the collection of rules imposed by authority; civilization presupposes respect for the law; the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order

[ Syn: jurisprudence ]

legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity; there is a law against kidnapping'

a rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society

[ Syn: natural law ]

a generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature; the laws of thermodynamics

[ Syn: law of nature ]

the branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do

[ Syn: jurisprudence , legal philosophy ]

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

[ Syn: practice of law ]

the force of policemen and officers; the law came looking for him

[ Syn: police , police , police force , police force , constabulary , constabulary ]