noun · femininethird declension
lēx
lēx f (genitive lēgis)
Classical[ˈɫeːks]Ecclesiastical[ˈlɛks]
№ 264 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- the legal machinery of a state, the law
lēge
lawfullylēge agere
to go to law; to carry out the law - a law, statute, bill
dūra lēx, sed lēx
the law is tough but it is the law (proverb)Lēx ūniversa est quae iubet nāscī et morī.
The universal law is that which ordains that we are to be born and to die.43 BCE, Publilius Syrus, Sententiae (printed in translation Benham's Book of Quotations 1948) - pluralthe laws regarded as a body, the constitution
Athēniēnsēs, unde hūmānitās, doctrīna, […] lēgēs ortae
the Athenians, whence we have humanity, learning […] and the constitution59 BCE, Cicero, Pro Flacco 62 - legal right or title
lēge
by legal right - a rule made by any authority, ordinance, regulation, precept
sī […] Epicūrī lēgibus pāruisset
if […] he followed the precepts of Epicurus106 BCE – 43 BCE, Cicero, Tusculanae Disputationes 5.108 - a rule or principle of any art or craft, esp. the rules of scansion or versification
lēx poētica
the rules of poetrynumerī lēge solūtī
rhythm without rules - a law or rule established by divine authority or universally accepted by mankind
lēx bellī
the custom of war, the right of the conqueror - a principle inherent in the nature of a thing, a condition of existence
lēge dūrā vīvont mulierēs
womens' existence is hardc. 206 BCE – 188 BCE, Plautus, Mercator 817 - what is allowable or right, the due measure, propriety
lēgem priōrum ēgredī
to transgress the standards of propriety set by those who came before - rule, control, dominion
ad lēgem
neatlysine lēge
in disorder, wildly - a compact or agreement stipulating the terms for the performance of work, a contract
lēx operī faciundō
a contract - a necessary condition for the fulfilment of a promise, contract, etc., a term, condition, stipulation
hāc lēge, eā lēge (ut), hīs lēgibus
on the condition (that), on these termssuā lēge, meā lēge, suīs lēgibus
on one's own terms, at one’s discretion - pluralterms of peace or friendship
vīcīnae ruptīs inter sē lēgibus urbēs // arma ferunt
breaking the covenants which bind them, neighbouring cities draw the swordc. 37 BCE – 30 BCE, Vergilius, Georgicon 1.510
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quod populus iubet et omnēs servāre dēbent; lēgēs cīvēs regunt.lēx lēgis f — in Mille Verba, Urbs et Aedificia
rēgula ā Deō datalēx, lēgis (f) — in Evangelium secundum Matthaeum, ch. 3
law
lēx, lēgis — in Viri Romae Facillimi, ch. 1, 5, 10, 15, 18, 20, 25
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Consuetudo · Mos · Ritus · Cærimonia
Consuetudo denotes the uniform observance of anything as a custom, arising from itself, and having its foundation in the inclination or convenience of an individual or people, ἔθος; whereas mos (modus) is the habitual observance of anything, as a product of reason, and of the self-conscious will, and has its foundation in moral views, or the clear dictates of right, virtue, and decorum, ἦθος; lastly, ritus denotes the hallowed observance of anything, either implanted by nature as an instinct, or introduced by the gods as a ceremony, or which, at any rate, cannot be traced to any human origin. Consuetudines are merely factitious, and have no moral worth; mores are morally sanctioned by silent consent, as jura and leges by formal decree; ritus (from ἀριθμός, ῥυθμός), are natural, and are hallowed by their primæval origin, and are peculiar to the animal. (v. 75.) 2. Ritus is a hallowed observance, as directed and taught by the gods or by nature; whereas cærimonia (κηδεμονία) is that which is employed in the worship of the gods.
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | lēx | lēgēs |
| genitive | lēgis | lēgum |
| dative | lēgī | lēgibus |
| accusative | lēgem | lēgēs |
| ablative | lēge | lēgibus |
| vocative | lēx | lēgēs |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- lege teneri
- to be bound by a law.
- ea lege, ut
- on condition of...
