1.law的基本意思是“法”,指由至高无上的权威机构〔部门〕颁布并强制推行的,对被统治者具有约束力和义务性的原则,从狭义上说可指地方至国家立法机关所颁布的法令法规,也可指约定俗成的行为规范,指具体的某项法律时是可数名词。表示法律整体时,是不可数名词,有无定冠词the都可以。当law表示某一类法律时,不加定冠词the,而当确切地表示某国或某时的法律时,前面要加定冠词。law引申还可表示“规则”“条例”。
2.law还可作“法学”解,是不可数名词,一般情况下不加冠词。
3.the law用于美国口语中,可表示“执法者,警察”,只用单数。the law还可作“律师界”解, follow the law的意思是“当律师”。

be a law unto oneself
一意孤行 behave in an unconventional or unpredictable fashion
My car's a law unto itself—I can't rely on it.我的轿车横冲直撞,——我对它不放心。

go to law
打官司 ask the lawcourt to decide about a problem
▲go to law
Don't go to law if you can help it.非万不得已切勿起诉。
▲go to law against sb
I will go to law against him.我要和他打官司。
▲go to law to-v
Tom decided to go to law to settle the matter.汤姆决定通过诉讼来解决问题。

have the law on〔of〕
〈非正〉对…起诉 report sb to the police;start legal proceedings against sb
I'll have the law on you for this,I will.为了这,我要控告你,一定!
I will have the law of him.我要控告他。

lay down the law
以(真的或假的)权威资格说话 say with (real or assumed) authority what should be done
He's always laying down the law about gardening but he really doesn't know much about it.他总是对园艺工作发号施令,其实他只是一知半解。
I laid down the law to my wife for running up so many shopping bills.我的妻子老是随意买东西,所以我对她进行了严厉的批评。

take the law into one's own hands
〈口〉不通过法律擅自处理,私人定罪 disregard the law and take independent (and usually forceful) action to correct sth believed to be wrong
Because the teacher showed little interest in the fight, the boy's parents decided to take the law into their own hands and punish the attacker themselves.由于教师对打架的事漠不关心,被打小孩的父母便决定自己动手来惩处打小孩的那个人。
When the murderer was not found, the husband vowed to take the law into his own hands.当时凶手未被找到,死者的丈夫即发誓要采取报复行动。

the arm of the law
法网,法律的威力 the authority or power of the law
He flew to Brazil trying to escape the long arm of the law.他飞往巴西,想逃脱法律的制裁。

there is no law against
〈非正〉允许(做某事) (doing) sth is allowed
I'll stay in bed as long as I like—there's no law against it.我尽可以躺在床上——这没关系的。

Good citizens obey the laws.好市民都遵守法律。
There is a conflict of laws.有关法律上有抵触。
This is forbidden by the law.法律禁止这种行为。
He entered the law.他开始从事法律。
Everybody is equal before the law.法律面前，人人平等。
If a man fails to observe the law he can be punished.一个人如果犯法,将会受到惩罚。
The law forbids stealing.法律禁止盗窃。
He is studying law.他在研读法学。
She is a law student.她是法律系的学生。
He gave up law to become a writer.他放弃法学研究而从事写作。
Boyle's law is a scientific principle.玻意耳定律是一项科学原理。
The law of supply and demand governs the prices of goods.供需定律决定商品的价格。
The law arrived just in time to catch the armed robber.警察及时赶到,逮住了武装强盗。
If the law came, they would run like deer.如果警察来了,他们会马上溜之大吉。
▲～+that-clause
They made a law that all the people should be taxed.他们制定了一条人人纳税的法令。

law, rule, statute
这组词的共同意思是“法律”“法规”。其区别是:law含义最广,既可指约定俗成的规范,也可指由地方至国家立法机关所颁布的行为规则,有时也指事物发展的规律;statute指立法机关制定。根据宪法正式批准生效的成文法;而rule则指指导、控制行为或行动的条规和惯例,也可指一组织强制其内部人员必须做什么或绝不能做什么的决定。例如:
When a Bill is passed by Parliament, it becomes a law.当一法案由国会通过时即成为法律。
Protection for the consumer is laid down in plain terms by statute.保护消费者权益是由法律明文规定的。
Anyone who breaks the rules will be punished.凡违反规则者将受到惩罚。

1.你将从事法律还是医学?
［误］  Will you go in for the law or medicine?
［正］  Will you go in for law or medicine?
［析］  law作“法律学科”解时前面一般不加冠词。
2.板球的规则告诉人们怎么玩。
［误］  The law of cricket tells how to play it.
［正］  The laws of cricket tell how to play it.
［析］  law作“规律”“法规”解时,一般为可数名词。
3.你逃脱不了法网。
［误］  You can not escape the net of law.
［正］  You can not escape the long arm of the law.
［析］  “法网”应说the (long) arm of the law,而不可按汉语字面译为 the net of law。

［派生词］ lawful adj.合法的,法定的,依法的‖lawfully  adv.合法地；依法地‖lawless adj.(国家、地方）没有法律的,法纪所不及的;失去法律控制的；无法无天的‖lawlessly  adv.违法地‖lawlessness n.违法
［同义词］   decree, edict, ordinance, rule, statute
［词源］  ＜中古英语lawe＜古英语lagu (法律)