verb phrase · neutral
break the law
/breɪk ðə lɔː/BREAK the LAW
Band 4-5speakingtask2
to act against the law; to do something illegal
Examples
“Companies that dump toxic waste into rivers break the law and harm the environment.”
“If people break the law they should face appropriate penalties.”
“Driving without a licence is breaking the law.”
Band 8 sentence
“Regulators argue that companies which repeatedly break the law should receive harsher sanctions to deter future violations.”
Collocations
- break the law repeatedly
- break the law unintentionally
Word family
break verblaw nounillegal adjective
Common mistakes
do the law→break the law
commit the law→break the law
Say it for a higher band
5do the law→6commit the law→7+break the law
Synonyms
violate the law
Easily confused
obey the law
“He deliberately sold illegal drugs and broke the law.”
Related words
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In Crime & Law
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