letter of the law

Idioms  

1. The precise wording rather than the spirit or intent. For example, Since it was the first time he'd broken the rules, the school decided to ignore the letter of the law and just give him a warning. [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

letter of the law

I’ll go one step further: Everyone must abide by the letter of the law.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 17, 2026

It could have been a foul and arguably was by the letter of the law.

From BBC ● Apr. 5, 2026

Skeptics say the new rules illustrate the security risks inherent in approving the exports and that following them to the letter of the law might mean no shipments get approved.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026

“Agencies owe a duty to the public to be more proactive and more transparent, even than the bare minimum letter of the law might allow them to get away with,” Loy said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2025

“If anyone tried to live by the letter of the law, it was me,” he said later, in an interview published by the Ambassador Report.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady