law
law — noun
1. a written rule that a government or other authority creates, telling people in a
a written rule that a government or other authority creates, telling people in a society what they must or must not do.
The city council passed a new law that bans plastic bags at all supermarkets and shops.
pass a law — officially create a new legal rule
Tunde never breaks the law, even when he is in a hurry and no one is watching.
break the law — do something illegal
Under the new law, every factory must report how much waste it produces each year.
Kwame hired a lawyer to check whether the sale of the old house followed the law correctly.
Luca was fined five hundred dollars for ignoring a local law about noise after midnight.
- rule
broader term; can apply to games, schools, or social groups, not just government
- regulation
usually more specific and technical, issued by an official body like a ministry
- statute
formal term for a law passed by a parliament or legislature
用法筆記
Often paired with verbs like 'pass', 'break', 'obey', 'follow', and 'enforce'. The preposition 'under' is common: 'under this law, X is illegal.'
常見錯誤
2. the whole collection of rules that governs a particular country, community, or s
the whole collection of rules that governs a particular country, community, or specific field, along with how those rules are put into practice.
By law, every child in this country must attend school until the age of sixteen.
by law — as required by the legal system
Ritu studied British law before moving to Singapore to work as a legal advisor.
The legal system in Japan requires both sides in a dispute to try mediation before going to court.
Anya argued that the company had violated international trade law by refusing to deliver the goods.
Under Canadian law, all citizens have the right to a fair trial with a lawyer present.
- legal system
more explicit phrase for the entire institutional framework
- legislation
refers specifically to laws made by a parliament, not the whole system
- jurisprudence
formal/academic term for the theory and philosophy of law
用法筆記
Uses the definite article ('the law') when referring to a specific country's system. Without an article ('law' alone) it functions as an uncountable mass noun referring to the general concept.
常見錯誤
3. the subject or profession of understanding, teaching, and working with legal rul
the subject or profession of understanding, teaching, and working with legal rules — for example, as a lawyer, judge, or legal scholar.
Eli spent three years studying law before taking the bar exam in Jakarta.
study law — take a university degree in law
After graduation, Hassan decided to practice law in a small firm near his hometown.
practice law — work as a lawyer
Romi is thinking about going to law school after finishing her undergraduate degree in history.
Professor Élise has taught criminal law at the university for more than twenty years.
Benjamin decided that a career in law was not for him after his first year at a large law firm.
- legal studies
academic term for the field as a university subject
- jurisprudence
more philosophical and theoretical; less common in everyday use
- legal profession
refers specifically to the career side, not the academic study
用法筆記
Used without an article in phrases like 'study law', 'practice law', 'go into law'. With 'the' when referring to a specific branch: 'the law of contracts'.
常見錯誤
4. an informal way of talking about the police and other officials whose job is to
an informal way of talking about the police and other officials whose job is to make sure that legal rules are obeyed.
When the neighbours heard the gunshots, they immediately called the law.
call the law — informal for contacting the police
Putri has been in trouble with the law since she was a teenager, mostly for small thefts.
in trouble with the law — informal for being suspected by police
The law arrived within minutes of the alarm and blocked off the entire street.
Jason warned his younger brother to stay away from the law after the gang started causing trouble.
- police
neutral and formal; the standard term in most situations
- law enforcement
formal, broader term that includes police, sheriffs, and other agencies
- the authorities
more formal and broader still; can include non-police officials
用法筆記
Almost always used with the definite article ('the law'). This sense is informal; in formal contexts, use 'police' or 'law enforcement' instead.
5. the act of asking a court of law to make a formal decision about a disagreement
the act of asking a court of law to make a formal decision about a disagreement between two people or groups.
When the landlord refused to fix the leaking roof, Rania went to law over the issue.
go to law — take a dispute to court
The factory owner threatened to go to law if the government did not compensate him for the land.
Going to law can be very expensive, so many people try to settle their problems out of court.
Sade's family decided not to go to law and instead accepted the insurance payment offered by the company.
- litigation
formal noun for the process of taking legal action
- legal proceedings
formal term for the official steps in a court case
- lawsuit
concrete noun for a specific case brought to court
- settlement
an agreement reached without going to court
- mediation
process where a neutral person helps both sides agree without court
用法筆記
Fixed expression 'go to law'. Less common than 'take someone to court' or 'file a lawsuit'. More frequent in British English than American.
常見錯誤
6. a description of a natural process that is consistently true under identical cir
a description of a natural process that is consistently true under identical circumstances, especially in scientific fields.
Newton's law of gravity explains why things fall toward the ground when you drop them.
law of gravity — scientific principle
According to the law of supply and demand, prices rise when a product becomes harder to find.
law of supply and demand — economic principle
The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed.
In physics class, Christopher tested the law of conservation of mass by melting an ice cube in a bag.
Newton's third law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
用法筆記
In science, 'law' describes a proven relationship that holds true universally under given conditions. It is stronger than a 'theory' (which can be modified) but less common in modern science than 'principle' or 'rule'.
常見錯誤
law — verb
1. to take a disagreement or complaint to a court of law so that a judge can decide
to take a disagreement or complaint to a court of law so that a judge can decide who is right.
The two companies agreed to law their contract dispute rather than settle it privately.
law + [dispute] — litigate formally
Stephanie's family decided to law the hospital over the failed surgery.
The charity warned that it would law the mining company if the river pollution continued.
After months of failed talks, both sides chose to law the matter in federal court.
- sue
standard modern verb for taking someone to court
- litigate
formal; slightly broader, can mean to engage in any court process
- take to court
everyday phrasal equivalent
- settle
to reach an agreement without going to court
文法句型
law + [someone] + over/about + [issue]
用法筆記
Very rare in modern English. Much more common alternatives are 'sue', 'take to court', 'file a lawsuit against', or 'litigate'. This usage is mostly found in legal documents or older texts.
常見錯誤
2. to bring a legal case against someone, either to get money for a wrong done to y
to bring a legal case against someone, either to get money for a wrong done to you (sue) or to accuse them of a crime (prosecute).
The customer threatened to law the company for selling a defective car that caused the accident.
law + [someone] + for + [reason]
The district attorney decided to law the suspect on charges of fraud and money laundering.
Lakan vowed to law the newspaper for printing false information about his business.
The landlord threatened to law the tenants if they did not pay the overdue rent.
- sue
standard for civil claims (money, damages)
- prosecute
standard for criminal charges brought by the state
- bring a case against
neutral formal expression covering both civil and criminal
- defend
the opposite action — to argue against a legal claim in court
文法句型
law + [someone] + for + [offence/claim]
用法筆記
Even rarer than sense 1. In modern English, 'sue' is used for private claims and 'prosecute' for criminal charges. The verb 'law' covering both is archaic.