take the law into one's own hands

verb

To punish someone according to one's own idea of justice, without consideration for the role of law enforcement authorities.

“After his son's killer was let off without a conviction, the man decided to take the law into his own hands.”

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Meanings

verbtake the law into one's own hands (third-person singular simple present takes the law into one's own hands, present participle taking the law into one's own hands, simple past took the law into one's own hands, past participle taken the law into one's own hands)

present singular third person takes the law into one's own hands · participle present taking the law into one's own hands · past took the law into one's own hands · participle past taken the law into one's own hands · alternative take law into one's own hands · alternative take the law into one's hands

  1. idiomaticintransitiveTo punish someone according to one's own idea of justice, without consideration for the role of law enforcement authorities.

    After his son's killer was let off without a conviction, the man decided to take the law into his own hands.

Translations

Catalan fer justícia pel seu compte
  • fer justícia pel seu comptepunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Chinese Mandarin 用私刑
  • 用私刑punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Finnish ottaa laki omiin käsiinsä, käyttää omankädenoikeutta
  • ottaa laki omiin käsiinsäpunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • käyttää omankädenoikeuttapunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • jakaa oman käden oikeuttapunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
French faire justice soi-même
  • faire justice soi-mêmepunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Greek αυτοδικώ
  • αυτοδικώ (aftodikó)punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Hebrew לָקַח אֶת הַחֹק לַיָּדַיִם
  • לָקַח אֶת הַחֹק לַיָּדַיִם (lakákh et hakhók layadáyim)punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Indonesian main hakim sendiri
  • main hakim sendiripunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Italian farsi giustizia
  • farsi giustiziapunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Polish zaprowadzać prawo, zaprowadzić prawo
  • zaprowadzać prawopunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • zaprowadzić prawopunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Portuguese fazer justiça com as próprias mãos
  • fazer justiça com as próprias mãospunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Spanish tomarse la justicia por su mano
  • tomarse la justicia por su manopunish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
Cite this entry
APA

take the law into one's own hands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20the%20law%20into%20one's%20own%20hands

MLA

“take the law into one's own hands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20the%20law%20into%20one's%20own%20hands. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take the law into one's own hands,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20the%20law%20into%20one's%20own%20hands.

Source: take the law into one's own hands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.