Phrase guide

long arm of the law

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The influence or effectiveness of law enforcement institutions; law enforcement officers collectively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Qualifier: almost always preceded by the

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 法網 /法网 (wǎngluó) — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Chinese Mandarin: 網羅 /网罗 (fǎwǎng) — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Danish: lovens lange arm — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Dutch: lange arm der wet — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Finnish: lain pitkä koura — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Finnish: lain koura — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • German: Rechtspflege — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Greek: τσιμπίδα του νόμου (tsimpída tou nómou) — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Italian: braccio della legge — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Norwegian Bokmål: lovens lange arm — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: lovas lange arm — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: lovens lange arm — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Polish: wymiar sprawiedliwości — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Romanian: brațul legii — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Romanian: brațul lung al legii — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Spanish: brazo de la ley — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement
  • Swedish: lagens långa arm — influence or effectiveness of law enforcement