word-vault

{ "term": "law", "partOfSpeech": "noun", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a2", "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "a rule that deals with a particular crime, agreement, etc.", "sensetop": "law against (doing) somethinglaw on something", "labels": "(informal)", "cefr": "a2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "to **pass a law** *(= officially make it part of the system of laws)*" }, { "text": "Police don't have the resources **to enforce the law** against dumping waste.", "contextForm": "law against (doing) something" }, { "text": "There ought to be a law against it!" }, { "text": "The company's actions **violated the law** on equal employment.", "contextForm": "law on something" }, { "text": "The suspects were in clear **violation of **immigration **laws**." }, { "text": "The government has introduced some tough new laws on food hygiene." }, { "text": "The country has very strict gun laws." }, { "text": "Corporate polluters could be charged under new ‘ecocide’ laws." }, { "text": "He campaigned for laws against child labour." }, { "text": "the passage of a restrictive immigration law in 1924" }, { "text": "the legislators who drafted the law" }, { "text": "the laws regulating firearms" }, { "text": "the laws regarding child actors" }, { "text": "the law concerning industrial action ballots" }, { "text": "a local law against keeping horses" }, { "text": "a law recognizing civil unions for same-sex couples" }, { "text": "a law limiting the hours of work to ten hours per day" }, { "text": "Laws criminalizing same-sex relationships were ruled unconstitutional." }, { "text": "Judges interpret this law in different ways." }, { "text": "Congress amended the law in 1998." }, { "text": "Environmental laws are strict about polluting precious water." }, { "text": "The law applies equally to businesses large and small." }, { "text": "The law forbids gambling of any kind." }, { "text": "We believe this law is unconstitutional." } ], "topics": ["Permission and obligation", "Law and justice", "Politics"], "collocations": { "adjective": ["administrative", "case", "civil"], "verb + law": ["become", "apply", "enforce"], "law + verb": [ "allow something", "authorize something", "permit something" ], "law + noun": ["court", "case", "suit"], "preposition": ["above the law", "against the law", "beyond the law"], "phrases": ["as the law stands", "law and order", "the law of the land"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "the whole system of rules that everyone in a country or society must obey", "sensetop": "against the lawwithin the lawoutside the lawby lawunder the (…) lawunder… lawabove the law", "labels": "(humorous)(especially North American English)(especially US English)(especially North American English)(British English)(North American English)", "cefr": "a2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "If they entered the building they would be **breaking the law**." }, { "text": "The reforms have recently **become law**." }, { "text": "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 became **the law of the land** on July 2, 1964." }, { "text": "**state/federal law**" }, { "text": "State law prohibits gambling in public places." }, { "text": "In Sweden it is against the law to hit a child.", "contextForm": "against the law" }, { "text": "Defence attorneys can use any means within the law to get their client off.", "contextForm": "within the law" }, { "text": "to operate outside the law", "contextForm": "outside the law" }, { "text": "British schools are required by law to publish their exam results.", "contextForm": "by law" }, { "text": "Under existing law, journalists cannot refuse to provide information to a jury.", "contextForm": "under the (…) lawunder… law" }, { "text": "Do not think you are above the law *(= that you cannot be punished by the law)*.", "contextForm": "above the law" }, { "text": "They acted **in accordance with the law** of the country." }, { "text": "The constitution guarantees **equality before the law** for all." }, { "text": "**law enforcement** agencies/officials" }, { "text": "Kate's **word was law** in the Brown household." }, { "text": "A presidential veto prevented the bill from becoming law." }, { "text": "As the law stands, you can get married at sixteen." }, { "text": "By law, you are obliged to install smoke alarms in the factory." }, { "text": "It's the job of the police to enforce the law." }, { "text": "No one is above the law." }, { "text": "Parliament voted for the bill to become law." }, { "text": "The building was raided by law enforcement agents." }, { "text": "The company is operating entirely within the law." }, { "text": "The law is clear: bribery is wrong." }, { "text": "The wearing of a crash helmet is required by law." }, { "text": "What you did was clearly against the law." }, { "text": "individuals who are acting beyond the law" }, { "text": "rebels who live outside the law" }, { "text": "the law governing school attendance" }, { "text": "the law relating to the sale of goods" } ], "topics": ["Permission and obligation", "Law and justice", "Politics"], "collocations": { "adjective": ["administrative", "case", "civil"], "verb + law": ["become", "apply", "enforce"], "law + verb": [ "allow something", "authorize something", "permit something" ], "law + noun": ["court", "case", "suit"], "preposition": ["above the law", "against the law", "beyond the law"], "phrases": ["as the law stands", "law and order", "the law of the land"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "a particular branch of the law", "sensetop": "according to… law", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "tax/employment law" }, { "text": "According to **copyright law**, the author is the owner of the material.", "contextForm": "according to… law" } ], "collocations": { "adjective": ["administrative", "case", "civil"], "verb + law": ["become", "apply", "enforce"], "law + verb": [ "allow something", "authorize