long arm of the law
2
4.8
- idiom
:
larga mano de la ley
- I figure if the Bomont fire trucks can't cross these tracks... neither can the long arm of the law.
Examples
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You can't hide forever; the long arm of the law always catches up with criminals.
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It's up to you to make the choice; personally, we hope you ignore this warning and continue to associate yourself with those who will very shortly feel the long arm of the law.
Blog text (29) -
It's time to bring in the long arm of the law.
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But as they say, it's the long arm of the law.
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The more 'practical' can see the long arm of the law getting closer and closer.
Blog text (31) -
Uh-oh, the long arm of the law.
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Got two weeks' hard work out of the long arm of the law before he gave him back his gun and told him he was lucky to be alive.
Fiction book (1990) -
I'm sure you're familiar with the long arm of the law.
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I think the, the only thing that's going to really stop him is just the long arm of the law because there is a penalty of jail time.
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THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW HAS EMBRACED OUR DEAR FRIEND WARREN.
Synonyms
284
3.8
The police and courts that find and punish people who break rules
How Far-reaching
- Formal
2
4.8
- US
179
1.3
- Jargon
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'long' (far-reaching) with 'arm' used metaphorically to mean an extension or reach of an institution, plus 'law', so the overall meaning—the far-reaching power of law enforcement—is inferable by mapping these constituent senses. Because this relies on a figurative/metaphorical use of 'arm' rather than a strictly literal composition, it is not fully predictable without recognizing that metaphor, so it is only partially transparent to B1 learners.
Etymology
Long arm of the law paints a clear picture: imagine the law as a person with a very long arm that can reach out and grab someone far away. This image shows that police and courts can find and catch people no matter where they hide, so the phrase means 'the far-reaching power of the law'.