Meaning of Idiom ‘Above the Law’
To be above the law means not to have to obey the laws or the rules; to be exempt from the laws or standards; to be immune to or not subject to the law. 1,2,3,4
Usage Notes
This idiom is usually applied to persons or organizations who behave as if they believe the laws do not apply to them.
Sentence Examples
“So far, Donald Trump has operated as if he is above the law, but justice is coming.”
“Cops are literally above the law, and we’re just asking that cops are held just as accountable for their actions as anybody else.”
“I think they have their own imaginary interests in mind and have no regard whatsoever for the people. They think they are above the law.” — The New York Times, Aug. 8, 2013
“I’m above the law. I said to the governor, don’t waste any money on investigations, just give me another life sentence for my collection. They don’t mean anything anymore.” — The Economist, Dec. 5, 2012
Origin
Used since at least the middle part of the 1800s.
Similar to ‘above suspicion,’ this idiom uses above in the sense of ‘beyond.’
References
- Heacock, Paul. Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms]. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010.
- above the law. (n.d.) Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. (2015). Retrieved March 11 2023 from https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/above+the+law
- Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
- Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.