outlaw

out·law

Use outlaw in a sentence

noun

The definition of an outlaw is a person who has broken the law and is on the run or wanted.
Al Capone was an example of an outlaw.

verb

Outlaw is to ban something or make something illegal.
An example of outlaw is when the government made it illegal to use marijuana.

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MLA Style

"outlaw." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/outlaw>.

APA Style

outlaw. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/outlaw

outlaw

Historical a person declared by a court of law to be deprived of legal rights and protection, generally for the commission of some crime: the killing of such a person was not a legal offense
a habitual or notorious criminal who is a fugitive from the law
a fierce or uncontrollable horse or other animal

Origin of outlaw

Middle English outlawe from Old English utlaga from Old Norse útlagr, literally , outlawed: see out and law

Historical to declare to be an outlaw
in the U.S., to remove the legal force of (contracts, etc.)
to declare unlawful or illegal
to bar, or ban

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MLA Style

"outlaw." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/outlaw>.

APA Style

outlaw. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/outlaw

outlaw

noun

a. A fugitive from the law.
b. A habitual criminal.
c. A rebel; a nonconformist: a social outlaw.
A person excluded from normal legal protection and rights.
A wild or vicious horse or other animal.

transitive verb

out·lawed, out·law·ing, out·laws

To declare illegal: outlawed the sale of firearms.
To place under a ban; prohibit: outlawed smoking in the house.
To deprive (one declared to be a criminal fugitive) of the protection of the law.

Origin of outlaw

Middle English outlaue from Old English ūtlaga from Old Norse ūtlagi from ūtlagr outlawed, banished ūt out ; see ud- in Indo-European roots. lög law ; see legh- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

out′law′
adjective

Word History: The word outlaw brings to mind the cattle rustlers and gunslingers of the Wild West, but it comes to us from a much earlier time, when guns were not yet invented but cattle stealing was. Outlaw can be traced back to the Old Norse word ūtlagr, “outlawed, banished,” made up of ūt, “out,” and lög, “law.” An ūtlagi (derived from ūtlagr ) was someone outside the protection of the law. The Scandinavians, who invaded and settled in England during the 8th through the 11th century, gave us the Old English word ūtlaga, which designated someone who because of criminal acts had to give up his property to the crown and could be killed without recrimination. The legal status of the outlaw became less severe over the course of the Middle Ages. However, the looser use of the word to designate criminals in general, which arose in Middle English, lives on in tales of the Wild West.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"outlaw." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/outlaw>.

APA Style

outlaw. (n.d.). Retrieved December 17th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/outlaw

Noun

(plural outlaws)

A fugitive from the law.
A person who is excluded from normal legal rights.
A person who operates outside established norms.
The main character of the play was a bit of an outlaw who refused to shake hands or say thank you.
A wild horse.
(humorous) An in-law: a relative by marriage.