lawman en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈlɔmən/ (US)
- lômăn (UK)
- /ˈlɔːmæn/ (UK)
- /ˈlɔːmən/ (UK)
- lômən (US)
- /ˈlɔmæn/ (US)
- lômăn (US)
- lômən (UK)
Etymology
From Middle English laweman, laȝaman (as a man's name, Laȝamon, Layamon), from Old English lahmann, borrowed from Old Norse lǫgmaðr. In present use as a law-enforcement officer, law + -man.
Meanings
- (historical) A lawspeaker: a declarer of the law.
- (historical) One of 12 magistrates in certain Danish boroughs of England empowered with soc and sac over their own households.
-
(Orkney, Shetland) The presiding justice of the supreme court.
From the twelfth century Shetland had been administered directly by the Norwegian crown through the 'foud', rather than forming part of the patrimony of a great aristocratic estate. The foud appointed 'underfouds' and the Shetlands evolved their own elected officers, a 'lawman' and parish 'lawrightmen', who adjudicated and negotiated the collection of customary taxes and fines on behalf of the local population.
1983, Paul Thompson, Tony Wailey, Trevor Lummis, History Workshop Series, Living the Fishing, Routledge & Kegan Paul:
- (rare) A man of the law: a lawyer.
-
(informal) An officer of the law: a law-enforcement officer.
The two lawmen punched his ticket with four well-aimed rifle shots.
2016, Dusty Richards, Deadly Is the Night, Pinnacle Books, →ISBN, retrieved 08 Dec 2021:"Fill your hand, you sonuvabitch," the old lawman cries, clamping the reins of his horse between his teeth and filling his own hands with six-gun and repeater.
1979 June 25, Richard Schickel, “Show Business: Duke: Images from a Lifetime”, in TIME, archived from the original on 13 May 2011:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| lawmen | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
monarch · legal representative · five-o · cozzer · filth · harman-beck · attorney · Officer Friendly · bullyman · attorney · beatsman · one-time · flatfoot · buttons · fed · peeler · chazzer · lagman · nuthook · alphabet · cracker · unboiled lobster · bobby · fuzz · mee-maw · swine · police · plod · lawman-general · blue heeler · jack · counsel · lawman · policeman · policeperson · bluecoat · gendarme · charpering omi · bogey · jake · raw lobster · slop · rozzer · scufter · tyre biter · counselor · centenier · garda · lawman · cobbler · pig · Old Bill · crusher · counsel · bull · oinker · John Law · polis · boy in blue · bobby · walloper · finest · harman · flatty · lagman · limb of the law · Johnny Hopper · PC Plod · mutton shunter · John Q. Law · bizzie · glowie · copper · latitat · 5-O · body snatcher · Mr Plod · barney · avocat · lageman · crowns · statie · bluebottle · finger · guardian of the peace · man of law · advocate · Inspector Knacker · po-po · lawyer · abogado · roller · jackboot · lawspeaker · piggy · police officer · cop · twelve · wooden-top · blue meanie · dibble · cop
Translations (10)
la lagemannus (a lawspeaker) · ru представи́тель зако́на (an officer of the law) · osx ēosago (a lawspeaker) · la lagemannus (a medieval Dano-English magistrate) · pl stróż prawa (an officer of the law) · fr homme de loi (an officer of the law) · ofs āsega (a lawspeaker) · ru sotrúdnik pravooxranítelʹnovo órgana (an officer of the law) · ru суде́бный исполни́тель (an officer of the law) · goh ēwasago (a lawspeaker)