equal protection of the laws

Cultural Dictionary

equal protection of the laws definition


A phrase in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution requiring that states guarantee the same rights, privileges, and protections to all citizens. This doctrine reinforces that of due process of law and prevents states from passing or enforcing laws that arbitrarily discriminate against anyone.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Equal protection of the laws is always a great word to know.
So is bezoar. Does it mean:
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
WordNet
equal protection of the laws

noun
a right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and by the due-process clause of the Fifth Amendment 
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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