lawful
gb/lˈɔfəl/ us/lˈɔfəl/
B2
Inglés
~ 5400
jogszerű, legális, szabad, törvényes, jogos
B2
FORMAL
1
Patrón de uso:
be lawful to [verb]
The protesters agreed to hold a peaceful and lawful demonstration in the city center.
A tüntetők vállalták, hogy békés és jogszerű demonstrációt tartanak a városközpontban.
The court ruled that the search of his car was lawful under state law.
A bíróság kimondta, hogy az autója átkutatása az állami jog szerint jogszerű volt.
Companies must have a lawful basis to collect and use customers' personal data.
She is a lawful permanent resident of the United States and may live and work there indefinitely.
The police may use force only when it is strictly necessary and lawful.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
It is lawful to sell alcohol in this store.
Ebben az üzletben jogszerű az alkohol árusítása.
The judge said that the new rule was lawful.
A bíró azt mondta, hogy az új szabály jogszerű.
They want to find a lawful way to solve the problem.
He became a lawful resident after many years in the country.
The company must follow all lawful rules about safety.
Error frecuente:
Learners often treat 'lawful' and 'legal' as completely interchangeable. While they usually overlap, 'legal' is much more common in everyday English, and 'lawful' is mainly used in formal or legal contexts (e.g., 'lawful basis', 'lawful resident'). Learners also sometimes say *'make something lawful'* where a native speaker would say 'legalize something'.
Significado
Allowed or permitted by law
Colocaciones
lawful activities
|lawful business
|lawful purpose
|lawful basis
|lawful permanent resident
|lawful excuse
Sinónimos
legal (More common in everyday English; used in most situations where something is allowed by law.)
|
legitimate (Can mean allowed by law, but also often suggests being reasonable or socially acceptable, not just legally allowed.)
Antónimos
illegal (The most common word for something that is against the law.)
|
unlawful (Formal/legal term directly opposite to 'lawful', often used in legal writing.)
Temas
law
|politics
|society
Definición
Allowed by the law; not against the law.
Allowed, recognized, or in accordance with the law; not contrary to any law.
C1
FORMAL
2
Patrón de uso:
lawful [role/authority/relationship]
The army pledged loyalty to the country's lawful government.
A hadsereg hűséget fogadott az ország törvényes kormányának.
Only a court acting under lawful authority can order your arrest.
A letartóztatásodat csak törvényes felhatalmazás alapján eljáró bíróság rendelheti el.
As the eldest son, he was the lawful heir to the title and estate.
The rebels refused to recognize the king as the lawful ruler.
By signing the marriage certificate, she became his lawful wife.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The police must act under lawful authority.
A rendőrségnek törvényes felhatalmazás alapján kell eljárnia.
He is the lawful owner of the house.
Ő a ház törvényes tulajdonosa.
They do not accept the group as the lawful government.
She is the lawful heir to the family land.
After the wedding, he was her lawful husband.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use 'lawful' where 'legal' would sound natural, for example *'lawful advice'* instead of 'legal advice'. This sense of 'lawful' is mainly used with certain nouns like 'authority', 'government', 'heir', 'wife', 'husband', and 'ruler'.
Significado
Having authority recognized by law
Colocaciones
lawful authority
|lawful government
|lawful heir
|lawful wife
|lawful ruler
Sinónimos
legitimate (Very close in meaning; commonly used for governments, heirs, and authority, with both legal and moral connotations.)
|
rightful (Stresses that someone deserves the position or status; can be legal or moral, not only strictly legal.)
Antónimos
illegitimate (Can mean not legally recognized (for rulers, children, or authority) and sometimes also morally wrong.)
|
unlawful (In this sense, describes authority or control that is not given or recognized by law.)
Temas
law
|politics
|society
|family
Definición
Having power, position, or a family place that the law says is correct and right.
Having a status, authority, position, or relationship that is recognized as rightful and valid by law.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
lawful
AFI
GB/lˈɔfəl/
US/lˈɔfəl/
Sílabas y acento
law - ful (2 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (law)
Formas de la palabra
Adjective
- Base: lawful
Familia de palabras
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
lawfulness
noun
lawlessness
noun
Expresiones
by lawful means
1/bˈaɪ lˈɔfəl mˈinz/
fixed phrase
formal
Using only legal methods
Using only ways of acting that are allowed by the law.
Ejemplos
- We will resolve this dispute by lawful means, not by violence.
- The organization is committed to changing the law only by lawful means.
- Funds must be raised by lawful means and fully reported to the authorities.
lawful authority
1/lˈɔfəl əθˈɔɹɪti/
fixed phrase
formal
Power given and limited by law
Power that a person or group has because the law gives it to them.
Ejemplos
- Officers may use force only when acting under lawful authority.
- The new committee has no lawful authority to collect those fees.
- Citizens are required to obey only lawful authority, not orders from private gangs.
lawful excuse
1/lˈɔfəl ɪkskjˈus/
fixed phrase
technical
Legally valid reason or justification
A reason that the law accepts as a good reason for doing something that might usually be a crime.
Ejemplos
- In some cases, damaging property may be legal if you can show a lawful excuse.
- The defendant claimed he had a lawful excuse for carrying the knife.
- Without a lawful excuse, entering that land would be a criminal offence.
lawful interception
1/lˈɔfəl ˌɪntɚsˈɛpʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
Legally authorized telecommunications monitoring
When police or other state agencies listen to or read private communications, but only when the law allows it.
Ejemplos
- Telecom companies must provide systems that support lawful interception requests.
- New rules on lawful interception aim to balance security and privacy.
- The warrant permitted the lawful interception of the suspect's phone calls.
lawful killing
1/lˈɔfəl kˈɪlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
technical
Killing that is legally justified
Killing a person in a situation where the law says it is not a crime, for example in clear self-defence.
Ejemplos
- The jury found that the shooting was a lawful killing in self-defence.
- The inquest recorded a verdict of lawful killing.
- Not every death caused by the police is a crime; some may be classed as lawful killing.
lawful order
1/lˈɔfəl ˈɔɹdɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
Command that follows the law
A command from someone in power that does not break any law.
Ejemplos
- Soldiers are trained to refuse any command that is not a lawful order.
- Employees must follow any lawful order given by their manager.
- He was charged with failing to obey a lawful order from a police officer.
lawful permanent resident
1/lˈɔfəl pˈɚmənənt ɹˈɛzɪdənt/
fixed phrase
technical
Immigrant allowed to live permanently
A person from another country who has official permission to live and usually work in a country for their whole life.
Ejemplos
- She moved to the U.S. as a child and is now a lawful permanent resident.
- Lawful permanent residents must carry proof of their status when they travel.
- After five years as a lawful permanent resident, he applied for citizenship.
lawful wedded husband
1/lˈɔfəl wˈɛdɪd hˈʌzbənd/
fixed phrase
formal
Man who is a legal spouse
A man who is officially and legally married to someone, often said in wedding ceremonies.
Ejemplos
- Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?
- The priest declared them wife and lawful wedded husband.
- She happily called him her lawful wedded husband.
lawful wedded wife
1/lˈɔfəl wˈɛdɪd wˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
formal
Woman who is a legal spouse
A woman who is officially and legally married to someone, often said in wedding ceremonies.
Ejemplos
- Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?
- The classic marriage vows include the phrase 'lawful wedded wife'.
- He introduced her as his lawful wedded wife at the reception.