Chapter Law-abiding to Lay of L by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Law-abiding to Lay

Law-abiding
(Law"-a*bid`ing) a. Abiding the law; waiting for the operation of law for the enforcement of rights; also, abiding by the law; obedient to the law; as, law-abiding people.

Lawbreaker
(Law"break`er) n. One who disobeys the law; a criminal. — Law"break`ing, n. & a.

Lawe
(Lawe) v. t. [See 2d Lawing.] To cut off the claws and balls of, as of a dog's fore feet. Wright.

Lawer
(Law"er) n. A lawyer. [Obs.] Bale.

Lawful
(Law"ful) a.

1. Conformable to law; allowed by law; legitimate; competent.

2. Constituted or authorized by law; rightful; as, the lawful owner of lands.

Lawful age, the age when the law recognizes one's right of independent action; majority; — generally the age of twenty-one years.

In some of the States, and for some purposes, a woman attains lawful age at eighteen. Abbott.

Syn. — Legal; constitutional; allowable; regular; rightful. — Lawful, Legal. Lawful means conformable to the principle, spirit, or essence of the law, and is applicable to moral as well as juridical law. Legal means conformable to the letter or rules of the law as it is administered in the courts; conformable to juridical law. Legal is often used as antithetical to equitable, but lawful is seldom used in that sense.

— Law"ful*ly, adv. — Law"ful*ness, n.

Lawgiver
(Law"giv`er) n. One who makes or enacts a law or system of laws; a legislator.

Lawgiving
(Law"giv`ing), a. Enacting laws; legislative.

Lawing
(Law"ing), n. Going to law; litigation. Holinshed.

Lawing
(Law"ing), n. [So called because done in compliance with an English forest law.] Expeditation. Blackstone.

Lawless
(Law"less), a.

1. Contrary to, or unauthorized by, law; illegal; as, a lawless claim.

He needs no indirect nor lawless course.

Shak.

2. Not subject to, or restrained by, the law of morality or of society; as, lawless men or behavior.

3. Not subject to the laws of nature; uncontrolled.

Or, meteorlike, flame lawless through the void.

Pope.

— Law"less*ly, adv. — Law"less*ness, n.

Lawmaker
(Law"mak`er) n. A legislator; a lawgiver.

Lawmaking
(Law"mak`ing) a. Enacting laws; legislative. — n. The enacting of laws; legislation.

Lawmonger
(Law"mon`ger) n. A trader in law; one who practices law as if it were a trade. Milton.