law

English

/lɔː/, /lɔ/, /lɑ/

noun
Definitions
  • 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.
  • (more generally) A rule, such as:
  • The control and order brought about by the observance of such rules.
  • (informal) A person or group that act(s) with authority to uphold such rules and order (for example, one or more police officers).
  • The profession that deals with such rules (as lawyers, judges, police officers, etc).
  • Jurisprudence, the field of knowledge which encompasses these rules.
  • Litigation, legal action (as a means of maintaining or restoring order, redressing wrongs, etc).
  • (now) An allowance of distance or time (a head start) given to a weaker (human or animal) competitor in a race, to make the race more fair.
  • (fantasy) One of two metaphysical forces ruling the world in some fantasy settings, also called order (order), and opposed to chaos.
  • (legal) An oath sworn before a court, especially disclaiming a debt. Chiefly in the phrases "m

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English lawe inherited from Old English lagu (sea, law, flood, ocean, water, lake) derived from Old Norse lǫg (law, laws, things laid down fixed, the things that are laid down) derived from Proto-Germanic *lagą (that which is laid down, something laid, law) derived from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (lie, lie down, lay, be situated, recline, resting place, put down), *legʰ- (lie, lie down, lay, be situated, recline, resting place, put down).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*legʰ-

Gloss

lie, lie down, lay, be situated, recline, resting place, put down

Concept
Semantic Field

Basic actions and technology

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji
🤥

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms