law |
1. n. The body of binding rules and regulations, customs and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities. | |
the courts interpret the law; entrapment is against the law | |
2. n. The body of such rules that pertain to a particular topic. | |
property law; commercial hunting and fishing law | |
3. n. Common law, as contrasted with equity. | |
4. n. A binding regulation or custom established in a community in this way. | |
There is a law against importing wallabies. A new law forbids driving on that road. The court ruled that the executive order was not law and nullified it. | |
5. n. (more generally) (A rule, such as:) | |
6. n. Any rule that must or should be obeyed, concerning behaviours and their consequences. (Compare mores). | |
"Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you" is a good law to follow. the law of self-preservation | |
7. n. A rule or principle regarding the construction of language or art. | |
the laws of playwriting and poetry | |
8. n. A statement (in physics, etc) of an (observed, established) order or sequence or relationship of phenomena which is invariable under certain conditions | |
the laws of thermodynamics | |
Newton's third law of motion states that to every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. This is one of several laws derived from | |
9. n. (mathematics, logic) A statement (of relation) that is true under specified conditions; a mathematical or logical rule. | |
Mathematical laws can be proved purely through mathematics, without scientific experimentation. | |
10. n. Any statement of the relation of acts and conditions to their consequences. | |
the law of scarcity; the law of supply and demand | |
11. n. (cricket) One of the official rules of cricket as codified by the its (former) governing body, the MCC. | |
12. n. The control and order brought about by the observance of such rules. | |
They worked to maintain law and order. It was a territory without law, marked by violence. | |
13. n. (informal) A person or group that act(s) with authority to uphold such rules and order (for example, one or more police officers). | |
Here comes the law — run! | |
14. n. The profession that deals with such rules (as lawyers, judges, police officers, etc). | |
He is studying for a career in law. She has practiced law in New York for twenty years. | |
15. n. Jurisprudence, the field of knowledge which encompasses these rules. | |
She went to university to study law. | |
16. n. Litigation, legal action (as a means of maintaining or restoring order, redressing wrongs, etc). | |
They were quick to go to law. | |
17. n. (now uncommon) 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. | |
18. n. (fantasy) One of two metaphysical forces ruling the world in some fantasy settings, also called order, and opposed to chaos. | |
19. n. (legal, chiefly historical) An oath sworn before a court, especially disclaiming a debt. (Chiefly in the phrases "wager of law)", "(m", "perform one's law", "lose one's law".) | |
20. v. (obsolete) To work as a lawyer; to practice law. | |
21. v. (ambitransitive, chiefly dialectal) To prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate. | |
22. v. (nonstandard) To rule over (with a certain effect) by law; govern. | |
23. v. (informal) To enforce the law. | |
24. v. To subject to legal restrictions. | |
25. n. (obsolete) A tumulus of stones. | |
26. n. (Scottish, and Northern England, archaic) A hill. | |
27. interj. (dated) An exclamation of mild surprise; lawks. | |
enforcement |
1. n. The act of enforcing; compulsion. | |
2. n. A giving force to; a putting in execution. | |
3. n. That which enforces, constraints, gives force, authority, or effect to; constraint; force applied. | |
an |
1. art. Form of a used before a vowel sound | |
2. art. (now quite rare) Form of a used before 'h' in an unstressed syllable | |
3. art. (nonstandard) Form of a used before 'h' in a stressed syllable | |
4. conj. (archaic) If | |
5. conj. (archaic) So long as. | |
An it harm none, do what ye will. | |
6. conj. (archaic) As if; as though. | |
7. n. The first letter of the Georgian alphabet, ა (Mkhedruli), Ⴀ (Asomtavruli) or ⴀ (Nuskhuri). | |
8. prep. In each; to or for each; per. | |
I was only going twenty miles an hour. | |
officer |
1. n. One who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization, especially in military, police or government organizations. | |
2. n. One who holds a public office. | |
3. n. An agent or servant imparted with the ability, to some degree, to act on initiative. | |
4. n. (colloquial, military) A commissioned officer. | |
5. v. To supply with officers. | |
6. v. To command like an officer. | |
of |
1. prep. Expressing distance or motion. | |
2. prep. (now obsolete, or dialectal) From (of distance, direction), "off". | |
3. prep. (obsolete except in phrases) Since, from (a given time, earlier state etc.). | |
4. prep. From, away from (a position, number, distance etc.). | |
There are no shops within twenty miles of the cottage. | |
5. prep. (North America, Scotland, Ireland) Before (the hour); to. | |
What's the time? / Nearly a quarter of three. | |
6. prep. Expressing separation. | |
7. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with the action indicated by a transitive verb and the quality or substance by a grammatical object.) | |
Finally she was relieved of the burden of caring for her sick husband. | |
8. prep. (Indicating removal, absence or separation, with resulting state indicated by an adjective.) | |
