◙ noun 1. [mass noun] [常作the law] the system of rules which a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties • 法律，法 »they were taken to court for breaking the law. 他们由于犯法被带上法庭。 »a licence is required by law. 依法需要执照。 »[as modifier] law enforcement. 执法。 [count noun] an individual rule as part of such a system • 一项法律规定 »an initiative to tighten up the laws on pornography. 加强反色情文学法律规定的动议。 such systems as a subject of study or as the basis of the legal profession • 法学律师业务。 --› comparejurisprudence »he was still practising law. 他仍在从事法律业。 »[as modifier] a law firm. 律师事务所。 a thing regarded as having the binding force or effect of a formal system of rules • 有法律效力的事物 »he had supreme control—what he said was law. 他具有最高控制权——他的话就是法律。 (the law)[informal] the police • [非正式] 警察，警方 »he'd never been in trouble with the law in his life. 他一生中从未和警方有过麻烦。 statute law and the common law • 成文法和习惯法。 --› compareequity [count noun] a rule defining correct procedure or behaviour in a sport • 规则 »the laws of the game. 游戏规则。 2. a statement of fact, deduced from observation, to the effect that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions are present • 定律，定理，定则 »the second law of thermodynamics. 热力学第二定律。 a generalization based on a fact or event perceived to be recurrent • 规律 »the first law of American corporate life is that dead wood floats. 在美国大公司谋生的第一规律就是无用者随大流。 3. [mass noun] the body of divine commandments as expressed in the Bible or other religious texts • （圣经或其他经文的）戒律 (the Law)the Pentateuch as distinct from the other parts of the Hebrew Bible (the Prophets and the Writings) • 与希伯来圣经其他部分（预言书、记）相区别的摩西五经 [亦作the Law of Moses] the precepts of the Pentateuch • 摩西律法。 --› compareTorah
【IDIOMS】
◘ at [或in] law 1. according to or concerned with the laws of a country • 依法，与法律有关 »an agreement enforceable at law. 可依法实施的协议。 »a barrister-at-law. 法律顾问。 ◘ be a law unto oneself 1. behave in a manner that is not conventional or predictable • （行为）反复无常，一意孤行 ◘ go to law 1. resort to legal action in order to settle a matter • 诉诸法律 ◘ law and order 1. a situation characterized by respect for and obedience to the rules of a society • 治安，法律与秩序 ◘ the law of the jungle 1. 见jungle ◘ lay down the law 1. issue instructions to other people in an authoritative or dogmatic way • 权威性命令，严令 ◘ take the law into one's own hands 1. punish someone for an offence according to one's own ideas of justice, especially in an illegal or violent way • 不顾法律擅自处理 ◘ take someone to law 1. initiate legal proceedings against someone • 绳之以法 ◘ there's no law against it 1. [informal] used in spoken English to assert that one is doing nothing wrong, especially in response to an actual or implied criticism • [非正式] ［口语中表示没有做错，尤用于回应批评］法律又不禁止 »I can laugh, can't I? There's no law against it. 我可以笑，不是吗？法律又不禁止。
【语源】
1. Old English lagu, from Old Norse lag 'something laid down or fixed', of Germanic origin and related to lay