), unlawful intercourse with a married woman; adultery; -- usually abbreviated, crim. con. Criminal law, the law which relates to crimes.
Draconian laws
Draconian Dra*co"ni*an, a. Pertaining to Draco, a famous lawgiver of Athens, 621 b. c. Draconian code, or Draconian laws, a code of laws made by Draco. Their measures were so severe that they were said to be written in letters of blood; hence, any laws of excessive rigor.
Ecclesiastical law
Ecclesiastical Ec*cle`si*as"tic*al, a. [See Ecclesiastical, a.] Of or pertaining to the church; relating to the organization or government of the church; not secular; as, ecclesiastical affairs or history; ecclesiastical courts. Every circumstance of ecclesiastical order and discipline was an abomination. --Cowper. Ecclesiastical commissioners for England, a permanent commission established by Parliament in 1836, to consider and report upon the affairs of the Established Church. Ecclesiastical courts, courts for maintaining the discipline of the Established Church; -- called also Christian courts. [Eng.] Ecclesiastical law, a combination of civil and canon law as administered in ecclesiastical courts. [Eng.] Ecclesiastical modes (Mus.), the church modes, or the scales anciently used. Ecclesiastical States, the territory formerly subject to the Pope of Rome as its temporal ruler; -- called also States of the Church.
Ex post facto law
Ex post facto law, a law which operates by after enactment. The phrase is popularly applied to any law, civil or criminal, which is enacted with a retrospective effect, and with intention to produce that effect; but in its true application, as employed in American law, it relates only to crimes, and signifies a law which retroacts, by way of criminal punishment, upon that which was not a crime before its passage, or which raises the grade of an offense, or renders an act punishable in a more severe manner that it was when committed. Ex post facto laws are held to be contrary to the fundamental principles of a free government, and the States are prohibited from passing such laws by the Constitution of the United States. --Burrill. --Kent.
Falcidian law
Falcidian Fal*cid"i*an, a. [L. Falcidius.] Of or pertaining to Publius Falcidius, a Roman tribune. Falcidian law (Civil Law), a law by which a testator was obliged to leave at least a fourth of his estate to the heir. --Burrill.
Forest laws
Forest For"est, a. Of or pertaining to a forest; sylvan. Forest fly. (Zo["o]l.) (a) One of numerous species of blood-sucking flies, of the family Tabanid[ae], which attack both men and beasts. See Horse fly. (b) A fly of the genus Hippobosca, esp. H. equina. See Horse tick. Forest glade, a grassy space in a forest. --Thomson. Forest laws, laws for the protection of game, preservation of timber, etc., in forests. Forest tree, a tree of the forest, especially a timber tree, as distinguished from a fruit tree.
Gag law
Gag law Gag law (Parliamentary Law) A law or ruling prohibiting proper or free debate, as in closure. [Colloq. or Cant]
homestead exemption law
Homestead Home"stead, n. [AS. h[=a]mstede.] 1. The home place; a home and the inclosure or ground immediately connected with it. --Dryden. 2. The home or seat of a family; place of origin. We can trace them back to a homestead on the Rivers Volga and Ural. --W. Tooke. 3. (Law) The home and appurtenant land and buildings owned by the head of a family, and occupied by him and his family. Homestead law. (a) A law conferring special privileges or exemptions upon owners of homesteads; esp., a law exempting a homestead from attachment or sale under execution for general debts. Such laws, with limitations as to the extent or value of the property, exist in most of the States. Called also homestead exemption law. (b) Also, a designation of an Act of Congress authorizing and regulating the sale of public lands, in parcels of 160 acres each, to actual settlers. [U.S.]
Homestead law
Homestead Home"stead, n. [AS. h[=a]mstede.] 1. The home place; a home and the inclosure or ground immediately connected with it. --Dryden. 2. The home or seat of a family; place of origin. We can trace them back to a homestead on the Rivers Volga and Ural. --W. Tooke. 3. (Law) The home and appurtenant land and buildings owned by the head of a family, and occupied by him and his family. Homestead law. (a) A law conferring special privileges or exemptions upon owners of homesteads; esp., a law exempting a homestead from attachment or sale under execution for general debts. Such laws, with limitations as to the extent or value of the property, exist in most of the States. Called also homestead exemption law. (b) Also, a designation of an Act of Congress authorizing and regulating the sale of public lands, in parcels of 160 acres each, to actual settlers. [U.S.]
