mom's word is law
- idiom
- Informal
:
la palabra de mamá es ley
- You can't argue with her; mom's word is law!
Examples
-
It's clear to everyone here that mom's word is law when it comes to family rules.
-
When it comes to household rules, mom's word is law.
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In our house, mom's word is law, so we always do our chores on time.
-
Whenever there’s a disagreement, remember that mom's word is law.
-
In our house, mom's word is law, so we always do our chores on time.
-
It's clear to everyone here that mom's word is law when it comes to family rules.
-
Whenever there’s a disagreement, remember that mom's word is law.
Synonyms
1
8.5
People must do what someone says without question
Antonyms
How Authoritative
∞
1.0
- Informal
902
1.3
455
1.2
∞
1.0
759
1.4
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally equates a mother's 'word' with 'law', so a learner who knows 'mom', 'word', 'is', and 'law' can infer that what the mother says must be obeyed; the meaning is compositionally built from the parts. However, this is a metaphorical extension (equating speech with binding legal force) rather than a literal fact, so understanding requires grasping that metaphorical authority and may not be fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
The saying mom's word is law may come from the simple image of a mother (mom's) saying something and the family treating that word like a law at home. So, it means 'whatever the mother decides must be obeyed'.