- legem iubere
- to ratify a law (used of the people).
- leges nullae
- lawlessness; anarchy.
- leges dicendi
- the rules of speech, grammar.
- legem sancire
- to let a bill become law (of the people and senate).
- lex perfertur
- a law is adopted.
- legibus solvere
- to free from legal obligations.
36 more phrases
- pro lege dicere
- to support a bill (before the people).
- legi intercedere
- to protest against a law (used of the veto, intercessio, of plebeian tribunes).
- a lege discedere
- to transgress a law.
- instituta et leges
- the constitution.
- legem in aes incīdere
- to engrave a law upon a brazen tablet.
- omnes leges confundere
- to upset the whole constitution.
- legem ratam esse iubere
- to declare a law valid.
- aliquid contra legem est
- a thing is illegal.
- Solo lege sanxit, ut or ne
- Solo ordained by law that...
- lex rata est (opp. irrita)
- a law is valid.
- legem proponere in publicum
- to bring a law before the notice of the people.
- sententia or voluntas legis
- the spirit of the law.
- legem perferre (Liv. 33. 46)
- to carry a law (said of the magistrate).
- legem abrogare (Att. 3. 23. 2)
- to replace an old law by a new.
- legem tollere (Leg. 2. 12. 31)
- to abolish a law.
- in legem iurare (Sest. 16. 37)
- to swear obedience to a law.
- legem sciscere (Planc. 14. 35)
- to vote for a law.
- legem suadere (opp. dissuadere)
- to support a bill (before the people).
- (ex) iure, lege agere cum aliquo
- to go to law with a person.
- legum scriptor, conditor, inventor
- a legislator.
- in lege scriptum est, or simply est
- the law says...
- qui leges scribit (not legum lator)
- a legislator.
lex, lēgis, f. perh. Sanscr. root lag-, lig-, to fasten; Lat. ligo, to bind, oblige; cf. religio,
I. a proposition or motion for a law made to the people by a magistrate, a bill (cf. institutum).
I. Lit.:
legem ferre: antiquare, Cic. Off. 2, 21, 73: rogare, id. Phil. 2, 29, 72: leges ac jura ferre, Juv. 2, 72: legem promulgavit pertulitque, ut, etc., Liv. 33, 46: Antonius fixit legem a dictatore comitiis latam, qua, etc., Cic. Att. 14, 12: legem sciscere de aliqua re, id. Planc. 14, 35: populus R. jussit legem de civitate tribuenda, id. Balb. 17, 38: repudiare, id. Lael. 25, 96.—II. Transf.
A. A bill which has become a law in consequence of its adoption by the people in the comitia, a law (cf.: jus, fas; decretum, edictum, scitum): legem constituere alicui, Cic. Caecin. 14, 40:
legem gravem alicui imponere, id. Ac. 2, 8, 23: legem neglegere, evertere, perfringere, id. Cat. 1, 7, 18: neglegere, perrumpere, id. Leg. 1, 15, 42: leges ac jura labefactare, id. Caecin. 25, 70: legem condere, Liv. 3, 34: leges duodecim tabularum, the laws composed by the decemvirs, the foundation of Roman legislation, Liv. 3, 33 sq.: nunc barbaricā lege certumst jus meum omne persequi, i. e. by the Roman law, that of the Twelve Tables, Plaut. Capt. 3, 1, 32.—B. Esp. in phrases.
1. Lege and legibus, according to law, by law, legally:
ejus morte ea ad me lege redierunt bona, Ter. And. 4, 5, 4: Athenas deductus est, ut ibi de eo legibus fieret judicium, Nep. Phoc. 3, 4.—2. Legis actio, a statutory process:
actiones quas in usu veteres habuerunt legis actiones appellabantur, vel ideo quod legibus proditae sunt, ... vel ideo quia ipsarum legum verbis accommodatae erant, et ideo inmutabiles proinde atque leges observabantur, Gai. Inst. 4, 11; cf. § 12 sqq.—3. Hence, in partic.: lege agere, to proceed strictly according to law.
