long arm of the law en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic, qualifier:almost always preceded by the) The influence or effectiveness of law enforcement institutions; law enforcement officers collectively.
The long arm of the law does not protect banks the way it used to.
1979 September 3, “Pass the Buck”, in TIME, archived from the original on 01 Sep 2010:"Repeat violent offenders will hopscotch over state lines to avoid the long arm of the law," said Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.
2008 September 12, Lisa Rein, “Jurisdictions Share Data on Ex-Offenders”, in The Washington Post, archived from the original on 09 Oct 2015:It is my belief that I could have felt no greater dismay, if the long arm of the Law had laid its hold on me while he was speaking.
1889, Wilkie Collins, chapter 60, in The Legacy of Cain:
Translations (17)
es brazo de la ley (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · nn lovas lange arm (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · fi lain pitkä koura (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · nl lange arm der wet (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · sv lagens långa arm (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · nb lovens lange arm (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · pl wymiar sprawiedliwości (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · fi lain koura (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · it braccio della legge (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · ro brațul lung al legii (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · nn lovens lange arm (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · de Rechtspflege (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · cmn 法網 /法网 (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · cmn 網羅 /网罗 (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · da lovens lange arm (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · el τσιμπίδα του νόμου (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement) · ro brațul legii (influence or effectiveness of law enforcement)