law-abiding

IPA/ˈlɔː əbaɪdɪŋ/
IPA/ˈlɔː əbaɪdɪŋ/

law-abiding — adjective

1. used to refer to someone who follows every law and does nothing that a governmen

1.形容詞B1
釋義

used to refer to someone who follows every law and does nothing that a government or court considers illegal.

例句

As a law-abiding citizen, Eliska always stops at red traffic lights.

collocation: law-abiding citizen

The law-abiding residents on Maple Street asked the city to fix the broken sidewalk.

collocation: law-abiding residents

同義詞
  • lawful

    describes actions or things permitted by law, not people; e.g. 'a lawful business'

  • honest

    broader meaning covering moral integrity beyond just legal compliance

  • obedient

    can apply to following any rules or authority, not just laws

  • compliant

    formal; used in business or regulatory contexts rather than describing a person's character

反義詞
  • criminal

    describes a person who commits crimes; stronger and more specific

  • lawless

    typically describes places, situations, or behaviour rather than a person

文法句型

law-abiding + noun

用法筆記

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). The noun is normally a person or group such as citizen, person, resident, driver, or business owner.

常見錯誤

❌The company's actions are not law-abiding.
✅The company's actions are not lawful.
💡Use 'lawful' or 'legal' for actions and situations; 'law-abiding' describes people or groups of people.
❌He is a law person.
✅He is a law-abiding person.
💡'Law' is a noun, not an adjective; use the full compound 'law-abiding' to mean someone who obeys laws.