Lay down the law Meaning in English
expression
ˈɫeɪ/ /ˈdaʊn/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈɫɑ/, /ˈɫɔ
LAY DOWN thuh LAW
lˈeɪ/ /dˈaʊn/ /ðə, ði/ /lˈɔː
LAY DOWN thuh LAW
Definition
To tell people very clearly and firmly what the rules are, especially in an authoritative way.
Usage & Nuances
This is an informal and sometimes negative idiom. It suggests strictness or harshness in making rules. Often used when talking about parents, teachers, or bosses who set and enforce rules in a very firm way.
Spanish: imponer la ley - mandar con autoridadPortuguese (BR): impor as regras - ditar as regrasPortuguese (PT): impor as regras - ditar as regrasChinese (Simplified): 强行规定 - 发号施令Chinese (Traditional): 強行規定 - 發號施令Hindi: कानून थोपना - सख्त हुक्म देनाArabic: يفرض القوانين - يأمر بصرامةBengali: কড়া নির্দেশ দেওয়া - নিয়ম চাপিয়ে দেওয়াRussian: устанавливать правила - диктовать свои условияJapanese: 厳しく命令する - 規則を押し付けるVietnamese: ra lệnh nghiêm khắc - đặt ra luật lệKorean: 엄격하게 규칙을 정하다 - 엄하게 명령하다Turkish: kural koymak - kuralları sertçe belirtmekUrdu: سختی سے اصول نافذ کرنا - قانون بتاناIndonesian: menetapkan aturan dengan tegas - memberlakukan peraturan secara keras
Example Sentences
The teacher had to lay down the law about homework.
basic
My mom always lays down the law at home.
basic
The boss decided to lay down the law about being late.
basic
When things got out of control, she really had to lay down the law.
natural
I hate it when someone comes in and immediately tries to lay down the law.
natural
"If you're going to stay out late, Dad's going to lay down the law," she warned.
natural