International law
International In`ter*na"tion*al, a. [Pref. inter- + national: cf. F. international.] 1. Between or among nations; pertaining to the intercourse of nations; participated in by two or more nations; common to, or affecting, two or more nations. 2. Of or concerning the association called the International. International code (Naut.), a common system of signaling adopted by nearly all maritime nations, whereby communication may be had between vessels at sea. International copyright. See under Copyright. International law, the rules regulating the mutual intercourse of nations. International law is mainly the product of the conditions from time to time of international intercourse, being drawn from diplomatic discussion, textbooks, proof of usage, and from recitals in treaties. It is called public when treating of the relations of sovereign powers, and private when of the relations of persons of different nationalities. International law is now, by the better opinion, part of the common law of the land. Cf. Conflict of laws, under Conflict. --Wharton.
law or laws
Organic Or*gan"ic, a. [L. organicus, Gr. ?: cf. F. organique.] 1. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to an organ or its functions, or to objects composed of organs; consisting of organs, or containing them; as, the organic structure of animals and plants; exhibiting characters peculiar to living organisms; as, organic bodies, organic life, organic remains. Cf. Inorganic. 2. Produced by the organs; as, organic pleasure. [R.] 3. Instrumental; acting as instruments of nature or of art to a certain destined function or end. [R.] Those organic arts which enable men to discourse and write perspicuously. --Milton. 4. Forming a whole composed of organs. Hence: Of or pertaining to a system of organs; inherent in, or resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but organic. 5. Pertaining to, or denoting, any one of the large series of substances which, in nature or origin, are connected with vital processes, and include many substances of artificial production which may or may not occur in animals or plants; -- contrasted with inorganic. Note: The principles of organic and inorganic chemistry are identical; but the enormous number and the completeness of related series of organic compounds, together with their remarkable facility of exchange and substitution, offer an illustration of chemical reaction and homology not to be paralleled in inorganic chemistry. Organic analysis (Chem.), the analysis of organic compounds, concerned chiefly with the determination of carbon as carbon dioxide, hydrogen as water, oxygen as the difference between the sum of the others and 100 per cent, and nitrogen as free nitrogen, ammonia, or nitric oxide; -- formerly called ultimate analysis, in distinction from proximate analysis. Organic chemistry. See under Chemistry. Organic compounds. (Chem.) See Carbon compounds, under Carbon. Organic description of a curve (Geom.), the description of a curve on a plane by means of instruments. --Brande & C. Organic disease (Med.), a disease attended with morbid changes in the structure of the organs of the body or in the composition of its fluids; -- opposed to functional disease. Organic electricity. See under Electricity. Organic law or laws, a law or system of laws, or declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and organization of a political or other association; a constitution. Organic stricture (Med.), a contraction of one of the natural passages of the body produced by structural changes in its walls, as distinguished from a spasmodic stricture, which is due to muscular contraction.
Limb of the law
Limb Limb (l[i^]m), n. [OE. lim, AS. lim; akin to Icel. limr limb, lim branch of a tree, Sw. & Dan. lem limb; cf. also AS. li[eth], OHG. lid, gilid, G. glied, Goth. li[thorn]us. Cf. Lith, Limber.] 1. A part of a tree which extends from the trunk and separates into branches and twigs; a large branch. 2. An arm or a leg of a human being; a leg, arm, or wing of an animal. A second Hector for his grim aspect, And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. --Shak. 3. A thing or person regarded as a part or member of, or attachment to, something else. --Shak. That little limb of the devil has cheated the gallows. --Sir W. Scott. 4. An elementary piece of the mechanism of a lock. Limb of the law, a lawyer or an officer of the law. [Colloq.] --Landor.
Lynch law
Lynch law Lynch" law` The act or practice by private persons of inflicting punishment for crimes or offenses, without due process of law. Note: The term Lynch law is said to be derived from a Virginian named Lynch, who took the law into his own hands. But the origin of the term is very doubtful.
Maine law
Maine Maine, n. One of the New England States. Maine law, any law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, esp. one resembling that enacted in the State of Maine.
Marine law
Marine engine (Mech.), a steam engine for propelling a vessel. Marine glue. See under Glue. Marine insurance, insurance against the perils of the sea, including also risks of fire, piracy, and barratry. Marine interest, interest at any rate agreed on for money lent upon respondentia and bottomry bonds. Marine law. See under Law. Marine league, three geographical miles. Marine metal, an alloy of lead, antimony, and mercury, made for sheathing ships. --Mc Elrath. Marine soap, cocoanut oil soap; -- so called because, being quite soluble in salt water, it is much used on shipboard. Marine store, a store where old canvas, ropes, etc., are bought and sold; a junk shop. [Eng.]
