the law
the law — idiom
1. the police, courts, and similar authorities thought of as the force that hunts d
the police, courts, and similar authorities thought of as the force that hunts down, arrests, and punishes criminals
After three months in hiding, the law finally caught up with the gang leader.
the law caught up with [criminal]
The smugglers fled across the border, but the law reached them first.
the law as pursuing force in a crime story
When the fraud was exposed, the law moved quickly to freeze his accounts.
No matter how rich he was, the law treated him like any suspect.
The club owner laughed at first, then realized the law was waiting outside.
- the police
narrower; usually means officers rather than courts or prosecutors
- the authorities
broader; can include officials beyond criminal investigation and punishment
- the justice system
more institutional and formal; less natural in chase or arrest scenes
文法句型
the law caught up with [someone]
the law is after [someone]
the law treated [someone] like [role]
用法筆記
Often appears in crime stories when speakers mean the police, courts, or prosecutors acting together as one force. Common with verbs such as catch, evade, face, or be in trouble with.