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A man's home is his castle

1 Cultural  
  1. People enjoy the position of rulers in their own homes, and others have no right to enter without the householder's permission.


A man's home is his castle 2 Cultural  
  1. A proverbial expression that illustrates the principle of individual privacy, which is fundamental to the American system of government. In this regard, the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution — part of the Bill of Rights — prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures.” (See also under “Proverbs.”)


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The legal doctrine “A man's home is his castle” is reflected in the Bill of Rights: “The right of the people to be secure in their … houses … against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated.”

Disagreement over the extent of personal privacy and over interpretation of unreasonable has brought many cases before the Supreme Court.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He has attracted outside attention through his treatises on the 18th Amendment in which he emphasizes State sovereignty and the point: "A man's home is his castle."

From Time Magazine Archive

"A man's home is his castle, isn't it?" was the frequent plaint.

From Time Magazine Archive

A man's home is his castle, even if home is a park bench or a cardboard box under a highway bridge.

From Time Magazine Archive

"There never was any castle, nor—" "A man's home is his castle," argued Andy, standing unabashed before them.

From The Happy Family by Bower, B. M.

A man's home is his castle, a citadel that cannot be invaded even by the power of the State.

From The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915 What Americans Say to Europe by Various