relations of human beings independent of supernatural revelation or of municipal and social usages. —
Law of the land, due process of law; the general law of the land. — Laws of honor. See under
Honor. — Laws of motion (Physics), three laws defined by Sir Isaac Newton: (1) Every body perseveres
in its state of rest or of moving uniformly in a straight line, except so far as it is made to change that
state by external force. (2) Change of motion is proportional to the impressed force, and takes place
in the direction in which the force is impressed. (3) Reaction is always equal and opposite to action,
that is to say, the actions of two bodies upon each other are always equal and in opposite directions. —
Marine law, or Maritime law, the law of the sea; a branch of the law merchant relating to the affairs of
the sea, such as seamen, ships, shipping, navigation, and the like. Bouvier. — Mariotte's law. See
Boyle's law — Martial law.See under Martial. — Military law, a branch of the general municipal
law, consisting of rules ordained for the government of the military force of a state in peace and war,
and administered in courts martial. Kent. Warren's Blackstone. — Moral law, the law of duty as
regards what is right and wrong in the sight of God; specifically, the ten commandments given by Moses.
See Law, 2. — Mosaic, or Ceremonial, law. (Script.) See Law, 3. — Municipal law, or Positive
law, a rule prescribed by the supreme power of a state, declaring some right, enforcing some duty, or
prohibiting some act; — distinguished from international and constitutional law. See Law, 1. — Periodic
law. (Chem.) See under Periodic. — Roman law, the system of principles and laws found in the
codes and treatises of the lawmakers and jurists of ancient Rome, and incorporated more or less into
the laws of the several European countries and colonies founded by them. See Civil law — Statute
law, the law as stated in statutes or positive enactments of the legislative body. — Sumptuary law.
See under Sumptuary. — To go to law, to seek a settlement of any matter by bringing it before the
courts of law; to sue or prosecute some one. — To take, or have, the law of, to bring the law to
bear upon; as, to take the law of one's neighbor. Addison. — Wager of law. See under Wager.
Syn. — Justice; equity. — Law, Statute, Common law, Regulation, Edict, Decree. Law is generic,
and, when used with reference to, or in connection with, the other words here considered, denotes whatever
is commanded by one who has a right to require obedience. A statute is a particular law drawn out in
form, and distinctly enacted and proclaimed. Common law is a rule of action founded on long usage
and the decisions of courts of justice. A regulation is a limited and often, temporary law, intended to
secure some particular end or object. An edict is a command or law issued by a sovereign, and is peculiar
to a despotic government. A decree is a permanent order either of a court or of the executive government.
See Justice.
Law
(Law) v. t. Same as Lawe, v. t. [Obs.]
Law
(Law), interj. [Cf. La.] An exclamation of mild surprise. [Archaic or Low]
