take the law into one's own hands
- take the law into one's own hands
take the law into one's own hands
Fig. to attempt to administer the law; to pass judgment on someone who has done something wrong. •
Citizens don't have the right to take the law into their own hands.
•
The shopkeeper took the law into his own hands when he tried to arrest the thief.
* * *
{v. phr.} To protect one's supposed rights or punish a suspected wrongdoer without reference to a court. - An overused expression. * /When the men of the settlement caught the suspected murderer, they took the law into their own hands and hanged him to a tree./ * /His farm was going to be sold for taxes, but he took the law into his own hands and drove the sheriff away with a shotgun./ Compare: LAW UNTO ONESELF, TAKE THE BIT IN ONE'S MOUTH.
Dictionary of American idioms.
2013.
Look at other dictionaries:
take the law into one's own hands — {v. phr.} To protect one s supposed rights or punish a suspected wrongdoer without reference to a court. An overused expression. * /When the men of the settlement caught the suspected murderer, they took the law into their own hands and hanged… … Dictionary of American idioms
take the law into one's own hands — To obtain justice, or what one considers to be justice, by one s own actions, without recourse to the law, the police, etc • • • Main Entry: ↑law * * * punish someone for an offense according to one s own ideas of justice, esp. in an illegal or… … Useful english dictionary
take the law into one's own hands — ► take the law into one s own hands illegally or violently punish someone according to one s own ideas of justice. Main Entry: ↑law … English terms dictionary
take the law into one's own hands — idi take the law into one s own hands, to administer justice as one sees fit without recourse to legal processes … From formal English to slang
take\ the\ law\ into\ one's\ own\ hands — v. phr. To protect one s supposed rights or punish a suspected wrongdoer without reference to a court. An overused expression. When the men of the settlement caught the suspected murderer, they took the law into their own hands and hanged him to… … Словарь американских идиом
take the law into one's own hands — punish someone according to one s own ideas of justice, especially illegally or violently. → lavish something on … English new terms dictionary
into one's own hands — See: TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE S OWN HANDS … Dictionary of American idioms
into one's own hands — See: TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE S OWN HANDS … Dictionary of American idioms
into\ one's\ own\ hands — See: take the law into one s own hands … Словарь американских идиом
take the law into one's hands — exact justice without the court system, take one s own revenge … English contemporary dictionary
