law : Idioms & Phrases

Index


action at law

  • noun a judicial proceeding brought by one party against another; one party prosecutes another for a wrong done or for protection of a right or for prevention of a wrong
    action; legal action.
WordNet

administrative law

  • noun the body of rules and regulations and orders and decisions created by administrative agencies of government
WordNet

admiralty law

  • noun the branch of international law that deals with territorial and international waters or with shipping or with ocean fishery etc.
    marine law; admiralty law.
WordNet

all-or-none law

  • noun (neurophysiology) a nerve impulse resulting from a weak stimulus is just as strong as a nerve impulse resulting from a strong stimulus
WordNet

anti-drug law

  • noun a law forbidding the sale or use of narcotic drugs
WordNet

anti-racketeering law

  • noun law intended to eradicate organized crime by establishing strong sanctions and forfeiture provisions
    Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act; RICO; RICO Act.
WordNet

antitrust law

  • noun law intended to promote free competition in the market place by outlawing monopolies
    antitrust legislation.
WordNet

Avogadro's law

  • noun the principle that equal volumes of all gases (given the same temperature and pressure) contain equal numbers of molecules
    Avogadro's hypothesis.
WordNet
  • (Chem.), a fundamental conception, according to which, under similar conditions of temperature and pressure, all gases and vapors contain in the same volume the same number of ultimate molecules; so named after Avogadro, an Italian scientist. Sometimes called Ampère's law.
Webster 1913

bachelor of laws

  • noun a three-year law degree
    LLB.
WordNet

Bankrupt law

  • a law by which the property of a person who is unable or unwilling to pay his debts may be taken and distributed to his creditors, and by which a person who has made a full surrender of his property, and is free from fraud, may be discharged from the legal obligation of his debts. See Insolvent, a.
Webster 1913

benford's law

  • noun a law used by auditors to identify fictitious populations of numbers; applies to any population of numbers derived from other numbers
    • Benford's law holds that 30% of the time the first non-zero digit of a derived number will be 1 and it will be 9 only 4.6% of the time
WordNet

bernard law montgomery

  • noun English general during World War II; won victories over Rommel in North Africa and led British ground forces in the invasion of Normandy (1887-1976)
    Bernard Law Montgomery; 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein; Montgomery.
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bernoulli's law

  • noun (statistics) law stating that a large number of items taken at random from a population will (on the average) have the population statistics
    Bernoulli's law.
WordNet

blue law

  • noun a statute regulating work on Sundays
    blue law.
WordNet

Blue laws

  • noun a statute regulating work on Sundays
    blue law.
WordNet
  • a name first used in the eighteenth century to describe certain supposititious laws of extreme rigor reported to have been enacted in New Haven; hence, any puritanical laws. U. S.
Webster 1913

blue sky law

  • noun a state law regulating the sale of securities in an attempt to control the sale of securities in fraudulent enterprises
WordNet

Bode's law

  • (Astron.), an approximative empirical expression of the distances of the planets from the sun, as follows: Mer. Ven. Earth. Mars. Aste. Jup. Sat. Uran. Nep. 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 0 3 6 12 24 48 96 192 384 - - 4 7 10 16 28 52 100 196 388 5.9 7.3 10 15.2 27.4 52 95.4 192 300
    where each distance (line third) is the sum of 4 and a multiple of 3 by the series 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, etc., the true distances being given in the lower line.
Webster 1913

Body of a law

  • (Law), the main and operative part.
Webster 1913

boltzmann distribution law

  • noun (physics) a law expressing the distribution of energy among the molecules of a gas in thermal equilibrium
    Boltzmann distribution law.
WordNet

Boyle's law

  • noun the pressure of an ideal gas at constant temperature varies inversely with the volume
    Boyle's law.
WordNet
  • (Physics), an expression of the fact, that when an elastic fluid is subjected to compression, and kept at a constant temperature, the product of the pressure and volume is a constant quantity, i. e., the volume is inversely proportioned to the pressure; known also as Mariotte's law, and the law of Boyle and Mariotte.
Webster 1913

Brehon laws

  • the ancient Irish laws, unwritten, like the common law of England. They were abolished by statute of Edward III.
Webster 1913

brother-in-law

  • noun a brother by marriage
WordNet
Broth"er-in-law` noun
Wordforms
plural Brothers-in-law
Definitions
  1. The brother of one's husband or wife; also, the husband of one's sister; sometimes, the husband of one's wife's sister.
Webster 1913

by-law

By"-law` noun
Etymology
Cf.Sw.bylag, D.bylov, Icel.barlög, fr.Sw.& Dan. by town, Icel. bær, byr (fr. bûa to dwell) + the word for law; hence, a law for one town, a special law. Cf.Birlaw and see Law.
Definitions
  1. A local or subordinate law; a private law or regulation made by a corporation for its own government.
    There was likewise a law to restrain the by-laws, or ordinances of corporations. Bacon.
    The law or institution; to which are added two by-laws, as a comment upon the general law. Addison.
  2. A law that is less important than a general law or constitutional provision, and subsidiary to it; a rule relating to a matter of detail; as, civic societies often adopt a constitution and by-laws for the government of their members. In this sense the word has probably been influenced by by, meaning secondary or aside.
Webster 1913

Canon law

  • noun the body of codified laws governing the affairs of a Christian church
    canon law.
WordNet
  • the body of ecclesiastical law adopted in the Christian Church, certain portions of which (for example, the law of marriage as existing before the Council of Tent) were brought to America by the English colonists as part of the common law of the land. Wharton.
Webster 1913

case law

  • noun a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws
    case law; precedent.
    • common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States
  • noun (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
    case law; precedent.
WordNet

charles's law

  • noun (physics) the density of an ideal gas at constant pressure varies inversely with the temperature
    Gay-Lussac's law; Charles's law.
WordNet

