unlawfulun‧law‧ful /ʌnˈlɔːfəl $ -ˈlɒː-/ ●○○ adjective law 
The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.—unlawfully adverb
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- unlawful activities
- unlawful employment practices
- Anyone who has been the victim of unlawful arrest is entitled to compensation.
- The court rules that the raid had been unlawful.
- He admitted unlawful possession of amphetamine and unlawful possession of cannabis.
- However, although the failure to consult was unlawful, the fact was that the unit had already been closed.
- Six officers were originally charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and the seventh with unlawful wounding.
- Some see the distinction in terms of a commission which is unlawful and an omission which may not be.
- The unlawful taking and driving away of vehicles goes well beyond damage to property.
- The Attorney-General may proceed in the High Court for an Order to prevent the local authority carrying out its intended unlawful act.
- There are two types of crime which will not suffice as the unlawful act: crimes of negligence and crimes of omission.
- This leads us to consider the meaning of unlawful discrimination.
THESAURUS
forbidden by law: · It is illegal to sell tobacco to children under 16.· illegal immigrants· He was carrying an illegal weapon.
to be illegal. This phrase is very commonly used in everyday English, instead of saying that something is illegal: · Driving a car without insurance is against the law.· It’s against the law to hit a child.
illegal – a rather formal word, which is used especially when this particular action is considered to be illegal, although there are some situations where such actions can be legal: · The judges said that the strike was unlawful.· The money was obtained by unlawful means.· a verdict of unlawful killing
illicit activities or goods are illegal and usually kept secret: · Marijuana remains the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.· the illicit trade in stolen cattle
not allowed or acceptable according to rules or agreements: · the illegitimate use of power· The election results were declared to be illegitimate.· illegitimate share trading
not allowed by a country’s constitution (=set of rules and principles by which a country is governed): · The court ruled that the new law was unconstitutional.
Longman Language Activatorillegal forbidden by law: · Scott was arrested for being in possession of illegal drugs.· In those days, abortion was illegal.· Large numbers of illegal immigrants crossed the border at night.it is illegal (for somebody) to do something: · It is illegal to sell tobacco to children under 16.· Since 1990, it has been illegal for the US to develop or possess biological weapons.make something illegal: · Gorbachev wanted to make all strikes illegal, but the Soviet parliament refused to accept such a ban.
to be illegal: · Driving a car without insurance is against the law.it is against the law (for somebody) to do something: · In Britain, it's against the law to own a gun without having a licence.· Nowadays it is against the law for a teacher to hit a child in any circumstances.
if something is a crime it is illegal and you can be punished for it: · Violence in the home is a crime, just as much as violence from a stranger.it is a crime (for somebody) to do something: · It should not be a crime for people to criticize their own government.
illegal - use this especially about something that could be legal if the situation in which it was done was different: · The court ruled that the raid had been unlawful.· unlawful employment practicesunlawful arrest/killing/imprisonment etc (=the illegal arrest, killing etc of someone): · Anyone who has been the victim of unlawful arrest is entitled to compensation.
: criminal activities/behaviour/offence etc activities, behaviour etc that can be severely punished by law: · Cruelty to animals is a criminal offence.· It was estimated that Walker had made around £100,000 from his criminal activities.
illicit activities or goods are illegal and usually kept secret: · Illicit diamond exports are said to be worth over $200 million.· Marijuana remains the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.
if a type of behaviour or an activity is against the rules , it is not allowed by the rules of an organization, game etc: · Smoking in the school building is strictly against the rules.it's against the rules to do something: · It's against the rules to touch the ball with your hand.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES This part of the bill was ruled unconstitutional.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
· Starting the fire was a highly irresponsible criminal act.
(=not allowed by law)· The European Court of Justice decided that she had been the subject of unlawful discrimination.
· He was accused of attempting to overthrow the government using unlawful means.
This part of the bill was ruled unconstitutional.· Possessing a knife was not perse an unlawful act under the Prevention of Crime Act 1953, s.1.· Where there is no unlawful act, there is no unlawful act manslaughter.· The unlawful act was arson, and he was reckless as to the risk of injury.· The requirement of mens rea for unlawful act manslaughter may be easily satisfied.· If the accused kills by fire, the unlawful act is arson.· A lawful act such as a killing in self-defence is not an unlawful act for this purpose.
· I do not however consider that Viscount Kilmuir was intending to state that any payment in response to any unlawful demand could be recovered.· Take any tax or duty paid by the citizen pursuant to an unlawful demand.· There is, of course, no doubt that a payment made in response to an unlawful demand under duress or compulsion may be recovered.· I do not read these passages as stating that an unlawful demand which is enforceable is perse sufficient to found recovery.· The revenue has made an unlawful demand for tax.
· A finding of unlawful discrimination may be made even though the employer has no intention to discriminate.· This leads us to consider the meaning of unlawful discrimination.· Such legislation gives individuals the right of direct access to the civil courts and industrial tribunals for legal remedies for unlawful discrimination.· But it is not only at the recruitment stage that age ranges can be unlawful discrimination.
· The jury today returned a verdict of unlawful killing.· There was insufficient evidence for a verdict of unlawful killing or suicide.· Verdict: Death by misadventure on Swales and unlawful killing on the two girls.
· The unlawful means adopted may be considerably more remote than interference in the contractual relationship between B and his servants.· Bearing that in mind, it is tolerably clear that conduct which is itself tortious is always unlawful means.· The other forms of the tort require interference by unlawful means.
· Mr Meehan denied making threats to kill and using unlawful violence.
· Cook, who has previous convictions for robbery, pleaded guilty to attempted rape and to unlawful wounding.· Six officers were originally charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and the seventh with unlawful wounding.· Grievous bodily harm: unlawful wounding, including cuts, or using a weapon which causes actual injury.
WORD FAMILYnounlawlawyeroutlawlawfulnesslawlessnessadjectivelawful ≠ unlawfulverboutlawadverblawfully ≠ unlawfully
not legal SYN illegal: The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.—unlawfully adverb