law

Meanings

Noun

• 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.
• The control and order brought about by the observance of such rules.
• 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).
• 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.
• One of two metaphysical forces ruling the world in some fantasy settings, also called order, and opposed to chaos.
• A tumulus of stones.
• A hill.

Verb

• To work as a lawyer; to practice law.
• To prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.
• To rule over (with a certain effect) by law; govern.
• To enforce the law.
• To subject to legal restrictions.

Interjection

• An exclamation of mild surprise; lawks.

Origin

• From Middle English lawe, laȝe, from Old English lagu, from Old Norse lǫg, originally the plural of lag, from Proto-Germanic *lagą, from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-. Cognate with Icelandic lög, Swedish lag, Danish lov. Replaced Old English ǣ and ġesetnes. More at lay. Unrelated to French loi nor Spanish ley, since they both derive from *leǵ-.
• From Middle English lawe, from Old English hlāw. Also spelled low.
• Compare la.