Phrase guide

take the law into one's own hands

verb · 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

verb

Meaning 1

To punish someone according to one's own idea of justice, without consideration for the role of law enforcement authorities.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, intransitive

Examples

  • After his son's killer was let off without a conviction, the man decided to take the law into his own hands.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: fer justícia pel seu compte — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Chinese Mandarin: 用私刑 — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Finnish: ottaa laki omiin käsiinsä — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Finnish: käyttää omankädenoikeutta — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Finnish: jakaa oman käden oikeutta — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • French: faire justice soi-même — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Greek: αυτοδικώ (aftodikó) — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Hebrew: לָקַח אֶת הַחֹק לַיָּדַיִם (lakákh et hakhók layadáyim) — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Indonesian: main hakim sendiri — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Italian: farsi giustizia — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Polish: zaprowadzać prawo — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Polish: zaprowadzić prawo — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Portuguese: fazer justiça com as próprias mãos — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism
  • Spanish: tomarse la justicia por su mano — punish someone according to one's own idea of justice — see also lynch, vigilantism