Maritime law
Maritime Mar"i*time, a. [L. maritimus, fr. mare the sea: cf. F. maritime. See Mere a pool.] 1. Bordering on, or situated near, the ocean; connected with the sea by site, interest, or power; having shipping and commerce or a navy; as, maritime states. ``A maritime town.' --Addison. 2. Of or pertaining to the ocean; marine; pertaining to navigation and naval affairs, or to shipping and commerce by sea. ``Maritime service.' --Sir H. Wotton. Maritime law. See Law. Maritime loan, a loan secured by bottomry or respodentia bonds. Martime nations, nations having seaports, and using the sea more or less for war or commerce.
May laws
May laws May laws 1. See Kulturkampf, above. 2. In Russia, severe oppressive laws against Jews, which have given occasion for great persecution; -- so called because they received the assent of the czar in May, 1882, and because likened to the Prussian May laws (see Kulturkampf).
Military law
Military Mil"i*ta*ry, a. [L. militaris, militarius, from miles, militis, soldier: cf. F. militaire.] 1. Of or pertaining to soldiers, to arms, or to war; belonging to, engaged in, or appropriate to, the affairs of war; as, a military parade; military discipline; military bravery; military conduct; military renown. Nor do I, as an enemy to peace, Troop in the throngs of military men. --Shak. 2. Performed or made by soldiers; as, a military election; a military expedition. --Bacon. Military law. See Martial law, under Martial. Military order. (a) A command proceeding from a military superior. (b) An association of military persons under a bond of certain peculiar rules; especially, such an association of knights in the Middle Ages, or a body in modern times taking a similar form, membership of which confers some distinction. Military tenure, tenure of land, on condition of performing military service.
Mob law
Mob Mob, n. [L. mobile vulgus, the movable common people. See Mobile, n.] 1. The lower classes of a community; the populace, or the lowest part of it. A cluster of mob were making themselves merry with their betters. --Addison. 2. Hence: A throng; a rabble; esp., an unlawful or riotous assembly; a disorderly crowd. The mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease. --Pope. Had every Athenian citizen been a Socrates, every Athenian assembly would still have been a mob. --Madison. Confused by brainless mobs. --Tennyson. Mob law, law administered by the mob; lynch law. Swell mob, well dressed thieves and swindlers, regarded collectively. [Slang] --Dickens.
Natural law
10. (Mus.) (a) Produced by natural organs, as those of the human throat, in distinction from instrumental music. (b) Of or pertaining to a key which has neither a flat nor a sharp for its signature, as the key of C major. (c) Applied to an air or modulation of harmony which moves by easy and smooth transitions, digressing but little from the original key. --Moore (Encyc. of Music). Natural day, the space of twenty-four hours. --Chaucer. Natural fats, Natural gas, etc. See under Fat, Gas. etc. Natural Harmony (Mus.), the harmony of the triad or common chord. Natural history, in its broadest sense, a history or description of nature as a whole, incuding the sciences of botany, zo["o]logy, geology, mineralogy, paleontology, chemistry, and physics. In recent usage the term is often restricted to the sciences of botany and zo["o]logy collectively, and sometimes to the science of zoology alone. Natural law, that instinctive sense of justice and of right and wrong, which is native in mankind, as distinguished from specifically revealed divine law, and formulated human law. Natural modulation (Mus.), transition from one key to its relative keys. Natural order. (Nat. Hist.) See under order. Natural person. (Law) See under person, n. Natural philosophy, originally, the study of nature in general; in modern usage, that branch of physical science, commonly called physics, which treats of the phenomena and laws of matter and considers those effects only which are unaccompanied by any change of a chemical nature; -- contrasted with mental and moral philosophy. Natural scale (Mus.), a scale which is written without flats or sharps. Model would be a preferable term, as less likely to mislead, the so-called artificial scales (scales represented by the use of flats and sharps) being equally natural with the so-called natural scale Natural science, natural history, in its broadest sense; -- used especially in contradistinction to mental or moral science. Natural selection (Biol.), a supposed operation of natural laws analogous, in its operation and results, to designed selection in breeding plants and animals, and resulting in the survival of the fittest. The theory of natural selection supposes that this has been brought about mainly by gradual changes of environment which have led to corresponding changes of structure, and that those forms which have become so modified as to be best adapted to the changed environment have tended to survive and leave similarly adapted descendants, while those less perfectly adapted have tended to die out though lack of fitness for the environment, thus resulting in the survival of the fittest. See Darwinism. Natural system (Bot. & Zo["o]l.), a classification based upon real affinities, as shown in the structure of all parts of the organisms, and by their embryology. It should be borne in mind that the natural system of botany is natural only in the constitution of its genera, tribes, orders, etc., and in its grand divisions. --Gray. Natural theology, or Natural religion, that part of theological science which treats of those evidences of the existence and attributes of the Supreme Being which are exhibited in nature; -- distinguished from revealed religion. See Quotation under Natural, a., 3. Natural vowel, the vowel sound heard in urn, furl, sir, her, etc.; -- so called as being uttered in the easiest open position of the mouth organs. See Neutral vowel, under Neutral and Guide to Pronunciation, [sect] 17. Syn: See Native.
