law and order

noun

strict control of crime and repression of violence, sometimes involving the possible restriction of civil rights.

QUIZZES

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PUNCTUATION QUIZ

Punctuation marks help make writing easy to read and understand. Some of the most important ones are the period (.), comma (,), question mark (?), and exclamation point (!). How well do you know how to use them? Find out in this quiz!

Question 1 of 10

Which punctuation mark is best for this sentence? "Can I watch a movie __"

comma (,)

period (.)

question mark (?)

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of law and order

First recorded in 1590–1600

Words nearby law and order

lavoisier, lavoisier, antoine, lavolta, law, law agent, law and order, law centre, law clerk, law court, law french, law lords

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for law-and-order

The government is split between libertarians and the law-and-order Conservatives.
Inspectors Uncover UK Schools Pushing Radical Islamic Agendas|Nico Hines|June 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Indeed, law-and-order authorities found themselves with little to do.
What Haiti Can Teach Us About the Storm|Jonathan M. Katz|October 30, 2012|DAILY BEAST
In recent weeks Libyan officials, when faced by law-and-order challenges, have reflexively blamed former Gaddafi officials.
After Death of Christopher Stevens, Libyan President Offers Condolences|Jamie Dettmer|September 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Blanchard attributes the incarceration rate to a law-and-order mentality that criminalizing something prevents it from happening.
'Mothers of Bedford': New Documentary on Mothers in Prison|Nina Strochlic|November 13, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Is he a crunchy Cambridge social servant or a law-and-order Beantown cop?
The Beer Summit|Mark Katz|July 28, 2009|DAILY BEAST
I set apart with my eye the one I opinionated to be the boss muck-raker of this law-and-order cavalry.
Options|O. Henry
I don't blame Weary; he's looking out for the law-and-order business—and that's all right.
Flying U Ranch|B. M. Bower
He was a good-looking kid; only he was like all them tenderfoots—he didn't know a law-and-order town when he saw it.
Sixes and Sevens|O. Henry
Goodrich brought news that the law-and-order party were preparing an expedition to Charleston to round up Curly Bill.
When the West Was Young|Frederick R. Bechdolt
The law-and-order party was preparing to make a clean-up of the desperadoes.
When the West Was Young|Frederick R. Bechdolt

British Dictionary definitions for law-and-order

law-and-order

noun

(modifier) favouring or advocating strong measures to suppress crime and violencea law-and-order candidate

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with law-and-order

law and order

Strict enforcement of laws, especially for controlling crime. For example, Our candidate is always talking about law and order. The concept behind this term was stated by Aristotle. Today, however, it also carries the implication of infringing on civil rights in the course of too arduous law enforcement. [Late 1500s]