law-abidingadj.
/ˈlɔː(r)əˌbʌɪdɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈlɔəˌbaɪdɪŋ/, /ˈlɑəˌbaɪdɪŋ/ Abiding by, i.e., maintaining or submitting to the law.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > rule of law > [adjective] > law-abiding
lawfulc1430
legitime1677
legal1756
law-abiding1839
crimeless1887
straight1977
society > law > rule of law > [adjective] > law-abiding > not transgressing the law
honestc1540
unoffending1569
unfraudulent1590
innocent1811
law-abiding1839
uncriminal1864
infelonious1876
1839 Congress. Globe Dec. App. 14/2 Being a law-loving and law-abiding man, he had voted to preserve the laws.
1855 Congress. Globe 26 Jan. 416/2 The people of Oregon are a law-abiding, honest and gallant people.
1867 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest I. vi. 558 The great Earl..who on every other occasion appears as conciliatory and law-abiding.
1876 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest I. vi. 501 An English patriot who on every other occasion appears as conciliatory and law-abiding.
1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 63 If the Roman people had not been the most law-abiding people in the world all public business must have come to a standstill.
1879 T. H. S. Escott England II. xxxi. 498 The colonists are law-abiding and law-loving people.
1973 C. Mullard Black Brit. ii. vi. 68 A racist, however intelligent, will never accept that blacks are just like other average human beings, honest, industrious, clean, law-abiding, intelligent, etc.
Derivatives
law-abidingness n.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > rule of law > [noun] > respect for or observance of law
lawfulnessa1250
legalityc1475
law-abidingness1880
1880 Fortn. Rev. Feb. 311 National self-respect demands a decent conformity to law-abidingness and morality.
1889 Spectator 28 Sept. That most useful of civic virtues, law~abidingness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1902; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
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adj.1839