something", "permit something" ], "law + noun": ["court", "case", "suit"], "preposition": ["above the law", "against the law", "beyond the law"], "phrases": ["as the law stands", "law and order", "the law of the land"] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "the study of the law as a subject at university, etc.; the profession of being a lawyer", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "a law student/professor" }, { "text": "Jane is studying law." }, { "text": "What made you go into law?" }, { "text": "a **law firm**" }, { "text": "a room filled with law books" }, { "text": "She lost her job at a Boston law office." } ], "topics": ["Education", "Law and justice"], "collocations": { "verb + law": ["practise/practice"], "law + noun": ["firm", "school"] } }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "used to refer to the police and the legal system", "cefr": "b2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Jim is always getting into trouble with the law." }, { "text": "She was well known for her brushes with the law." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "the fact that something always happens in the same way in an activity or in nature", "cefr": "b2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The usual laws of supply and demand do not seem to apply in this case." }, { "text": "the laws of nature/physics" } ], "synonyms": "principle", "topics": ["Scientific research"] }, { "senseNumber": 7, "definition": "a scientific rule that somebody has stated to explain a natural process", "examples": [ { "text": "the first law of thermodynamics" }, { "text": "Do you remember anything about Ohm's Law?" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 8, "definition": "one of the rules that controls an organization or activity", "cefr": "b2", "examples": [ { "text": "the laws of the Church" }, { "text": "The first law of kung fu is to defend yourself." }, { "text": "the laws of cricket" } ], "topics": ["Permission and obligation"] }, { "senseNumber": 9, "definition": "a rule for good behaviour or how you should behave in a particular place or situation", "examples": [ { "text": "He frequently behaved as though moral laws did not exist." }, { "text": "Their world is shaped by their parents' attitudes and the unspoken laws of the street." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to behave in an independent way and ignore rules or what other people want you to do", "examples": [ { "text": "Boys of that age are a law unto themselves." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to ask a court to settle a problem or disagreement", "labels": "(British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "They went to law to get back their property." } ], "topics": ["Opinion and argument"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "a situation in which people obey the law and behave in a peaceful way", "examples": [ { "text": "The government struggled to maintain law and order." }, { "text": "After the riots, the military was brought in to restore law and order." }, { "text": "They claim to be the party of law and order." }, { "text": "Martial law was imposed to prevent the breakdown of law and order." } ], "topics": ["Law and justice"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the principle that one thing will happen as often as another if you try enough times", "examples": [ { "text": "Keep applying and by the law of averages you'll get a job sooner or later." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "a situation in which people are prepared to harm other people in order to succeed", "examples": [ { "text": "These criminal gangs only recognize the law of the jungle." } ], "topics": ["Success"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to tell somebody with force what they should or should not do", "examples": [ { "text": "My dad started laying down the law about what time I should come home." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the exact words of a law or rule rather than its general meaning", "labels": "(often disapproving)", "examples": [ { "text": "They insist on sticking to the letter of the law." }, { "text": "We might be guilty of slightly bending the letter of the law." }, { "text": "In spite of the difficulties it would cause her family, the judge stuck to the letter of the law and jailed her." } ], "topics": ["Permission and obligation"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "in trouble with the police", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "if you already have or control something, it is difficult for somebody else to take it away from you, even if they have the legal right to it", "labels": "(saying)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the condition in which all members of society, including its political leaders, accept the authority of the law", "examples": [ { "text": "Democracy and the rule of law are yet to be firmly established in the country." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to do something illegal in order to punish somebody for doing something wrong, instead of letting the police deal with them", "examples": [ { "text": "After a series of burglaries in the area, the police are worried that residents might take the law into their own hands." }, { "text": "When police failed to arrest the suspect, local people took the law into their own hands and beat him up." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to tell somebody who is criticizing you that you are not doing anything wrong", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I'll sing if I want to—there's no law against it." } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/lɔː/", "audio": "la/law/law__gb_2.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/lɔː/", "audio": "la/law/law__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Old English lagu, from Old Norse lag ‘something laid down or fixed’, of Germanic origin and related to lay (verb)." }