Outlaw Definition, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：fugitive criminal (outlaw)

outlaw 🔊

/ˈaʊt.lɔː/

A person who has broken the law and is hiding to avoid capture; someone living outside the protection of the law.

fugitive criminal 🔊

➕

/ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪv ˈkrɪmɪnəl/

A person who has violated the law and is evading arrest, living beyond the reach of legal authorities.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

out- (beyond) + law (rule) => one who is outside the protection of the law.

💡 Mnemonic

Out + law: think of someone who is 'out' of the legal system, like a bandit fleeing the sheriff.

📖 Example

The historian specialized in studying the life of outlaws in the American Wild West. 🔊 The historian specialized in studying the lives of outlaws in the American Wild West.

🔗 Collocations

notorious outlaw – A well-known criminal who is widely recognized for lawbreaking

wanted outlaw – A criminal actively sought by law enforcement

outlaw gang – A group of criminals operating outside the law

🔄 Synonyms

fugitive (n.) – A person who has fled from their home or country and is trying to avoid capture.

bandit (n.) – A robber or outlaw belonging to a gang and typically operating in remote or lawless areas.

lawbreaker (n.) – A person who violates the law.

🚫 Antonyms

law-abiding citizen (n.) – A person who respects and follows the law.

peace officer (n.) – A civil officer whose duty is to preserve public order.

🌱 Derivatives

outlaw (v.) – To ban something or make it illegal.

outlawry (n.) – The act of declaring someone an outlaw or the state of being an outlaw.

outlawed (adj.) – Banned or prohibited by law.

📖 Cultural Story

From Old English 'ūtlaga', meaning one put outside the law. In medieval England, outlaws were declared 'caput lupinum' (wolf's head) and could be killed on sight.