legality
/lɪˈɡæləti/ (bre, ipa) · /lɪˈɡæləti/ (ame, ipa) · /li-ˈga-lə-tē/ (ame, mw)
legality — noun
1. the condition or quality of an action, thing, or situation being acceptable unde
the condition or quality of an action, thing, or situation being acceptable under existing laws — for example, when a business contract, a public protest, or a property sale follows the rules set by a government authority.
Ana checked the legality of starting a food truck before she bought the equipment.
the legality of + noun phrase
The judge ruled that the police search was proper and confirmed its legality.
confirm its legality
Questions about the legality of the new tax law were raised in parliament last week.
Ibrahim signed a written promise guaranteeing the legality of the imported goods.
The committee voted to review the legality of the mayor's decision before it took effect.
- lawfulness
nearly identical meaning; slightly more formal and less common in everyday speech
- legitimacy
broader than 'legality' — can refer to moral or social acceptance, not just the law
- illegality
the direct opposite of this sense
文法句型
the legality of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is uncountable. Frequently appears in the pattern 'the legality of [something]'. Common in news reports, court rulings, and policy discussions.
常見錯誤
2. the specific rules, procedures, and formal requirements that the law demands in
the specific rules, procedures, and formal requirements that the law demands in a particular situation — for example, the paperwork for registering a company, the steps for transferring ownership of a house, or the documents needed for a visa application.
Diego's lawyer explained all the legalities of signing the apartment lease.
all the legalities of + noun phrase
Before opening the school, the team worked through the legalities of hiring foreign teachers.
Zahra hired a specialist to handle the legalities of the trademark application.
The legalities of selling alcohol at the festival took two months to complete.
- legal requirements
more explanatory; everyday alternative to 'legalities'
- legal formalities
emphasizes the procedural and documentary steps involved
- legal procedures
focuses on the ordered steps required by law
文法句型
the legalities of + noun phrase
用法筆記
Typically used in the plural (legalities) with the definite or zero article. Often paired with verbs like 'handle', 'sort out', 'work through', 'take care of'. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes a quality (is this allowed?), while sense 2 describes the actual legal steps (what do we need to do?).