a. Of the lictor, to execute a sentence:
Fulvius praeconi imperavit, ut lictorem lege agere juberet, Liv. 26, 15, 9. —b. To bring a legal or statutory action: una injuria est tecum. Chr. Lege agito ergo, Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 90: lege agito dicebatur ei cujus intentio contemptibilis adversario videbatur, Don. ad Ter. l. l.: lege agito mecum;
molestus ne sis, Plaut. Aul. 3, 3, 11: lege egit in hereditatem paternam exheres filius, Cic. de Or. 1, 38, 175; 1, 36, 167; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 45, § 115.—4. Fraudem legi facere, to evade the law:
ut ne legi fraudem faciant aleariae, adcuratote ut, etc., the law against dicing, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 9: quod emancupando filium fraudem legi fecisset, Liv. 7, 16, 9; cf. Val. Max. 8, 6, 3; cf. also: facio fraudem senatus consulto, Cic. Att. 4, 12, 1.—C. In gen., a law, precept, regulation, principle, rule, mode, manner:
qui disciplinam suam legem vitae putet, Cic. Tusc. 2, 4, 11: communis condicio lexque vitae, id. ib. 4, 29, 62; id. Balb. 7, 18: haec lex in amicitia sauciatur, id. Lael. 12, 40: quaero cur vir bonus has sibi tam gravis leges imposuerit, id. Ac. 2, 8, 23: lex veri rectique, id. ib. 2, 9, 27: aliquam legem vitae accipere, Sen. Ep. 108, 6: ad legem naturae revertamur, id. ib. 25, 4: leges in historia observandae, Cic. Leg. 1, 1, 5: quis nescit primam esse historiae legem, ne quid falsi dicere audeat? id. de Or. 2, 15, 62; id. Fam. 5, 12, 3: vetus est lex amicitiae, ut idem amici semper velint, id. Planc. 2, 5: hanc ad legem formanda est oratio, id. de Or. 3, 49, 190: versibus est certa quaedam et definita lex, id. Or. 58: legibus suis (i. e. philosophiae) parere, id. Tusc. 5, 7, 19: leges Epicuri, id. ib. 5, 37, 108; 4, 4, 7; Sen. Ep. 94, 15; Suet. Ner. 24: vetus lex sermonis, Quint. 1, 5, 29: contra leges loquendi, id. 1, 8, 13: lex et ratio loquendi, Juv. 6, 453: secundum grammaticam legem, Gell. 13, 21, 22: legem esse aiunt disciplinae dialecticae, etc., id. 16, 2, 1: citharae leges, Tac. A. 16, 4: beneficii, Sen. Ben. 2, 10, 4: sic ingens rerum numerus jubet atque operum lex, Juv. 7, 102: scimus hujus opusculi illam esse legem, etc., Plin. Ep. 4, 14, 5: qui titulus sola metri lege constringitur, id. ib. 4, 14, 8.—Of things: quā sidera lege mearent, by what law, what rule, Ov. M. 15, 71.—Hence, sine lege, without order, in confusion, confusedly: exspatiantur equi ... quaque impetus egit, Hac sine lege ruunt, Ov. M. 2, 204: jacent collo sparsi sine lege capilli, id. H. 15, 73: haec in lege loci commoda Circus habet, quality, nature, id. Am. 3, 2, 20; cf.: sub lege loci sumit mutatque figuras, id. Hal. 32.—D. A contract, agreement, covenant:
oleam faciundam hac lege oportet locare, etc., Cato, R. R. 145: in mancipii lege, a contract of sale, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 178; cf.: Manilianas venalium vendendorum leges ediscere, id. ib. 1, 58, 246: collegii Aesculapii, Inscr. ap. Fabrett. p. 724, n. 443.—E. A condition, stipulation (cf. condicio).
