| Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 1,506,449,595 visitors served. |
|
Dictionary/ thesaurus | Medical dictionary | Legal dictionary | Financial dictionary | Acronyms | Idioms | Encyclopedia | Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
lay down the law |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Wikipedia | 0.10 sec. |
|
lay down the law (to someone) (about something) Fig. to scold someone; to make something very clear to someone in a very stern manner. Wow, was she mad at Ed. She really laid down the law about drinking to him. She laid down the law to Ed. She laid down the law about drinking. 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. 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.” Related vocabulary: read somebody the riot actHow to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
|
| ? References in classic literature |
|---|
Martin Poyser was not a frequenter of public houses, but he liked a friendly chat over his own home- brewed; and though it was pleasant to lay down the law to a stupid neighbour who had no notion how to make the best of his farm, it was also an agreeable variety to learn something from a clever fellow like Adam Bede. Is nothing more needed than to get a footing, by hook or by crook, in other people's houses to rule over the masters (and that, perhaps, after having been brought up in all the straitness of some seminary, and without having ever seen more of the world than may lie within twenty or thirty leagues round), to fit one to lay down the law rashly for chivalry, and pass judgment on knights-errant? Of course this is only PARTIALLY the truth; you cannot lay down the law for all. |
| Idioms and phrases |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Browser extension |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup | Partner with us |
|---|