against the law

IPA/ɐɡˈɛnst ðə lˈɔː/
IPA/ɐɡˈɛnst ðə lˈɔː/

against the law — 慣用語

1. Describes an action or situation that is not allowed by the legal system of a co

1.慣用語B1
釋義

違法；犯法

違反法律規定的

Describes an action or situation that is not allowed by the legal system of a country or region — for example, stealing from a shop, driving without a valid license, or selling alcohol to a child.

例句

Smoking inside restaurants is against the law in many American states.

在許多美國州份，在餐廳內吸煙是違法的。

noun phrase + is + against the law

Lien's father explained that taking money from someone else's bag is against the law.

Lien 的父親解釋，從別人的袋子裡拿錢是違法的。

同義詞
  • illegal

    The most direct synonym; can also be placed before a noun, e.g. 'an illegal activity'

  • unlawful

    More formal, often found in legal documents and official statements

  • prohibited

    Suggests something is formally banned by a rule, law, or authority

反義詞
  • legal

    The direct opposite; permitted by law

  • lawful

    More formal than 'legal'; in compliance with the law

文法句型

be + against the law

it + be + against the law + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Always follows a form of the verb "be" (is, are, was, were). The phrase cannot be placed before a noun as an adjective — compare: "That action is against the law" ✅ vs. "an against-the-law action" ❌.

常見錯誤

❌Stealing is against to the law.
✅Stealing is against the law.
💡'Against the law' is a fixed phrase; do not insert 'to' after 'against'.
❌He did an against-the-law thing.
✅What he did was against the law.
💡The phrase cannot be placed before a noun as an adjective.