law and order

noun

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

law-and-order

noun

1. (modifier) favouring or advocating strong measures to suppress crime and violence

   a law-and-order candidate

Word History and Origins

Origin of law and order¹

First recorded in 1590–1600

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

Zohran Mamdani’s vision for New York isn’t heavy on law and order or common sense, so it’s a relief that the city will still have a police chief who believes in both.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Yet those who do come forward are reluctant to name their attackers and rarely seek justice, in part because the conflict has led to a breakdown in law and order.

Read more on BBC

Service members could be instructed to search, arrest, and imprison civilians they deem suspicious and impose their commander in chief’s draconian vision of law and order.

Read more on Slate

The then Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said at the time: "In short if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order".

Read more on BBC

In 2007, he was elected president, promising a break with the past that would fix the economy and restore law and order.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• calm 
• calmness www.thesaurus.com
• coolness www.thesaurus.com
• equanimity 
• serenity 
• stillness