[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/law.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / law

[← L](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/L/)

# law

«law» in Mova's school dictionary: **a rule made by a government that everyone in a country or…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a law, laws; the law)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A law is a rule made by a government that everyone in a country or place must follow. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#m1)

2) The law means all of these rules together, and the system of police and courts. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#m2)

3) A law of science (or of nature) is a rule that always seems to be true, such as the law of gravity. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#m3)

4) Law is also the subject people study to become lawyers. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life laws keep people safe and fair: seat belt laws, road laws, laws against stealing; breaking the law can lead to a fine or worse. In civics lessons laws are made by Parliament (UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) or Congress (USA). In science a law describes something that always happens, like objects falling because of gravity. Phrases: break the law, against the law, obey the law, by law, law and order, the law of gravity.

### examples

- It is against the law to steal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x1)
- In many countries, wearing a seat belt is the law. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x2)
- People who break the law may have to pay a fine. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x3)
- Laws are made by the government. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x4)
- The police help to keep the law. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x5)
- The law of gravity explains why things fall down. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x6)
- My aunt studied law at university. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x7)
- By law, children must go to school. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x8)
- The laws of nature are unchangeable. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/#x9)

### note

Countable (a law, laws) for single rules; «the law» for the whole system. Do not confuse with «lore» (old stories and knowledge) or «low» (not high). School rules are rules, not laws; laws are made by governments.

### In the corpora

- [Alcohol is against the law to buy before 18 because growing bodies and brains handle it badly.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/27-coffee-tea-wine-and-the-pub/3/)
- [Drinking and driving is against the law and dangerous.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/27-coffee-tea-wine-and-the-pub/11/)
- [Vapes are made colourful and sweet-tasting, and selling them to under-18s is against the law.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/28-smoking-vaping-and-betting/10/)
- [Gambling is against the law under 18, and a child should never keep a grown-up's gambling or money worries secret.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/28-smoking-vaping-and-betting/18/)
- [Parliament is where elected representatives, called MPs in the UK, debate and vote on new laws.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/31-votes-parties-and-the-people-in-charge/15/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «law» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/law/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.