1. In gen. (mostly ante-class.):
ego dabo ei talentum, primus qui in crucem excucurrerit, Set ca lege, ut offigantur bis pedes, Plaut. Most. 2, 1, 13: quia nequit, qua lege licuit velle dixit fieri, id. Stich. 3, 1, 58: estne empta mi haec? Pe. His legibus habeas licet, id. Ep. 3, 4, 39: hac lege tibi adstringo meam fidem, Ter. Eun. 1, 2, 22: legibus dictis, Liv. 9, 5, 3: dicta tibi est lex, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 18: sed vos saevas imponite leges, Juv. 7, 229.—2. Hence of conditions or terms of peace:
pax data Philippo in has leges est, Liv. 33, 30: quibus ante dictum est legibus, pacem fecerunt, id. 30, 43: pacemque his legibus constituerunt, Nep. Tim. 2: se sub leges pacis iniquae Tradere, Verg. A. 4, 618: leges et foedera jungere, id. ib. 12, 822: in leges ire, Stat. S. 1, 1, 27.—F. In eccl. Lat. esp., the law of Moses:
nolite putare quoniam veni solvere legem, Vulg. Matt. 5, 17; 11, 13; often called lex Moysi, id. Luc. 2, 22; id. Act. 15, 5; but more freq. lex Domini, id. Luc. 2, 23; id. Psa. 4, 2: lex Dei, id. 2 Esdr. 10, 28 sq.; also cf.: lex Altissimi, id. Eccl. 19, 21: lex tua, id. Psa. 39, 8; 118, 18: lex mea, id. Prov. 3, 1.—Also of a precept of the Mosaic law: ista est lex animantium, Vulg. Lev. 11, 46: istae sunt leges quas constituit Dominus, id. Num. 30, 17.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
lēx lēgis, f
3 LEG-, a formal proposition for a law, motion, bill (offered by a magistrate to the people): legem ferre: antiquare: rogare: legem promulgavit pertulitque, ut, etc., L.: a dictatore comitiis lata: scivit legem de publicanis: populus R. iussit legem de civitate tribuendā: repudiare.— A bill adopted by the people in the comitia, enactment, law : civitati legem constituere: leges ac iura labefactare: legem condere, L.: decem tabularum leges, the ten (afterwards twelve) tables, composed by the decemvirs , L.: fraudem legi facere, evade the law , L.: omnia lege facta, legally : ut legibus fieret iudicium, according to law , N.: lictorem lege agere iubere, do his office , L.: Lege agito, bring an action , T.— A law, precept, regulation, principle, rule, mode, manner : meā lege utar, T.: haec lex in amicitiā sanciatur: veri rectique: prima historiae, ne quid falsi dicere audeat: lex amicitiae, ut idem amici semper velint: leges Epicuri: ultra Legem tendere opus, H.: lex et ratio loquendi, Iu.: equi sine lege ruunt, in disorder , O.: hanc dederat Proserpina legem, had prescribed this order , V.— A contract, agreement, covenant : in mancipi lege, a contract of sale : Manilianas venalium vendendorum leges ediscere, legal forms.—A condition, stipulation : hac lege tibi adstringo meam fidem, T.: legibus dictis, L.: fata Quiritibus Hac lege dico, ne, etc., H.: leges captis inponere, conditions , O.: sed vos saevas imponite leges, Iu.: pax data Philippo in has leges est, terms , L.: se sub leges pacis iniquae Tradere, V.
Origins
- Proto-Indo-European*leǵ-
- Proto-Indo-European*lḗǵs?
- Proto-Indo-European*legʰ-
- Proto-Indo-European*lḗgʰs?
- Proto-Italic*lēks
- Latinlēx
From Proto-Italic *lēks. The usual etymology derives the term from Proto-Indo-European *lēǵ-s, a root nomen actionis from *leǵ- (“to gather”), whence also legō. Palmer (1906) proposes an alternative origin in Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-s, root nomen actionis from *legʰ- (“to lie, to be in resting position”). Compare typologically English law, Russian уложе́ние (uložénije) from this PIE root. This alternative etymology is endorsed by Fortson.
Descendants
- Germanlege artis
- Italianlegge
- Occitanleifrom Old Occitan ley
- Catalanlleifrom Old Occitan ley
- Frenchloifrom Old French lei
- Portugueselei
- Romanianlege
- Spanishleyfrom Old Spanish ley
- Albanianligj
- Aromanianleadzi