law (draft)

noun \ ˈlȯ \

  1. a (1) : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed (see prescribe 1a) or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority (2) : the whole body of such customs, practices, or rules The courts exist to uphold, interpret, and apply the law. (3) : common law b (1) : the control brought about by the existence or enforcement of such law preserved law and order in the town (2) : the action of laws considered as a means of redressing wrongs; also : litigation developed the habit of going to law over the slightest provocation —H. A. Overstreet (3) : the agency of or an agent of established law When he saw that the fighting was escalating, he called in the law. c : a rule or order that it is advisable or obligatory to observe a law of self-preservation d : something compatible with or enforceable by established law The decrees were judged not to be law and were therefore rescinded. e : control, authority The child submits to no law.

  2. a often capitalized : the revelation of the will of God set forth in the Old Testament b capitalized : the first part of the Jewish scriptures : pentateuch, torah — see bible table

  3. : a rule of construction or procedure the laws of poetry

  4. : the whole body of laws relating to one subject criminal law probate law

  5. a : the legal profession studied for a career in law b : law as a department of knowledge : jurisprudence c : legal knowledge a man with much history but little law

  6. a : a statement of an order or relation of phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions a law of thermodynamics Boyle's law b : a general relation proved or assumed to hold between mathematical or logical expressions

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