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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

lay down the law en · VERB

Pronunciation

Meanings

  1. To promulgate law.
    • Six or eight thousand years ago / They laid down the law / In Mesopotamia 1982, “Mesopotamia”, performed by The B-52's:
    • [I]n other words, some Jews thought of Moses as the one who laid down the Law, while others saw him more as a prophet. 2004, John Lierman, The New Testament Moses, page 125:
  2. (dated) To present the law that applies to a given case.
  3. (idiomatic) To authoritatively or dogmatically assert what is permitted or not permitted.
    • Looks like the governor's laid down the law about the guards getting too lax, so we have to be damned careful. 2003, Robert Ludlum with Gayle Lynds, The Altman code, page 357:
    • He concluded this sentence with a self-important cough, as one who has laid down the law in an indisputable manner. 1818, Sir Walter Scott, The Heart of Mid-Lothian, chapter 4:
    • Montague could picture the grim, hawk-faced old man, sitting at the head of the council board, and laying down the law to the masters of the Metropolis. 1908, Upton Sinclair, The Moneychangers, chapter 19:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
lays down the law Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
laid down the law Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
laid down the law Tense=Past lexicographic
laying down the law Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Relateds

read the riot act

Translations (8)

ru делать погоду (to assert what is permitted) · it fare il bello e il cattivo tempo (to assert what is permitted) · it dettare legge (to assert what is permitted) · fr faire la pluie et le beau temps (to assert what is permitted) · cy rhoi'r ddeddf i lawr (to assert what is permitted) · cy dweud y drefn (to assert what is permitted) · fr faire la loi (to assert what is permitted) · hy եղանակ ստեղծել (to assert what is permitted)