Civil law

  • noun the body of laws established by a state or nation for its own regulation
  • noun the legal code of ancient Rome; codified under Justinian; the basis for many modern systems of civil law
    Justinian code; jus civile; civil law.
WordNet
  • a term used by writers to designate Roman law, with modifications thereof which have been made in the different countries into which that law has been introduced. The civil law, instead of the common law, prevails in the State of Louisiana. Wharton.
Webster 1913

Club law

  • government by violence; lynch law; anarchy.
Webster 1913

color of law

  • noun a mere semblance of legal right; something done with the apparent authority of law but actually in contravention of law
    color of law.
    • the plaintiff claimed that under color of law the officer had deprived him of his civil rights
WordNet

colour of law

  • noun a mere semblance of legal right; something done with the apparent authority of law but actually in contravention of law
    color of law.
    • the plaintiff claimed that under color of law the officer had deprived him of his civil rights
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Commercial law

  • noun the body of rules applied to commercial transactions; derived from the practices of traders rather than from jurisprudence
    law merchant; commercial law.
WordNet
  • . See Law merchant (below).
Webster 1913

Common law

  • noun (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions
    case law; precedent.
  • noun a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws
    case law; precedent.
    • common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States
WordNet
  • a system of jurisprudence developing under the guidance of the courts so as to apply a consistent and reasonable rule to each litigated case. It may be superseded by statute, but unless superseded it controls. Wharton. It is by others defined as the unwritten law (especially of England), the law that receives its binding force from immemorial usage and universal reception, as ascertained and expressed in the judgments of the courts. This term is often used in contradistinction from statute law. Many use it to designate a law common to the whole country. It is also used to designate the whole body of English (or other) law, as distinguished from its subdivisions, local, civil, admiralty, equity, etc. See Law.
Webster 1913

common-law

  • adjective satellite based on common law
    • a common-law right
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common-law marriage

  • noun a marriage relationship created by agreement and cohabitation rather than by ceremony
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conclusion of law

  • noun a finding as to the applicability of a rule of law to particular facts
    conclusion of law.
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Constitutional law

  • law that relates to the constitution, as a permanent system of political and juridical government, as distinguished from statutory and common law, which relate to matters subordinate to such constitution.
Webster 1913

contract law

  • noun that branch of jurisprudence that studies the rights and obligations of parties entering into contracts
WordNet

Corn laws

  • laws regulating trade in corn, especially those in force in Great Britain till 1846, prohibiting the importation of foreign grain for home consumption, except when the price rose above a certain rate.
Webster 1913

corporation law

  • noun that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing corporations
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coulomb's law

  • noun a fundamental principle of electrostatics; the force of attraction or repulsion between two charged particles is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the distance between them; principle also holds for magnetic poles
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counselor-at-law

  • noun a lawyer who pleads cases in court
    counsel; counsellor; advocate; pleader; counselor.
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court of law

  • noun a tribunal that is presided over by a magistrate or by one or more judges who administer justice according to the laws
    lawcourt; court; court of justice.
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Criminal law

  • noun the body of law dealing with crimes and their punishment
WordNet
  • that branch of jurisprudence which relates to crimes.
  • the law which relates to crimes.
Webster 1913

Crown law

  • the law which governs criminal prosecutions. Eng.
Webster 1913

dalton's law

  • noun (chemistry) law stating that when two elements can combine to form more than one compound the amounts of one of them that combines with a fixed amount of the other will exhibit a simple multiple relation
    Dalton's law.
  • noun (chemistry and physics) law stating that the pressure exerted by a mixture of gases equals the sum of the partial pressures of the gases in the mixture; the pressure of a gas in a mixture equals the pressure it would exert if it occupied the same volume alone at the same temperature
    Dalton's law; Dalton's law of partial pressures.
WordNet

dalton's law of partial pressures

  • noun (chemistry and physics) law stating that the pressure exerted by a mixture of gases equals the sum of the partial pressures of the gases in the mixture; the pressure of a gas in a mixture equals the pressure it would exert if it occupied the same volume alone at the same temperature
    Dalton's law; Dalton's law of partial pressures.
WordNet

daughter-in-law

  • noun the wife of your son
WordNet
Daugh"ter-in-law` noun
Wordforms
plural Daughters-in-law
Definitions
  1. The wife of one's son.
Webster 1913

distribution law

  • noun (chemistry) the total energy in an assembly of molecules is not distributed equally but is distributed around an average value according to a statistical distribution
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divine law

  • noun a law that is believed to come directly from God
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doctor of laws

  • noun an honorary law degree
    LLD.
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Draconian code, ∨ Draconian laws

  • a code of laws made by Draco. Their measures were so severe that they were said to be written in letters of blood; hence, any laws of excessive rigor.
Webster 1913

due process of law

  • noun (law) the administration of justice according to established rules and principles; based on the principle that a person cannot be deprived of life or liberty or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards
    due process.
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Ecclesiastical law

  • noun the body of codified laws governing the affairs of a Christian church
    canon law.
WordNet
  • a combination of civil and canon law as administered in ecclesiastical courts. Eng.
Webster 1913

equal protection of the laws

  • noun a right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and by the due-process clause of the Fifth Amendment
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equality before the law

  • noun the right to equal protection of the laws
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equilibrium law

  • noun (chemistry) the principle that (at chemical equilibrium) in a reversible reaction the ratio of the rate of the forward reaction to the rate of the reverse reaction is a constant for that reaction
    equilibrium law.
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european law enforcement organisation

  • noun police organization for the European Union; aims to improve effectiveness and cooperation among European police forces
    Europol.
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Ex post facto law

  • a law which operates by after enactment. The phrase is popularly applied to any law, civil or criminal, which is enacted with a retrospective effect, and with intention to produce that effect; but in its true application, as employed in American law, it relates only to crimes, and signifies a law which retroacts, by way of criminal punishment, upon that which was not a crime before its passage, or which raises the grade of an offense, or renders an act punishable in a more severe manner that it was when committed. Ex post facto laws are held to be contrary to the fundamental principles of a free government, and the States are prohibited from passing such laws by the Constitution of the United States.
Webster 1913

