law of the land

noun

A particular law or the complete set of laws currently in effect within a jurisdiction, especially with emphasis on the official and authoritative nature of such law.

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Meanings

noun
  1. lawA particular law or the complete set of laws currently in effect within a jurisdiction, especially with emphasis on the official and authoritative nature of such law.

    "A lot of other people don’t like it. But what’s law is law and you abide by the law of the land."

    2013 September 24, Manny Fernandez, “In Corner of Arkansas, Frustration but No Panic Over Possible Shutdown”, in New York Times, retrieved 17 Nov 2013
    5 more examples

    Besides it must be remembered that precedents in some cases will not excuse a judge, even where they are according to the undoubted law of the land.

    1724, The Drapier's Letters, Jonathan Swift, Appendix 4

    Hackney-coaches are part and parcel of the law of the land; they were settled by the Legislature; plated and numbered by the wisdom of Parliament.

    1836, “Boz” [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], “chapter-7”, in Sketches by “Boz,” Illustrative of Every-day Life, and Every-day People. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC

    He confessed that neither he nor any citizen had a right to consult his own feelings or conscience in a case where a law of the land had been violated before his own eyes.

    1873, Mark Twain, Charles Dudley Warner, chapter 29, in The Gilded Age

    I am on the side of the established authorities. I am in the cast-iron position of the man who falls into line with the law of the land.

    1915, E. Phillips Oppenheim, chapter 14, in An Amiable Charlatan

    "I'm dressed as a woman, but I am still technically a man. I believe that to comply with the law of the land I ought to continue to use the Gents', but in order not to look out place I intend to use the Ladies' from now on. I trust none of you will grass on me..."

    2004, David Nobbs, Sex and Other Changes, page 95

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 國法 /国法
  • 國法 /国法 (guófǎ)local law or rules
Cite this entry
APA

law of the land. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/law%20of%20the%20land

MLA

“law of the land.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/law%20of%20the%20land. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “law of the land,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/law%20of%20the%20land.

Source: law of the land on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.