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lay down the law

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lay down the law (to someone) (about something)

Fig. to scold someone; to make something very clear to someone in a very stern manner. Wow, was she mad at Ed. She really laid down the law about drinking to him. She laid down the law to Ed. She laid down the law about drinking.

See also: down, law, lay

lay down the law

to tell people what they must do, without caring about their opinions I'm not going to let some new guy come into my office and start laying down the law. Riley laid down the law, telling his players, “We're going to play the game my way.”

Related vocabulary: read somebody the riot act

See also: down, law, lay

lay down the law

to tell people what they should do, without caring about how they feel I'm not going to have someone come into this office and start laying down the law.

See also: down, law, lay

lay down the law

Assert something positively and often arrogantly, state something dogmatically. For example, Dad laid down the law about locking up the house. This colloquial expression, first recorded in 1762, uses lay down in the sense of def. 2.

See also: down, law, lay

lay down the law

To issue orders or instructions sharply or imperiously.

See also: down, law, lay