Falcidian law

  • (Civil Law), a law by which a testator was obliged to leave at least a fourth of his estate to the heir.
Webster 1913

father-in-law

  • noun the father of your spouse
WordNet
Fa"ther-in-law` noun
Wordforms
plural Fathers-in-law
Definitions
  1. The father of one's husband or wife; -- correlative to son-in-law and daughter-in-law. ✍ A man who marries a woman having children already, is sometimes, though erroneously, called their father-in-law.
Webster 1913

fechner's law

  • noun (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to the logarithm of the stimulus intensity; based on early work by E. H. Weber
    Fechner's law.
WordNet

federal job safety law

  • noun a law passed by the United States Congress that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prevent employees from being injured or contracting diseases in the course of their employment
    occupational safety and health act.
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federal law enforcement training center

  • noun a center in the Department of that trains law enforcement professionals for more than seventy federal agencies
    FLETC.
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finding of law

  • noun a finding as to the applicability of a rule of law to particular facts
    conclusion of law.
WordNet

first law of motion

  • noun a body remains at rest or in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force
    first law of motion; Newton's first law.
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first law of thermodynamics

  • noun the fundamental principle of physics that the total energy of an isolated system is constant despite internal changes
    first law of thermodynamics; conservation of energy.
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Forest laws

  • laws for the protection of game, preservation of timber, etc., in forests.
Webster 1913

frank-law

Frank"-law` noun
Etymology
Frank free + law.
Definitions
  1. (Eng. Law) The liberty of being sworn in courts, as a juror or witness; one of the ancient privileges of a freeman; free and common law; -- an obsolete expression signifying substantially the same as the American expression civil rights. Abbot.
Webster 1913

fraud in law

  • noun fraud that is presumed from the circumstances although the one who commits it need not have had any evil intent
WordNet

frederick law olmsted

  • noun United States landscape architect primarily responsible for the design of Central Park in New York City (1822-1903)
    Olmsted.
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fundamental law

  • noun law determining the fundamental political principles of a government
    constitution; fundamental law.
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gag law

  • noun a rule for limiting or ending debate in a deliberative body
    closure; cloture; gag rule.
  • noun any law that limits freedom of the press
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game law

  • noun a regulation intended to manage or preserve game animals
    game law.
WordNet

Game laws

  • noun a regulation intended to manage or preserve game animals
    game law.
WordNet
  • laws regulating the seasons and manner of taking game for food or for sport.
Webster 1913

gay-lussac's law

  • noun (physics) the density of an ideal gas at constant pressure varies inversely with the temperature
    Gay-Lussac's law; Charles's law.
WordNet

gestalt law of organization

  • noun a principle of Gestalt psychology that identifies factors leading to particular forms of perceptual organization
    Gestalt principle of organization.
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gresham's law

  • noun (economics) the principle that when two kinds of money having the same denominational value are in circulation the intrinsically more valuable money will be hoarded and the money of lower intrinsic value will circulate more freely until the intrinsically more valuable money is driven out of circulation; bad money drives out good; credited to Sir Thomas Gresham
WordNet

Grimm's law

  • noun a sound law relating German consonants and consonants in other Indo-European languages
WordNet
  • (Philol.), a statement (propounded by the German philologist Jacob Grimm) of certain regular changes which the primitive Indo-European mute consonants, so-called (most plainly seen in Sanskrit and, with some changes, in Greek and Latin), have undergone in the Teutonic languages. Examples: Skr. bhatr, L. frater, E. brother, G. bruder; L. tres, E. three, G. drei, Skr. go, E. cow, G. kuh; Skr. dha to put, Gr. ti-qe`-nai, E. do, OHG, tuon, G. thun.
Webster 1913

harmonic law

  • noun a law stating that the ratio of the square of the revolutionary period (in years) to the cube of the orbital axis (in astronomical units) is the same for all planets
    harmonic law.
WordNet

Heir at law

  • one who, after his ancector's death, has a right to inherit all his intestate estate. Wharton (Law Dict.).
Webster 1913

heir-at-law

  • noun the person legally entitled to inherit the property of someone who dies intestate
WordNet

henry's law

  • noun (chemistry) law formulated by the English chemist William Henry; the amount of a gas that will be absorbed by water increases as the gas pressure increases
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higher law

  • noun a principle that takes precedent over the laws of society
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Homestead law

  • noun a law conferring privileges on owners of homesteads
WordNet
  • . (a) A law conferring special privileges or exemptions upon owners of homesteads; esp., a law exempting a homestead from attachment or sale under execution for general debts. Such laws, with limitations as to the extent or value of the property, exist in most of the States. Called also homestead exemption law. (b) Also, a designation of an Act of Congress authorizing and regulating the sale of public lands, in parcels of 160 acres each, to actual settlers. U.S.
Webster 1913

hooke's law

  • noun (physics) the principle that (within the elastic limit) the stress applied to a solid is proportional to the strain produced
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hubble law

  • noun (astronomy) the generalization that the speed of recession of distant galaxies (the red shift) is proportional to their distance from the observer
    Hubble law.
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hubble's law

  • noun (astronomy) the generalization that the speed of recession of distant galaxies (the red shift) is proportional to their distance from the observer
    Hubble law.
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in-law

  • noun a relative by marriage
    in-law.
WordNet

Insolvent law, ∨ Act of insolvency

  • a law affording relief, subject to various modifications in different States, to insolvent debtors, upon their delivering up their property for the benefit of their creditors. See Bankrupt law, under Bankrupt, a.
Webster 1913

