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

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

# lawfully

«lawfully» in Mova's school dictionary: **allowed by the law; legally** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

### part of speech

adverb (from the adjective lawful)

### meaning for a pupil

1) In a way that is allowed by the law; legally. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#m1)

2) (formal) In a way that is properly allowed by rules or official authority. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

Used in formal and legal language, in news, and in exam-style texts about rights and rules. In wedding ceremonies people hear «lawfully wedded husband/wife». In civics lessons it describes what citizens or police may do within the law. Phrases: lawfully entitled, lawfully married, act lawfully, lawfully owned.

### examples

- The police can lawfully stop a car that is speeding. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x1)
- The land was lawfully bought by the council. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x2)
- They were lawfully married in a small church. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x3)
- You may lawfully fish here if you have a permit. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x4)
- Citizens can lawfully protest in a peaceful way. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x5)
- The money was lawfully earned. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x6)
- The shop must lawfully display its prices. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x7)
- He was lawfully entitled to the reward. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x8)
- You ought to know that I can't marry you at such a time, or, at all events, can't marry you lawfully. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/L/lawfully/#x9)

### note

Opposite: unlawfully, illegally. Similar: legally. «Lawfully» is more formal than «legally». The adjective is «lawful»; the noun is «law». Spelled with a double l at the end: lawful + ly.

### Trees and pragmatics

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