1. The collection of rules imposed by authority
   "civilization presupposes respect for the law";
   - jurisprudence
    
2. A rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society
   "Some argue that the right to life is a natural law";
   - natural law
    
3. Legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity
   "there is a law against kidnapping"
    
4. A generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature
   "the laws of thermodynamics"; "Gravity is a fundamental law of nature";
   - law of nature
    
5. The branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do
   "Legal philosophy examines the nature and purpose of law";
   - jurisprudence, legal philosophy
    
6. 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"; "After passing the bar exam, she began her practice of law at a prestigious firm";
   - practice of law
    
7. The force of policemen and officers
   "the law came looking for him";
   - police, police force, constabulary, boys in blue [informal], Bill [Brit, informal], Old Bill [Brit, informal], polis [UK, dialect, informal], fuzz [informal], the fuzz [informal]

Sounds like: lauded, lor, law

Derived forms: laws

Type of: accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, collection, concept, conception, construct, force, instrument, law enforcement agency, learned profession, legal document, legal instrument, official document, personnel, philosophy

Part of: theory

Encyclopedia: Law, Oliver