International law

  • noun the body of laws governing relations between nations
    international law.
WordNet
  • the rules regulating the mutual intercourse of nations. International law is mainly the product of the conditions from time to time of international intercourse, being drawn from diplomatic discussion, textbooks, proof of usage, and from recitals in treaties. It is called public when treating of the relations of sovereign powers, and private when of the relations of persons of different nationalities. International law is now, by the better opinion, part of the common law of the land. Cf. Conflict of laws, under Conflict.
Webster 1913

international law enforcement agency

  • noun an international administrative unit responsible for law enforcement
WordNet

islamic law

  • noun the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed
    sharia; Islamic law; shariah; sharia law.
    • sharia is only applicable to Muslims
    • under Islamic law there is no separation of church and state
WordNet

kepler's first law

  • noun a law stating that the orbit of each planet is an ellipse with the sun at one focus of the ellipse
WordNet

kepler's law

  • noun (astronomy) one of three empirical laws of planetary motion stated by Johannes Kepler
    Kepler's law; Kepler's law of planetary motion.
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kepler's law of planetary motion

  • noun (astronomy) one of three empirical laws of planetary motion stated by Johannes Kepler
    Kepler's law; Kepler's law of planetary motion.
WordNet

Kepler's laws

  • noun (astronomy) one of three empirical laws of planetary motion stated by Johannes Kepler
    Kepler's law; Kepler's law of planetary motion.
WordNet
  • (Astron.), three important laws or expressions of the order of the planetary motions, discovered by John Kepler. They are these: (1) The orbit of a planet with respect to the sun is an ellipse, the sun being in one of the foci. (2) The areas swept over by a vector drawn from the sun to a planet are proportioned to the times of describing them. (3) The squares of the times of revolution of two planets are in the ratio of the cubes of their mean distances.
Webster 1913

kepler's second law

  • noun a law concerning the speed at which planets travel; a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times
    Kepler's second law; law of areas.
    • Kepler's second law means that a planet's orbital speed changes with its distance from the sun
WordNet

kepler's third law

  • noun a law stating that the ratio of the square of the revolutionary period (in years) to the cube of the orbital axis (in astronomical units) is the same for all planets
    harmonic law.
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kirchhoff's laws

  • noun (physics) two laws governing electric networks in which steady currents flow: the sum of all the currents at a point is zero and the sum of the voltage gains and drops around any closed circuit is zero
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law agent

  • noun a solicitor in Scotland
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Law binding

  • a plain style of leather binding, used for law books; called also law calf.
Webster 1913

Law book

  • a book containing, or treating of, laws.
Webster 1913

Law calf

  • . See Law binding (above).
Webster 1913

Law day

  • . (a) Formerly, a day of holding court, esp. a court-leet. (b) The day named in a mortgage for the payment of the money to secure which it was given . U. S.
Webster 1913

law degree

  • noun degree conferred on someone who successfully completes law school
WordNet

law enforcement

  • noun ensuring obedience to the laws
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law enforcement agency

  • noun an agency responsible for insuring obedience to the laws
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law firm

  • noun a firm of lawyers
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Law French

  • the dialect of Norman, which was used in judicial proceedings and law books in England from the days of William the Conqueror to the thirty-sixth year of Edward III.
Webster 1913

Law language

  • the language used in legal writings and forms.
Webster 1913

Law Latin

  • . See under Latin.
Webster 1913

Law lords

  • peers in the British Parliament who have held high judicial office, or have been noted in the legal profession.
Webster 1913

law merchant

  • noun the body of rules applied to commercial transactions; derived from the practices of traders rather than from jurisprudence
    law merchant; commercial law.
WordNet

Law merchant, ∨ Commercial law

  • a system of rules by which trade and commerce are regulated; deduced from the custom of merchants, and regulated by judicial decisions, as also by enactments of legislatures. now in most state superseded by the Uniform Commercial Code
Webster 1913

law of action and reaction

  • noun action and reaction are equal and opposite
    Newton's third law of motion; Newton's third law; law of action and reaction.
WordNet

law of archimedes

  • noun (hydrostatics) the apparent loss in weight of a body immersed in a fluid is equal to the weight of the displaced fluid
    Archimedes' principle.
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law of areas

  • noun a law concerning the speed at which planets travel; a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times
    Kepler's second law; law of areas.
    • Kepler's second law means that a planet's orbital speed changes with its distance from the sun
WordNet

law of averages

  • noun a law affirming that in the long run probabilities will determine performance
WordNet

Law of Charles

  • (Physics), the law that the volume of a given mass of gas increases or decreases, by a definite fraction of its value for a given rise or fall of temperature; sometimes less correctly styled Gay Lussac's law, or Dalton's law.
Webster 1913

law of chemical equilibrium

  • noun (chemistry) the principle that (at chemical equilibrium) in a reversible reaction the ratio of the rate of the forward reaction to the rate of the reverse reaction is a constant for that reaction
    equilibrium law.
WordNet

law of closure

  • noun a Gestalt principle of organization holding that there is an innate tendency to perceive incomplete objects as complete and to close or fill gaps and to perceive asymmetric stimuli as symmetric
    closure.
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law of common fate

  • noun a Gestalt principle of organization holding that aspects of perceptual field that move or function in a similar manner will be perceived as a unit
    common fate.
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law of conservation of energy

  • noun the fundamental principle of physics that the total energy of an isolated system is constant despite internal changes
    first law of thermodynamics; conservation of energy.
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law of conservation of mass

  • noun a fundamental principle of classical physics that matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system
    law of conservation of mass; conservation of matter; conservation of mass.
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law of conservation of matter

  • noun a fundamental principle of classical physics that matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system
    law of conservation of mass; conservation of matter; conservation of mass.
WordNet

law of constant proportion

  • noun (chemistry) law stating that every pure substance always contains the same elements combined in the same proportions by weight
    law of constant proportion.
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law of continuation

  • noun a Gestalt principle of organization holding that there is an innate tendency to perceive a line as continuing its established direction
    continuation; good continuation.
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law of definite proportions

