take the law into own hands

take the law into one's own hands

Fig. to attempt to administer the law; to pass judgment on someone who has done something wrong. Citizens don't have the right to take the law into their own hands. The shopkeeper took the law into his own hands when he tried to arrest the thief.

See also: hand, law, take

---

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, law, take

---

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

Related vocabulary: take something into your own hands

See also: hand, law, take