law

The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.

Not unnaturally, "Auntie" took this communication in bad part.[…]Next day she[…]tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head. Then, thwarted, the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and perhaps had spared no pains to keep on good terms with the local constabulary.

Here one comes upon an all-important English trait: the respect for constitutionalism and legality, the belief in "the law" as something above the State and above the individual, something which is cruel and stupid, of course, but at any rate incorruptible. It is not that anyone imagines the law to be just. Everyone knows that there is one law for the rich and another for the poor. But no one accepts the implications of this, everyone takes it for granted that the law, such as it is, will be respected, and feels a sense of outrage when it is not.

The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.

property law

commercial hunting and fishing law

The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.

A binding regulation or custom established in a community in this way.

There is a law against importing wallabies.

A new law forbids driving on that road.

A rule, such as:

"Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you" is a good law to follow.

the law of self-preservation

To work as a lawyer; to practice law.

That was in 1877 you were lawing with Herdick?

J. H. Turner is married and lawing in Milwaukee.

To prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.

Your husband's … so given to lawing, they say. I doubt he'll leave you poorly off when he dies.

"I like folks to be up and down and square," she began saying, as she vigilantly watched the effect of her culinary skill upon the awed little party. "Yes, I've got a regular hotel license; you bet I have. There's been folks lawed in this town for sellin' a meal of victuals and not having one."

To rule over (with a certain effect) by law; to govern.

At its 1933 session, the Kansas legislature provided for funding outstanding bills and floating debts of those cities which could not make payment by a fixed date. By this stroke of its imagination, the legislature lawed all Kansas cities onto a "cash" basis and admonished them to stay there.

Earth lies in the chorus of the stars' congregation in the lawed line of their movement, in the balanced rotation of their light, bound by that lawed line, conceived in the focus of that turning; a vessel fashioned on the wheel of endless time.

To enforce the law.

De gram jury lawed me all de time an' dat place got too hot.

The only time I ever got lawed [arrested] was for the union. Happened three times.

To subject to legal restrictions.

Insurance may fairly be said to head the list of objects of legislative interference. It has been lawed and lawed until it is nearly outlawed, and the cry for more continues to go up unsatisfied

No man knew what his water rights were until they had been lawed over, and lawed over, and lawed over again.

A tumulus of stones.

A hill.

[Y]ou might climb the Law, where the whale's jawbone stood landmark in the buzzing wind, and behold the face of many counties, and the smoke and spires of many towns, and the sails of distant ships.