law

be a law unto yourself

if you are a law unto yourself, you do things differently to other people and ignore the usual rules. Charles certainly doesn't stick to the standard company procedures, but then, he's a law unto himself.

See also: unto

get on the wrong side of the law

to be in trouble with the police because you have done something illegal. From last Monday, owners of fighting dogs who fail to control them in public could find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

See also: side, wrong

the law of averages

the probability that you will get one result about the same number of times as another if you do something often enough. By the law of averages we can't give a good performance every night of the tour.

See also: average

the law of the jungle

the way in which only the strongest and cleverest people in a society stay alive or succeed. I was brought up on the streets where the law of the jungle applies, so I soon learnt how to look after myself.

lay down the law

to tell people what they should do, without caring about how they feel. I'm not going to have someone come into this office and start laying down the law.

See also: down, lay

the letter of the law (formal)

the exact words of a law and not its more important general meaning. There is always the danger that a judge may follow the letter of the law rather than its spirit.

See also: letter

the long arm of the law (humorous)

the police. You know what they say, you can't escape the long arm of the law.

See also: arm, long

Murphy's law (humorous)

the way in which plans always fail and bad things always happen where there is any possibility of them doing so. I'm a great believer in Murphy's law - what can go wrong will go wrong.

Parkinson's law

the idea that the work you have to do will increase to fill all of the time you have to do it in. If you tell him you want the work done by tomorrow, he'll get it done this afternoon, if you tell him next Thursday, he'll spend a week on it. It's Parkinson's law.

Possession is nine-tenths of the law.

something that you say which means that if you have something, it is difficult for other people to take it away from you. It would be hard to ask for the piano back after they've had it for so long. Possession is nine-tenths of the law and all that.

Sod's Law (British, humorous)

the way in which plans fail and bad things happen where there is any possibility of them doing so. It's Sod's Law that on the one occasion when the train arrives on time, I'm late!

take the law into your own hands

to do something illegal in order to punish someone because you know that the law will not punish that person. One day, after years of violent abuse from her husband, she decided to take the law into her own hands.

See also: hand, take

there's no law against something/doing something (informal)

something that you say in order to tell someone who is criticizing you that you are not doing anything wrong. 'You were in the pub at lunchtime, weren't you?' 'Well, there's no law against it.' 'Have you been shopping again?' 'What if I have? There's no law against spending money.'

See also: against

someone's word is law

if someone's word is law, everyone must obey them. There's no use questioning any of his rules - his word is law around here.

See also: word

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above the law

not having to obey laws or rules. Football players can't be above the law just because they are so valuable to team owners.

See also: above

in the eyes of the law

legally. Our legal system is based on the idea that all people are equal in the eyes of the law. In the eyes of the law, you are responsible for what happened.

See also: eye

a law unto yourself

a person who does things differently and ignores the usual rules. The male characters in her novels are usually attractive, powerful, and dangerous – a law unto themselves.

See also: unto

lay down the law

to tell people what they must do, without caring about their opinions. I'm not going to let some new guy come into my office and start laying down the law. Riley laid down the law, telling his players, “We're going to play the game my way.”

read someone the riot act

See also: down, lay

the long arm of the law

the ability of the police and courts to force people to obey the rules. Many people believe that any kind of marriage law extends the long arm of the law too far into private matters.

See also: arm, long

on the wrong side of the law

in a situation in which you are doing something illegal. Being on the wrong side of the law is not unusual for many people in this part of town.

See also: side, wrong

take the law into your own hands

to do something illegal in order to punish someone. Her mother took the law into her own hands when she heard that her child had been abused. She decided to take the law into her own hands and rescue the dog from its owner, who beat it.

Usage notes: usually said about someone who does something because they believe that the authorities will not take action

take something into your own hands

See also: hand, take

someone's word is law

what someone says must be obeyed. There's no use questioning anything around here, because my boss's word is law.

See also: word