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unlawful

 - 4 dictionary results

un⋅law⋅ful

[uhn-law-fuhl]
–adjective
1. not lawful; contrary to law; illegal.
2. born out of wedlock; illegitimate.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME unlaweful. See un- 1 , lawful


un⋅law⋅ful⋅ly, adverb
un⋅law⋅ful⋅ness, noun


1. illicit. See illegal. 2. bastard, natural.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To unlawful
un·law·ful   (ŭn-lô'fəl)   
adj.  
  1. Not lawful; illegal.

  2. Contrary to accepted morality or convention; illicit.

  3. Of, relating to, or being a child or children born to unmarried parents.

un·law'ful·ly adv., un·law'ful·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

unlawful 
c.1300, from un- (1) "not" + lawful (see law). Unlawful assembly is recorded in statutes from 1485.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: un·law·ful
Function: adjective
1 : not lawful : not authorized or justified by law
2 : acting contrary to or in defiance of the law unlawful possessor> —un·law·ful·ly adverbun·law·ful·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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