Useful Idioms about Law and Politics in English

 

Idioms about Law and Politics! Learn useful English Idioms and expressions about Law and Politics with meaning, ESL pictures and examples.

Idioms about Law and Politics

Crime Idioms 

List of English idioms about crime.

• Caught Red-Handed: Apprehended while committing a crime
• Five-Finger Discount: Shoplifting
• Foul Play: Crime, typically murder
• Get Off Scot Free: Be accused of wrongdoing but pay no penalty at all

Law Idioms

List of law idioms in English:

• (Caught) Bang to Rights: Caught in an unlawful or immoral act without any mitigating circumstances.
• Above The Law: Exempt from the laws that apply to everyone else.
• Act Of Congress: Hard to get, said of authorization
• All Rights Reserved: Said of a published work; all reproduction rights are asserted by the copyright holder
• Bail Out: To rescue someone from a bad situation, to shield someone from the consequences of his or her actions
• Ball and Chain: 1. One’s spouse (derogatory but often affectionate); 2. an ongoing burden
• Letter of the Law: The explicit meaning of a law, as opposed to the spirit of the law, the law’s general intention
• Open-and-Shut Case: A situation, especially a legal proceeding, with a clear, certain outcome
• Take the Fifth: Refuse to answer because answering might incriminate or cause problems for you

Police Idioms

List of police idioms in English:

• Throw The Book At: Prosecute legally as strongly as possible
• Blue Light Special: 1. a temporary sale at a discount store. 2. a traffic stop by the police.

Politics Idioms

List of politics idioms in English:

• Stick It to the Man: Do something that frustrates those in authority
• Waka-Jumping: Change political parties (said of politicians themselves)
• Think Tank: A group of experts engaged in ongoing studies of a particular subject; a policy study group

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War Idioms & Expressions

List of English idioms and phrases about war:

• (The) Cavalry: Assistance from a powerful source in a difficult situation.
• Pin Someone Down: Demand a decision or clear answer
• Scorched Earth (Tactics, Policy, etc.): Ruthless, extremely destructive
• Shot Across the Bow: A warning of more serious actions to come
• Up in Arms: Angry, protesting (usually said of a group)
• Weekend Warrior: Someone who has an office job but enjoys contact sports on weekends; a member of a military reserve force (whose exercises are typically on weekends)