letter of the law
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]
Words nearby letter of the law
letter of comfort, letter of credit, letter of intent, letter of introduction, letter of marque, letter of the law, letter ruling, letter stock, letter-card, letter-high, letter-perfect
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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