  • noun (chemistry) law stating that every pure substance always contains the same elements combined in the same proportions by weight
    law of constant proportion.
WordNet

law of diminishing returns

  • noun a law affirming that to continue after a certain level of performance has been reached will result in a decline in effectiveness
WordNet

law of effect

  • noun (psychology) the principle that behaviors are selected by their consequences; behavior having good consequences tends to be repeated whereas behavior that leads to bad consequences is not repeated
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law of equal areas

  • noun a law concerning the speed at which planets travel; a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal times
    Kepler's second law; law of areas.
    • Kepler's second law means that a planet's orbital speed changes with its distance from the sun
WordNet

law of equivalent proportions

  • noun (chemistry) law stating that the proportions in which two elements separately combine with a third element are also the proportions in which they combine together
    law of equivalent proportions.
WordNet

law of gravitation

  • noun (physics) the law that states any two bodies attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
    law of gravitation.
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law of independent assortment

  • noun each member of a pair of homologous chromosomes separates independently of the members of other pairs so the results are random
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law of large numbers

  • noun (statistics) law stating that a large number of items taken at random from a population will (on the average) have the population statistics
    Bernoulli's law.
WordNet

law of mass action

  • noun (chemistry) the law that states the following principle: the rate of a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the molecular concentrations of the reacting substances
WordNet

law of moses

  • noun the laws (beginning with the Ten Commandments) that God gave to the Israelites through Moses; it includes many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Old Testament (in Judaism these books are called the Torah)
    Law of Moses.
WordNet

law of motion

  • noun one of three basic laws of classical mechanics
    law of motion; Newton's law.
WordNet

law of multiple proportions

  • noun (chemistry) law stating that when two elements can combine to form more than one compound the amounts of one of them that combines with a fixed amount of the other will exhibit a simple multiple relation
    Dalton's law.
WordNet

Law of nations

  • noun the body of laws governing relations between nations
    international law.
WordNet
  • . See International law, under International.
Webster 1913

Law of nature

  • noun a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature
    law.
    • the laws of thermodynamics
WordNet
  • . (a) A broad generalization expressive of the constant action, or effect, of natural conditions; as, death is a law of nature; self-defense is a law of nature. See Law, 4. (b) A term denoting the standard, or system, of morality deducible from a study of the nature and natural relations of human beings independent of supernatural revelation or of municipal and social usages.
Webster 1913

law of parsimony

  • noun the principle that entities should not be multiplied needlessly; the simplest of two competing theories is to be preferred
    Ockham's Razor; principle of parsimony; Occam's Razor.
WordNet

law of partial pressures

  • noun (chemistry and physics) law stating that the pressure exerted by a mixture of gases equals the sum of the partial pressures of the gases in the mixture; the pressure of a gas in a mixture equals the pressure it would exert if it occupied the same volume alone at the same temperature
    Dalton's law; Dalton's law of partial pressures.
WordNet

law of proximity

  • noun a Gestalt principle of organization holding that (other things being equal) objects or events that are near to one another (in space or time) are perceived as belonging together as a unit
    proximity.
WordNet

law of reciprocal proportions

  • noun (chemistry) law stating that the proportions in which two elements separately combine with a third element are also the proportions in which they combine together
    law of equivalent proportions.
WordNet

law of segregation

  • noun members of a pair of homologous chromosomes separate during the formation of gametes and are distributed to different gametes so that every gamete receives only one member of the pair
WordNet

law of similarity

  • noun a Gestalt principle of organization holding that (other things being equal) parts of a stimulus field that are similar to each other tend to be perceived as belonging together as a unit
    similarity.
WordNet

Law of the land

  • noun a phrase used in the Magna Carta to refer to the then established law of the kingdom (as distinct from Roman or civil law); today it refers to fundamental principles of justice commensurate with due process
    • the United States Constitution declares itself to be `the supreme law of the land'
WordNet
  • due process of law; the general law of the land.
Webster 1913

law of thermodynamics

  • noun (physics) a law governing the relations between states of energy in a closed system
WordNet

law of volumes

  • noun (physics) the density of an ideal gas at constant pressure varies inversely with the temperature
    Gay-Lussac's law; Charles's law.
WordNet

law offender

  • noun someone who violates the law
    violator; lawbreaker.
WordNet

law officer

  • noun an officer of the law
    lawman; peace officer.
WordNet

law practice

  • noun the practice of law
WordNet

law school

  • noun a graduate school offering study leading to a law degree
    law school.
WordNet

law student

  • noun a student in law school
WordNet

law-abiding

  • adjective satellite (of individuals) adhering strictly to laws and rules and customs
    observant.
    • law-abiding citizens
    • observant of the speed limit
WordNet
Law"-a*bid`ing adjective
Definitions
  1. Abiding the law; waiting for the operation of law for the enforcement of rights; also, abiding by the law; obedient to the law; as, law-abiding people.
Webster 1913

law-breaking

  • noun (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act
    offence; criminal offense; crime; offense; criminal offence.
    • a long record of crimes
WordNet

law-fall

Law"-fall` noun
Definitions
  1. Depression of the jaw; hence, depression of spirits. M. Griffith (1660).
Webster 1913

law-makers

  • noun persons who make or amend or repeal laws
    legislature; legislative assembly; legislative body; general assembly.
WordNet

Laws of honor

  • . See under Honor.
Webster 1913

Laws of motion

  • (Physics), three laws defined by Sir Isaac Newton: (1) Every body perseveres in its state of rest or of moving uniformly in a straight line, except so far as it is made to change that state by external force. (2) Change of motion is proportional to the impressed force, and takes place in the direction in which the force is impressed. (3) Reaction is always equal and opposite to action, that is to say, the actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal and in opposite directions.
Webster 1913

le chatelier's law

  • noun the principle that if any change is imposed on a system that is in equilibrium then the system tends to adjust to a new equilibrium counteracting the change
    Le Chatelier's principle; Le Chatelier principle; Le Chatelier-Braun principle.
WordNet

