sus laws

British

plural noun

slang laws authorizing the arrest and punishment of suspected persons frequenting, or loitering in, public places with criminal intent. In England, the sus law formed part of the Vagrancy Act of 1824, repealed in 1981

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Our track And It Wasn't a Dream was about our parents' experiences as immigrants coming into Hulme in the 50s, whereas Justice was about our experience with the sus laws.

From The Guardian • Jul. 21, 2011

But the play casts long shadows: outside the ring there are sus laws and riots; inside it, Williams belts out crunching dialogue.

From The Guardian • Jun. 26, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023