lawman

See also: Lawman

English

Etymology

From Middle English laweman, laȝaman (as a man's name, Laȝamon, Layamon), from Old English lahmann, borrowed from Old Norse lǫgmaðr. In present use as a law-enforcement officer, law +‎ -man.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: lômăn, lômən, IPA^(key): /ˈlɔːmæn/, /ˈlɔːmən/
• (US) enPR: lômăn, lômən, IPA^(key): /ˈlɔmæn/, /ˈlɔmən/
• Rhymes: -ɔːmən

Noun

lawman (plural lawmen)

1. (law, historical) A lawspeaker: a declarer of the law.

   Synonym: lawspeaker

2. (law, historical) One of 12 magistrates in certain Danish boroughs of England empowered with soc and sac over their own households.

   Synonyms: lageman, lagman

3. (law, Orkney and Shetland) The presiding justice of the supreme court.

   Synonyms: lawman-general, lagman

   • 1983, Paul Thompson, Tony Wailey, Trevor Lummis, History Workshop Series, Living the Fishing, Routledge & Kegan Paul:

     From the twelfth century Shetland had been administered directly by the Norwegian crown through the 'foud', rather than forming part of the patrimony of a great aristocratic estate. The foud appointed 'underfouds' and the Shetlands evolved their own elected officers, a 'lawman' and parish 'lawrightmen', who adjudicated and negotiated the collection of customary taxes and fines on behalf of the local population.

4. (rare) A man of the law: a lawyer.

   Synonyms: attorney, counsel; see also Thesaurus:lawyer

5. (informal) An officer of the law: a law-enforcement officer.

   Synonyms: bobby, cop; see also Thesaurus:police officer

   • 1979 June 25, Richard Schickel, “Show Business: Duke: Images from a Lifetime”, in Time:

     "Fill your hand, you sonuvabitch," the old lawman cries, clamping the reins of his horse between his teeth and filling his own hands with six-gun and repeater.

   • 2016, Dusty Richards, Deadly Is the Night, Pinnacle Books, →ISBN, retrieved 8 December 2021:

     The two lawmen punched his ticket with four well-aimed rifle shots.

Translations

a lawspeaker

• Latin: lagemannus m
• Old Frisian: āsega m
• Old High German: ēwasago m
• Old Saxon: ēosago m

a medieval Dano-English magistrate

• Latin: lagemannus m

lawyer — see lawyer

an officer of the law

• French: homme de loi (fr) m
• Polish: stróż prawa (pl) m
• Russian: представи́тель зако́на m (predstavítelʹ zakóna), сотру́дник правоохрани́тельного о́ргана m (sotrúdnik pravooxranítelʹnovo órgana), суде́бный исполни́тель m (sudébnyj ispolnítelʹ) (sheriff, executor, officer of justice)

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

From the same root as law but with the suffix -man.

Noun

lawman

1. crazy person