Limb of the law

  • a lawyer or an officer of the law. Colloq.
Webster 1913

lynch law

  • noun the practice of punishing people by hanging without due process of law
WordNet
Lynch" law`
Definitions
  1. . The act or practice by private persons of inflicting punishment for crimes or offenses, without due process of law. ✍ The term Lynch law is said to be derived from a Virginian named Lynch, who took the law into his own hands. But the origin of the term is very doubtful.
Webster 1913

Maine law

  • any law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages, esp. one resembling that enacted in the State of Maine.
Webster 1913

Marine law

  • noun the branch of international law that deals with territorial and international waters or with shipping or with ocean fishery etc.
    marine law; admiralty law.
WordNet
  • . See under Law.
Webster 1913

Marine law, ∨ Maritime law

  • the law of the sea; a branch of the law merchant relating to the affairs of the sea, such as seamen, ships, shipping, navigation, and the like. Bouvier.
Webster 1913

Mariotte's law

  • noun the pressure of an ideal gas at constant temperature varies inversely with the volume
    Boyle's law.
WordNet
  • . See Boyle's law (above).
Webster 1913

Maritime law

  • noun the branch of international law that deals with territorial and international waters or with shipping or with ocean fishery etc.
    marine law; admiralty law.
WordNet
  • . See Law.
Webster 1913

Martial law

  • noun the body of law imposed by the military over civilian affairs (usually in time of war or civil crisis); overrides civil law
WordNet
  • the law administered by the military power of a government when it has superseded the civil authority in time of war, or when the civil authorities are unable to enforce the laws. It is distinguished from military law, the latter being the code of rules for the regulation of the army and navy alone, either in peace or in war.
Webster 1913

master of laws

  • noun an advanced law degree
    LLM.
WordNet

matrimonial law

  • noun that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing matrimony
WordNet

matter of law

  • noun a disputed legal contention that is generally left for a judge to decide
    matter of law.
WordNet

maxwell-boltzmann distribution law

  • noun (physics) a law expressing the distribution of energy among the molecules of a gas in thermal equilibrium
    Boltzmann distribution law.
WordNet

mendel's law

  • noun (genetics) one of two principles of heredity formulated by Gregor Mendel on the basis of his experiments with plants; the principles were limited and modified by subsequent genetic research
WordNet

mendeleev's law

  • noun (chemistry) the principle that chemical properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers
    Mendeleev's law.
WordNet

mercantile law

  • noun the body of rules applied to commercial transactions; derived from the practices of traders rather than from jurisprudence
    law merchant; commercial law.
WordNet

Military law

  • noun the body of laws and rules of conduct administered by military courts for the discipline, trial, and punishment of military personnel
WordNet
  • a branch of the general municipal law, consisting of rules ordained for the government of the military force of a state in peace and war, and administered in courts martial. Kent. Warren's Blackstone.
  • . See Martial law, under Martial.
Webster 1913

Mob law

  • law administered by the mob; lynch law.
Webster 1913

Moral law

  • the law of duty as regards what is right and wrong in the sight of God; specifically, the ten commandments given by Moses. See Law, 2.
Webster 1913

Mosaic, ∨ Ceremonial, law

  • . (Script.) See Law, 3.
Webster 1913

mosaic law

  • noun the laws (beginning with the Ten Commandments) that God gave to the Israelites through Moses; it includes many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Old Testament (in Judaism these books are called the Torah)
    Law of Moses.
WordNet

mother-in-law

  • noun the mother of your spouse
WordNet
Moth"er-in-law` noun
Definitions
  1. The mother of one's husband or wife.
Webster 1913

mother-in-law plant

  • noun an evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name
    dumb cane; Dieffenbachia sequine; mother-in-law plant.
WordNet

mother-in-law's tongue

  • noun stemless plant having narrow rigid leaves often cultivated as a houseplant
    Sansevieria trifasciata; snake plant.
  • noun an evergreen plant with large showy dark green leaves; contains a poison that swells the tongue and throat hence the name
    dumb cane; Dieffenbachia sequine; mother-in-law plant.
WordNet

Municipal, ∨ Positive, law

  • a rule prescribed by the supreme power of a state, declaring some right, enforcing some duty, or prohibiting some act; distinguished from international and constitutional law. See Law, 1.
Webster 1913

murphy's law

  • noun humorous axiom stating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong
    Murphy's Law.
WordNet

Natural law

  • noun a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
    law.
WordNet
  • that instinctive sense of justice and of right and wrong, which is native in mankind, as distinguished from specifically revealed divine law, and formulated human law.
Webster 1913

newton's first law

  • noun a body remains at rest or in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force
    first law of motion; Newton's first law.
WordNet

newton's first law of motion

  • noun a body remains at rest or in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an external force
    first law of motion; Newton's first law.
WordNet

newton's law

  • noun one of three basic laws of classical mechanics
    law of motion; Newton's law.
WordNet

newton's law of gravitation

  • noun (physics) the law that states any two bodies attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
    law of gravitation.
WordNet

newton's law of motion

  • noun one of three basic laws of classical mechanics
    law of motion; Newton's law.
WordNet

newton's second law

  • noun the rate of change of momentum is proportional to the imposed force and goes in the direction of the force
    Newton's second law; Newton's second law of motion.
WordNet

newton's second law of motion

  • noun the rate of change of momentum is proportional to the imposed force and goes in the direction of the force
    Newton's second law; Newton's second law of motion.
WordNet

newton's third law

  • noun action and reaction are equal and opposite
    Newton's third law of motion; Newton's third law; law of action and reaction.
WordNet

newton's third law of motion

  • noun action and reaction are equal and opposite
    Newton's third law of motion; Newton's third law; law of action and reaction.
WordNet

Nine points of the law

  • all but the tenth point; the greater weight of authority.
Webster 1913

Ohm's law

  • noun electric current is directly proportional to voltage and inversely proportional to resistance; I = E/R
WordNet
  • (Elec.), the statement of the fact that the strength or intensity of an electrical current is directly proportional to the electro-motive force, and inversely proportional to the resistance of the circuit.
Webster 1913

