Society, Law & Politics - According to Rules

Discover how English idioms like "by the book" and "in the clear" relate to being in accordance with the rules in English.

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English idioms related to Society, Law & Politics

in the clear

[phrase]

used to say that one is free from suspicion or danger of wrongdoing

Ex: She thought she was in the clear, but the police had more questions.

on the case

[phrase]

used to refer to a situation in which one is taking legal action to solve a problem or crime

Ex: The victims hired a private investigator to get on the case.

the (long) arm of the law

[phrase]

used to refer to the ability of the legal system and police to enforce justice and punish criminals

Ex: The long arm of the law finally closed in on the corrupt officials.

the third degree

[phrase]

a tough and forceful way of questioning someone in order to make them reveal information or admit to something, often using harsh methods

Ex: After an hour of the third degree, he finally told them the truth.

behind bars

[Adverb]

used to refer to someone who is imprisoned or serving time in prison

Ex: Many people believe he should be behind bars for what he did .

to be in for

[phrase]

to be in risk of receiving punishment or getting into trouble

Ex: She's in for a lot of questions when the boss sees this report.

by the book

[phrase]

strictly adhering to established rules, procedures, or standardized practices

Ex: If we go by the book, the process will take longer but be safer.

dos and don'ts

[phrase]

rules that determine what one should or should not do in a particular situation

Ex: This list of dos and don'ts will help you avoid common mistakes.

green light

[noun]

approval to begin a project

Ex: The city gave the green light for construction to begin next month .

rule of thumb

[phrase]

a method or principle solely based on experience, which may not be completely accurate

Ex: That rule of thumb works most of the time, but it is not foolproof.

in one's crosshairs

[phrase]

used to describe people who are easily targeted for criticism or are attracting significant negative attention

Ex: Anyone who disagrees with him quickly ends up in his crosshairs.

guilty as charged

[phrase]

used to admit that the accusations or charges against one are true

Ex: If loving bad jokes is a crime, then I am guilty as charged.

clean bill of health

[phrase]

a statement indicating that something is safe and free of any defects or problems

Ex: The product cannot go on sale until it gets a clean bill of health from quality control.

Society, Law & Politics
According to Rules	Defying Norms	Justice	Injustice
Politics	Political Issues	Punishment	Society
Social Class	Social Norms & Conformity	Leaving or Escaping	Fraud & Swindle

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