(1)法律(令，规)(collection of rules according to which people live or a country is governed;any one of such rules)[C，U，the～]：administer/apply/enforce the (a)～执行/实施/实施法律(规);abide by/obey/observe the (a)～遵守法律(规);break/violate/flout the (a)～犯法/犯法/蔑视法律interpret (a)～解释(一)法律(规);declare a～unconstitutional宣布一条法律不合宪法;Does the～allow me to do this? 法律允许我这样做吗?a just～ 公正的法律;an unjust～ 不公正的法律; tariff/traffic～s 关税法/交通法规;The～provides that a parent should send his child to school. 法律规定家长必须送子女上学。commercial/civil/constitutional/copyright/criminal/environmental/marriage/immigration/international/labour/military～商业法/民法/宪法/版权法/刑法/环境法/婚姻法/移民法/国际法/劳动法/军法;martial～戒严令;unwritten～不成文法，习惯法;according to the～按照法律;The～is on his side. 他是有法律依据的。It is against the～to smoke in an elevator. 在电梯里抽烟是违规的。He is at～with his neighbour. 他在和邻居打官司。Nobody is above and outside the～. 没有人能凌驾于法律之上，超越于法律之外。maintain/keep～and order 维护法律和秩序;By～a general election had to be held no later than October. 根据法律，大选必须不迟于10月举行。There is no～against fishing. 没有禁止捕鱼的法令。a～firm 律师事务所;

(2)法学(such rules as a subject for study)[U]：study/read～at university 在大学学习法律;practise～当律师;a～student 法律系学生;

(3)规律，法则，定律(rule of action;statement of a principle in science)[C]：a～for life and conduct 生活与行为守则;a～of grammar 一条语法规则;the～s of basketball 篮球规则;the～of gravity/motion万有引力/运动定律;the～of social development/supply and demand/value 社会发展/供求/价值规律;the～s of nature 自然规律;the～of averages 平衡法则;the～of the jungle 弱肉强食;Ohm's～ 欧姆定率;Taking a walk every evening is one of his personal～s. 每晚散步已成为他个人的一种生活习惯。〖同〗principle;

be a law unto oneself/itself 照自己的意志去做;自行其是：In these matters every man must be a～unto himself. 在这些事情上人人必须自己拿主意。At that time Hitler was a～unto himself. 那时希特勒独断专行，为所欲为。

go to law 打官司：He is going to～about this matter/against his neighbour. 他要就这一件事打官司/和邻居打官司。

have/take the law on sb 告(起诉)某人：If you do that again I will have the～on you. 如果你再那样做，我就要告你。

lay down the law 发号施令：He tried to lay down the～to us when he first arrived，but soon discovered that we didn't do as we were told. 他刚一来就想对我们发号施令，但很快发现我们不听他那一套。

take the law into one's own hands 自己执法;滥用私刑：When they caught the suspected murderer，they took the～into their own hands and hanged him to a tree. 他们抓住杀人嫌疑犯后就私自用刑，把他吊在树上。

→′lawful adj 合法的;′lawfully adv 合法地;′lawless adj 无法的;不法的;′lawlessly adv 无法地;不法地;′law-abiding adj 守法的;′law-breaker n 犯法的人;′lawcourt n 法庭;′lawmaker n 立法者;′lawman n 执法者;′lawsuit n 诉讼;′lawyer n 律师