Organic law ∨ laws

  • a law or system of laws, or declaration of principles fundamental to the existence and organization of a political or other association; a constitution.
Webster 1913

organic law

  • noun law determining the fundamental political principles of a government
    constitution; fundamental law.
WordNet

parkinson's law

  • noun C. Northcote Parkinson's cynical observation that work will expand so as to fill the time available for its completion
  • noun C. Northcote Parkinson's cynical observation that the number of subordinates in an organization will increase linearly regardless of the amount of work to be done
WordNet

parliamentary law

  • noun a body of rules followed by an assembly
    rules of order; parliamentary procedure; order.
WordNet

pascal's law

  • noun pressure applied anywhere to a body of fluid causes a force to be transmitted equally in all directions; the force acts at right angles to any surface in contact with the fluid
    Pascal's law.
    • the hydraulic press is an application of Pascal's law
WordNet

pascal's law of fluid pressures

  • noun pressure applied anywhere to a body of fluid causes a force to be transmitted equally in all directions; the force acts at right angles to any surface in contact with the fluid
    Pascal's law.
    • the hydraulic press is an application of Pascal's law
WordNet

patent law

  • noun that branch of jurisprudence that studies the laws governing patents
WordNet

Penal laws, Penal statutes

  • (Law), laws prohibited certain acts, and imposing penalties for committing them.
Webster 1913

Periodic law

  • noun (chemistry) the principle that chemical properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers
    Mendeleev's law.
WordNet
  • (Chem.), the generalization that the properties of the chemical elements are periodic functions of their atomic wieghts. "In other words, if the elements are grouped in the order of their atomic weights, it will be found that nearly the same properties recur periodically throughout the entire series." The following tabular arrangement of the atomic weights shows the regular recurrence of groups (under I., II., III., IV., etc.), each consisting of members of the same natural family. The gaps in the table indicate the probable existence of unknown elements. TABLE OF THE PERIODIC LAW OF THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS(The vertical columns contain the periodic groups)Series1{ 2{ 3{ 4{ 5{ 6{ 7{ 8{ 9{ 10{ 11{ 12{ |I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. | RH4 RH3 RH3 RH |R2O RO R3O3 RO2 R2O5 RO3 R2O7 RO4 H1Li7Na23K39(Cu)63Rb85.2(Ag)(108)Cs133(-)(-)(Au)(197)(-) -
    ✍ A similar relation had been enunciated in a crude way by Newlands; but the law in its effective form was developed and elaborated by Mendelejeff, whence it is sometimes called Mendelejeff's law. Important extensions of it were also made by L. Meyer. By this means Mendelejeff predicted with remarkable accuracy the hypothetical elements ekaboron, ekaluminium, and ekasilicon, afterwards discovered and named respectively scandium, gallium, and germanium.
Webster 1913

planck's law

  • noun (physics) the basis of quantum theory; the energy of electromagnetic waves is contained in indivisible quanta that have to be radiated or absorbed as a whole; the magnitude is proportional to frequency where the constant of proportionality is given by Planck's constant
WordNet

planck's radiation law

  • noun (physics) an equation that expresses the distribution of energy in the radiated spectrum of an ideal black body
WordNet

Poor law

  • noun a law providing support for the poor
WordNet
  • a law providing for, or regulating, the relief or support of the poor.
Webster 1913

Positive law

  • . See Municipal law, under Law.
Webster 1913

power law

  • noun (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to a power of the stimulus intensity
    Stevens' law; power law.
WordNet

practice of law

  • noun the learned profession that is mastered by graduate study in a law school and that is responsible for the judicial system
    law.
    • he studied law at Yale
WordNet

Presumption of law

  • (Law), a postulate applied in advance to all cases of a particular class; e. g., the presumption of innocence and of regularity of records. Such a presumption is rebuttable or irrebuttable.
Webster 1913

Public law

  • noun a law affecting the public at large
WordNet
  • . (a) See International law, under International. (b) A public act or statute.
Webster 1913

question of law

  • noun a disputed legal contention that is generally left for a judge to decide
    matter of law.
WordNet

rejoicing in the law

  • noun (Judaism) a Jewish holy day celebrated on the 22nd or 23rd of Tishri to celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of readings of the Torah
    Rejoicing of the Law; Rejoicing in the Law; Simhat Torah; Simhath Torah; Simchas Torah; Shimchath Torah; Simchat Torah.
WordNet

rejoicing of the law

  • noun (Judaism) a Jewish holy day celebrated on the 22nd or 23rd of Tishri to celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of readings of the Torah
    Rejoicing of the Law; Rejoicing in the Law; Simhat Torah; Simhath Torah; Simchas Torah; Shimchath Torah; Simchat Torah.
WordNet

rejoicing over the law

  • noun (Judaism) a Jewish holy day celebrated on the 22nd or 23rd of Tishri to celebrate the completion of the annual cycle of readings of the Torah
    Rejoicing of the Law; Rejoicing in the Law; Simhat Torah; Simhath Torah; Simchas Torah; Shimchath Torah; Simchat Torah.
WordNet

relative-in-law

  • noun a relative by marriage
    in-law.
WordNet

Retroactive lawstatute

  • (Law), one which operates to make criminal or punishable, or in any way expressly to affect, acts done prior to the passing of the law.
Webster 1913