He seemed devoid of human feelings. | |
9. prep. (obsolete) (Indicating removal, absence or separation, construed with an intransitive verb.) | |
10. prep. Expressing origin. | |
11. prep. (Indicating an ancestral source or origin of descent.) | |
The word is believed to be of Japanese origin. | |
12. prep. (Indicating a (non-physical) source of action or emotion; introducing a cause, instigation); from, out of, as an expression of. | |
The invention was born of necessity. | |
13. prep. (following an intransitive verb) (Indicates the source or cause of the verb.) | |
It is said that she died of a broken heart. | |
14. prep. (following an adjective) (Indicates the subject or cause of the adjective.) | |
I am tired of all this nonsense. | |
15. prep. Expressing agency. | |
16. prep. (following a passive verb) (Indicates the agent (for most verbs, now usually expressed with by).) | |
I am not particularly enamoured of this idea. | |
17. prep. (Used to introduce the "subjective genitive"; following a noun to form the head of a postmodifying noun phrase) (see also 'Possession' senses below). | |
The contract can be terminated at any time with the agreement of both parties. | |
18. prep. (following an adjective) (Used to indicate the agent of something described by the adjective.) | |
It was very brave of you to speak out like that. | |
19. prep. Expressing composition, substance. | |
20. prep. (after a verb expressing construction, making etc.) (Used to indicate the material or substance used.) | |
Many 'corks' are now actually made of plastic. | |
21. prep. (directly following a noun) (Used to indicate the material of the just-mentioned object.) | |
She wore a dress of silk. | |
22. prep. (Indicating the composition of a given collective or quantitative noun.) | |
What a lot of nonsense! | |
23. prep. (Used to link a given class of things with a specific example of that class.) | |
Welcome to the historic town of Harwich. | |
24. prep. (Links two nouns in near-apposition, with the first qualifying the second); "which is also". | |
I'm not driving this wreck of a car. | |
25. prep. Introducing subject matter. | |
26. prep. (Links an intransitive verb, or a transitive verb and its subject (especially verbs to do with thinking, feeling, expressing etc.), with its subject-ma | |
I'm always thinking of you. | |
27. prep. (following a noun (now chiefly nouns of knowledge, communication etc.)) (Introduces its subject matter); about, concerning. | |
He told us the story of his journey to India. | |
28. prep. (following an adjective) (Introduces its subject matter.) | |
This behaviour is typical of teenagers. | |
29. prep. Having partitive effect. | |
30. prep. (following a number or other quantitive word) (Introduces the whole for which is indicated only the specified part or segment); "from among". | |
Most of these apples are rotten. | |
31. prep. (following a noun) (Indicates a given part.) | |
32. prep. (now archaic, literary, with preceding partitive word assumed, or as a predicate after to be) Some, an amount of, one of. | |
On the whole, they seem to be of the decent sort. | |
33. prep. (Links to a genitive noun or possessive pronoun, with partitive effect (though now often merged with possessive senses, below).) | |
He is a friend of mine. | |
34. prep. Expressing possession. | |
35. prep. Belonging to, existing in, or taking place in a given location, place or time. Compare "origin" senses, above. | |
He was perhaps the most famous scientist of the twentieth century. | |
36. prep. Belonging to (a place) through having title, ownership or control over it. | |
The owner of the nightclub was arrested. | |
37. prep. Belonging to (someone or something) as something they possess or have as a characteristic; (the "possessive genitive". (With abstract nouns, this inter | |
Keep the handle of the saucepan away from the flames. | |
38. prep. Forming the "objective genitive". | |
39. prep. (Follows an agent noun, verbal noun or noun of action.) | |
She had a profound distrust of the police. | |
40. prep. Expressing qualities or characteristics. | |
41. prep. (now archaic, or literary) (Links an adjective with a noun or noun phrase to form a quasi-adverbial qualifier); in respect to, as regards. | |
My companion seemed affable and easy of manner. | |
42. prep. (Indicates a quality or characteristic); "characterized by". | |
Pooh was said to be a bear of very little brain. | |
43. prep. (Indicates quantity, age, price, etc.) | |
We have been paying interest at a rate of 10%. | |
44. prep. (US, informal considered incorrect by some) (Used to link singular indefinite nouns (preceded by the indefinite article) and attributive adjectives mod | |
It's not that big of a deal. | |
45. prep. Expressing a point in time. | |
46. prep. (chiefly regional) During the course of (a set period of time, day of the week etc.), now specifically with implied repetition or regularity. | |
Of an evening, we would often go for a stroll along the river. | |
47. prep. (UK dialectal, chiefly in negative constructions) For (a given length of time). | |
I've not tekken her out of a goodly long while. | |
48. prep. (after a noun) (Indicates duration of a state, activity etc.) | |
After a delay of three hours, the plane finally took off. | |
the |
1. art. Definite grammatical article that implies necessarily that an entity it articulates is presupposed; something already mentioned, or completely specified later in that same sentence, or assumed already | |
