Synonyms for lay down the law
verb impose somethingAntonyms for lay down the law
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the
Philip Lief Group.
command
verb. demand
- adjure
- appoint
- authorize
- ban
- bar
- beckon
- bid
- call
- call for
- call on
- call the signals
- call upon
- charge
- check
- cite
- compel
- debar
- dictate
- direct
- enact
- enjoin
- exact
- forbid
- force upon
- give directions
- give orders
- grant
- impose
- inflict
- inhibit
- instruct
- interdict
- lay down the law
- mark out
- oblige
- ordain
- order
- ordinate
- proclaim
- prohibit
- put foot down
- require
- requisition
- restrain
- rule out
- send for
- set
- subpoena
- summon
- take charge
- take lead
- task
- tell
- warn
commanded
verb. demand
- adjure
- appoint
- authorize
- ban
- bar
- beckon
- bid
- call
- call for
- call on
- call the signals
- call upon
- charge
- check
- cite
- compel
- debar
- dictate
- direct
- enact
- enjoin
- exact
- forbid
- force upon
- give directions
- give orders
- grant
- impose
- inflict
- inhibit
- instruct
- interdict
- lay down the law
- mark out
- oblige
- ordain
- order
- ordinate
- proclaim
- prohibit
- put foot down
- require
- requisition
- restrain
- rule out
- send for
- set
- subpoena
- summon
- take charge
- take lead
- task
- tell
- warn
commands
verb. demand
- adjure
- appoint
- authorize
- ban
- bar
- beckon
- bid
- call
- call for
- call on
- call the signals
- call upon
- charge
- check
- cite
- compel
- debar
- dictate
- direct
- enact
- enjoin
- exact
- forbid
- force upon
- give directions
- give orders
- grant
- impose
- inflict
- inhibit
- instruct
- interdict
- lay down the law
- mark out
- oblige
- ordain
- order
- ordinate
- proclaim
- prohibit
- put foot down
- require
- requisition
- restrain
- rule out
- send for
- set
- subpoena
- summon
- take charge
- take lead
- task
- tell
- warn
decree
verb. order rule or action
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the
Philip Lief Group.
Word Origin & History
Old English lagu (plural laga, comb. form lah-) "law, ordinance, rule, regulation; district governed by the same laws," from Old Norse *lagu "law," collective plural of lag "layer, measure, stroke," literally "something laid down or fixed," from Proto-Germanic *lagan "put, lay" (see lay (v.)).
Replaced Old English æ and gesetnes, which had the same sense development as law. Cf. also statute, from Latin statuere; German Gesetz "law," from Old High German gisatzida; Lithuanian istatymas, from istatyti "set up, establish." In physics, from 1660s. Law and order have been coupled since 1796.