letter of the law

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]

Example Sentences

And let the letter of the law take its course.

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"The world is shrewd enough to know the difference between following the letter of the law and using the law as a tool of influence," he wrote.

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“We all know the rules. We all know the letter of the law. And it’s just unfortunate — you know, innocent till proven guilty, but usually when the FBI has something, they have you.”

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From what you say, your father’s attorney did his due diligence and followed the letter of the law.

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“My nearly 40 years of experience in public safety and policing, my deeply held sense of justice, and following not only the spirit, but the letter of the law, appear to be at odds from demands set by the new administration,” he wrote.

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