I’m reading the book. (Compare I’m reading a book.) | |
The street in front of your house. (Compare A street in Paris.) | |
The men and women watched the man give the birdseed to the bird. | |
2. art. Used before a noun modified by a restrictive relative clause, indicating that the noun refers to a single referent defined by the relative clause. | |
The street that runs through my hometown. | |
3. art. Used before an object considered to be unique, or of which there is only one at a time. | |
No one knows how many galaxies there are in the universe. | |
God save the Queen! | |
4. art. Used before a superlative or an ordinal number modifying a noun, to indicate that the noun refers to a single item. | |
That was the best apple pie ever. | |
5. art. Added to a superlative or an ordinal number to make it into a substantive. | |
That apple pie was the best. | |
6. art. Introducing a singular term to be taken generically: preceding a name of something standing for a whole class. | |
7. art. Used before an adjective, indicating all things (especially persons) described by that adjective. | |
Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. | |
8. art. Used to indicate a certain example of (a noun) which is usually of most concern or most common or familiar. | |
No one in the whole country had seen it before. | |
I don't think I'll get to it until the morning. | |
9. art. Used before a body part (especially of someone previously mentioned), as an alternative to a possessive pronoun. | |
A stone hit him on the head. (= “A stone hit him on his head.”) | |
10. art. When stressed, indicates that it describes an object which is considered to be best or exclusively worthy of attention. | |
That is the hospital to go to for heart surgery. | |
11. adv. 1=With a comparative ormore and a verb phrase, establishes a parallel with one or more other such comparatives. | |
The hotter the better. | |
The more I think about it, the weaker it looks. | |
The more money donated, the more books purchased, and the more happy children. | |
It looks weaker and weaker, the more I think about it. | |
12. adv. 1=With a comparative, and often withfor it, indicates a result more like said comparative. This can be negated withnone. | |
It was a difficult time, but I’m the wiser for it. | |
It was a difficult time, and I’m none the wiser for it. | |
I'm much the wiser for having had a difficult time like that. | |
court |
1. n. An enclosed space; a courtyard; an uncovered area shut in by the walls of a building, or by different buildings; also, a space opening from a street and nearly surrounded by houses; a blind alley. | |
The girls were playing in the court. | |
2. n. (US, Australia) A street with no outlet, a cul-de-sac. | |
3. n. (social) Royal society. | |
4. n. The residence of a sovereign, prince, nobleman, or ether dignitary; a palace. | |
The noblemen visited the queen in her court. | |
5. n. The collective body of persons composing the retinue of a sovereign or person high in authority; all the surroundings of a sovereign in his regal state | |
The queen and her court traveled to the city to welcome back the soldiers. | |
6. n. Any formal assembling of the retinue of a sovereign. | |
7. n. Attention directed to a person in power; conduct or address designed to gain favor; courtliness of manners; civility; compliment; flattery. | |
8. n. (law) The administration of law. | |
9. n. The hall, chamber, or place, where justice is administered. | |
Many famous criminals have been put on trial in this court. | |
10. n. The persons officially assembled under authority of law, at the appropriate time and place, for the administration of justice; an official assembly, le | |
The court started proceedings at 11 o'clock. | |
11. n. A tribunal established for the administration of justice. | |
12. n. The judge or judges; as distinguished from the counsel or jury, or both. | |
13. n. The session of a judicial assembly. | |
The court is now in session. | |
14. n. Any jurisdiction, civil, military, or ecclesiastical. | |
15. n. (sports) A place arranged for playing the games of tennis, basketball, squash, badminton, volleyball and some other games; also, one of the divisions of a tennis court. | |
The local sports club has six tennis courts and two squash courts. | |
The shuttlecock landed outside the court. | |
16. v. To seek to achieve or win. | |
He was courting big new accounts that previous salesman had not attempted. | |
17. v. To risk (a consequence, usually negative). | |
He courted controversy with his frank speeches. | |
18. v. To try to win a commitment to marry from. | |
19. v. To engage in behavior leading to mating. | |
The bird was courting by making an elaborate dance. | |
20. v. To attempt to attract. | |
21. v. To attempt to gain alliance with. | |
22. v. (intransitive) To engage in activities intended to win someone's affections. | |
She's had a few beaus come courting. | |
23. v. (intransitive) To engage in courtship behavior. | |
In this season, you can see many animals courting. | |
24. v. To invite by attractions; to allure; to attract. | |
particularly |
1. adv. (focus) Especially, extremely. | |
The apéritifs were particularly stimulating. | |
2. adv. (degree) To a great extent. | |
3. adv. Specifically, uniquely or individually. | |
4. adv. In detail; with regard to particulars. | |
5. adv. (dated) In a particular manner; fussily. | |