Roman law

  • noun the legal code of ancient Rome; codified under Justinian; the basis for many modern systems of civil law
    Justinian code; jus civile; civil law.
WordNet
  • the system of principles and laws found in the codes and treatises of the lawmakers and jurists of ancient Rome, and incorporated more or less into the laws of the several European countries and colonies founded by them. See Civil law (above).
Webster 1913

rule of law

  • noun a state of order in which events conform to the law
WordNet

Salic law

  • noun the code of laws of the Salian Franks and other German tribes
WordNet
  • . (a) A code of laws formed by the Salian Franks in the fifth century. By one provision of this code women were excluded from the inheritance of landed property. (b) Specifically, in modern times, a law supposed to be a special application of the above-mentioned provision, in accordance with which males alone can inherit the throne. This law has obtained in France, and at times in other countries of Europe, as Spain.
Webster 1913

school of law

  • noun a graduate school offering study leading to a law degree
    law school.
WordNet

second law of motion

  • noun the rate of change of momentum is proportional to the imposed force and goes in the direction of the force
    Newton's second law; Newton's second law of motion.
WordNet

second law of thermodynamics

  • noun a law stating that mechanical work can be derived from a body only when that body interacts with another at a lower temperature; any spontaneous process results in an increase of entropy
WordNet

securities law

  • noun the body of laws governing the issuance and selling of securities
WordNet

sergeant-at-law

  • noun an English barrister of the highest rank
    serjeant; sergeant-at-law; sergeant.
WordNet

serjeant-at-law

  • noun an English barrister of the highest rank
    serjeant; sergeant-at-law; sergeant.
WordNet

sharia law

  • noun the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed
    sharia; Islamic law; shariah; sharia law.
    • sharia is only applicable to Muslims
    • under Islamic law there is no separation of church and state
WordNet

shariah law

  • noun the code of law derived from the Koran and from the teachings and example of Mohammed
    sharia; Islamic law; shariah; sharia law.
    • sharia is only applicable to Muslims
    • under Islamic law there is no separation of church and state
WordNet

sir bernard law montgomery

  • noun English general during World War II; won victories over Rommel in North Africa and led British ground forces in the invasion of Normandy (1887-1976)
    Bernard Law Montgomery; 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein; Montgomery.
WordNet

sister-in-law

  • noun the sister of your spouse
WordNet
Sis"ter-in-law` noun
Wordforms
plural Sisters-in-law()
Definitions
  1. The sister of one's husband or wife; also, the wife of one's brother; sometimes, the wife of one's husband's or wife's brother.
Webster 1913

sod's law

  • noun humorous axiom stating that anything that can go wrong will go wrong
    Murphy's Law.
WordNet

son-in-law

  • noun the husband of your daughter
WordNet
Son"-in-law` noun
Wordforms
plural Sons-in-law
Definitions
  1. The husband of one's daughter; a man in his relationship to his wife's parents.
    To take me as for thy son in lawe. Chaucer.
Webster 1913

sound law

  • noun a law describing sound changes in the history of a language
WordNet

Special statute, ∨ Special law

  • an act of the legislature which has reference to a particular person, place, or interest; in distinction from a general law.
Webster 1913

Statute law

  • noun law enacted by a legislative body
    legislation.
WordNet
  • the law as stated in statutes or positive enactments of the legislative body.
Webster 1913

statutory law

  • noun the body of laws created by legislative statutes
WordNet

stevens' law

  • noun (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to a power of the stimulus intensity
    Stevens' law; power law.
WordNet

stevens' power law

  • noun (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to a power of the stimulus intensity
    Stevens' law; power law.
WordNet

Sumptuary laws ∨ regulations

  • laws intended to restrain or limit the expenditure of citizens in apparel, food, furniture, etc.; laws which regulate the prices of commodities and the wages of labor; laws which forbid or restrict the use of certain articles, as of luxurious apparel.
Webster 1913

Sumptuary law

  • . See under Sumptuary.
Webster 1913

Sword law

  • government by the sword, or by force; violence. Milton.
Webster 1913

tax law

  • noun the body of laws governing taxation
WordNet

third law of motion

  • noun action and reaction are equal and opposite
    Newton's third law of motion; Newton's third law; law of action and reaction.
WordNet

third law of thermodynamics

  • noun law stating that the entropy of a substance approaches zero as its temperature approaches absolute zero
WordNet

To go to law

  • to seek a settlement of any matter by bringing it before the courts of law; to sue or prosecute some one.
Webster 1913

To make one's law

  • (Old Law), to adduce proof to clear one's self of a charge.
Webster 1913

To take, ∨ have, the law of

  • to bring the law to bear upon; as, to take the law of one's neighbor. Addison.
Webster 1913

To wage one's law

  • (Law), to give security to make one's law. See Wager of law, under Wager, n.
Webster 1913

Unwritten law

  • noun law based on customary behavior
    unwritten law.
WordNet
  • . Cf. L. lex non scripta. That part of the law of England and of the United States which is not derived from express legislative enactment, or at least from any enactment now extant and in force as such. This law is now generally contained in the reports of judicial decisions. See Common law, under Common.
Webster 1913

Unwritten laws

  • noun law based on customary behavior
    unwritten law.
WordNet
  • such laws as have been handed down by tradition or in song. Such were the laws of the early nations of Europe.
Webster 1913

verner's law

  • noun a qualification of Grimm's law
WordNet

Wager of law

  • (Law), the giving of gage, or sureties, by a defendant in an action of debt, that at a certain day assigned he would take a law, or oath, in open court, that he did not owe the debt, and at the same time bring with him eleven neighbors (called compurgators), who should avow upon their oaths that they believed in their consciences that he spoke the truth.
Webster 1913

weber's law

  • noun (psychophysics) the concept that a just-noticeable difference in a stimulus is proportional to the magnitude of the original stimulus
    • Weber's law explains why you don't notice your headlights are on in the daytime
WordNet

weber-fechner law

  • noun (psychophysics) the concept that the magnitude of a subjective sensation increases proportional to the logarithm of the stimulus intensity; based on early work by E. H. Weber
    Fechner's law.
WordNet

Written laws

  • laws deriving their force from express legislative enactment, as contradistinguished from unwritten, or common, law. See the Note under Law, and Common law, under Common, a.
Webster 1913

zeroth law of thermodynamics

  • noun the law that if two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with a third body then the first two bodies are in thermal equilibrium with each other
WordNet