Penang lawyer
Penang lawyer Pe*nang" law"yer [Prob. fr. Malay p[=i]nang l[=i]ar.] A kind of walking stick made from the stem of an East Asiatic palm (Licuala acutifida).
Private international law
Conflict Con"flict, n. [L. conflictus a striking together, fr. confligere, -flictum, to strike together, to fight: cf. F. conflit, formerly also conflict. See Conflict, v.] 1. A striking or dashing together; violent collision; as, a conflict of elements or waves. 2. A strife for the mastery; hostile contest; battle; struggle; fighting. As soon as he [Atterbury] was himself again, he became eager for action and conflict. --Macaulay. An irrepressible conflict between opposing and enduring forces. --W. H. Seward. Conflict of laws, that branch of jurisprudence which deals with individual litigation claimed to be subject to the conflicting laws of two or more states or nations; -- often used as synonymous with Private international law. Syn: Contest; collision; struggle; combat; strife; contention; battle; fight; encounter. See Contest.
Public law
Public Pub"lic, a. [L. publicus, poblicus, fr. populus people: cf. F. public. See People.] 1. Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; -- opposed to private; as, the public treasury. To the public good Private respects must yield. --Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched the dead corpse of the public credit, and it sprung upon its feet. --D. Webster. 2. Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal. Joseph, . . . not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. --Matt. i. 19. 3. Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house. ``The public street.' --Shak. Public act or statute (Law), an act or statute affecting matters of public concern. Of such statutes the courts take judicial notice. Public credit. See under Credit. Public funds. See Fund, 3. Public house, an inn, or house of entertainment. Public law. (a) See International law, under International. (b) A public act or statute. Public nuisance. (Law) See under Nuisance. Public orator. (Eng. Universities) See Orator, 3. Public stores, military and naval stores, equipments, etc. Public works, all fixed works built by civil engineers for public use, as railways, docks, canals, etc.; but strictly, military and civil engineering works constructed at the public cost.
Roman law
Roman Ro"man, a. [L. Romanus, fr. Roma Rome: cf. F. romain. Cf. Romaic, Romance, Romantic.] 1. Of or pertaining to Rome, or the Roman people; like or characteristic of Rome, the Roman people, or things done by Romans; as, Roman fortitude; a Roman aqueduct; Roman art. 2. Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion; professing that religion. 3. (Print.) (a) Upright; erect; -- said of the letters or kind of type ordinarily used, as distinguished from Italic characters. (b) Expressed in letters, not in figures, as I., IV., i., iv., etc.; -- said of numerals, as distinguished from the Arabic numerals, 1, 4, etc. Roman alum (Chem.), a cubical potassium alum formerly obtained in large quantities from Italian alunite, and highly valued by dyers on account of its freedom from iron. Roman balance, a form of balance nearly resembling the modern steelyard. See the Note under Balance, n., 1. Roman candle, a kind of firework (generally held in the hand), characterized by the continued emission of shower of sparks, and the ejection, at intervals, of brilliant balls or stars of fire which are thrown upward as they become ignited. Roman Catholic, of, pertaining to, or the religion of that church of which the pope is the spiritual head; as, a Roman Catholic priest; the Roman Catholic Church. Roman cement, a cement having the property of hardening under water; a species of hydraulic cement. Roman law. See under Law. Roman nose, a nose somewhat aquiline. Roman ocher, a deep, rich orange color, transparent and durable, used by artists. --Ure. Roman order (Arch.), the composite order. See Composite, a., 2.
Salic law
Salic Sal"ic (s[a^]l"[i^]k), a. [F. salique, fr. the Salian Franks, who, in the fifth century, formed a body of laws called in Latin leges Salic[ae].] Of or pertaining to the Salian Franks, or to the Salic law so called. [Also salique.] Salic law. (a) A code of laws formed by the Salian Franks in the fifth century. By one provision of this code women were excluded from the inheritance of landed property. (b) Specifically, in modern times, a law supposed to be a special application of the above-mentioned provision, in accordance with which males alone can inherit the throne. This law has obtained in France, and at times in other countries of Europe, as Spain.
Sea lawyer
Sea lawyer Sea" law"yer (Zo["o]l.) The gray snapper. See under Snapper.

Meaning of law from wikipedia

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