Law vs. Right — What's the Difference?

Law is a system of rules created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and the art of justice.

Conforming with or conformable to justice, law, or morality

A rule of conduct or procedure established by custom, agreement, or authority.

In accordance with fact, reason, or truth; correct

The body of rules and principles governing the affairs of a community and enforced by a political authority; a legal system

Fitting, proper, or appropriate

The condition of social order and justice created by adherence to such a system

Most favorable, desirable, or convenient

A set of rules or principles dealing with a specific area of a legal system

In or into a satisfactory state or condition

A statute, ordinance, or other rule enacted by a legislature.

In good mental or physical health or order.

A judicially established legal requirement; a precedent.

Intended to be worn or positioned facing outward or toward an observer

The system of judicial administration giving effect to the laws of a community

Of, belonging to, located on, or being the side of the body to the south when the subject is facing east.

Legal action or proceedings; litigation

Of, relating to, directed toward, or located on the right side.

An impromptu or extralegal system of justice substituted for established judicial procedure

Located on the right side of a person facing downstream

An agency or agent responsible for enforcing the law. Often used with the

Often Right Of or belonging to the political or intellectual right.

(Informal) A police officer. Often used with the.

Formed by or in reference to a line or plane that is perpendicular to another line or plane.

The science and study of law; jurisprudence.

Having the axis perpendicular to the base

Knowledge of law.

Having a right angle

The profession of an attorney.

Straight; uncurved; direct

Something, such as an order or a dictum, having absolute or unquestioned authority

(Archaic) Not spurious; genuine.

A body of principles or precepts held to express the divine will, especially as revealed in the Bible.

That which is just, moral, or proper.

The first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures.

The direction or position on the right side.

A code of principles based on morality, conscience, or nature.

The right side.

A rule or custom generally established in a particular domain

The right hand.

A way of life

A turn in the direction of the right hand or side.

A statement describing a relationship observed to be invariable between or among phenomena for all cases in which the specified conditions are met

The people and groups who advocate the adoption of conservative or reactionary measures, especially in government and politics. Also called right wing.

A generalization based on consistent experience or results

The opinion of those advocating such measures.

(Mathematics) A general principle or rule that is assumed or that has been proven to hold between expressions.

(Sports) A blow delivered by a boxer's right hand.

A principle of organization, procedure, or technique

(Baseball) Right field.

(usually with "the") The body of binding rules and regulations, customs, and standards established in a community by its legislative and judicial authorities.

A just or legal claim or title.

The body of such rules that pertain to a particular topic.

Something that is due to a person or governmental body by law, tradition, or nature.

Common law, as contrasted with equity.

Something, especially humane treatment, claimed to be due to animals by moral principle.

A binding regulation or custom established in a community in this way.

An existing stockholder's legally protected claim to purchase additional shares in a corporation ahead of those who are not currently stockholders, especially at a cost lower than market value.

(more generally) A rule, such as:

The negotiable paper on which such an entitlement is indicated.

Any rule that must or should be obeyed, concerning behaviours and their consequences. mores.}}

Toward or on the right.

A rule or principle regarding the construction of language or art.

In a straight line; directly

A statement (in physics, etc) of an (observed, established) order or sequence or relationship of phenomena which is invariable under certain conditions. theory.}}

In the proper or desired manner; well

A statement (of relation) that is true under specified conditions; a mathematical or logical rule.

Exactly; just

Any statement of the relation of acts and conditions to their consequences.

Immediately

(linguistics) A sound law; a regular change in the pronunciation of a language.

Completely; quite

(cricket) One of the official rules of cricket as codified by the its (former) governing body, the MCC.

According to law, morality, or justice.

The control and order brought about by the observance of such rules.

Accurately; correctly

(informal) A person or group that act(s) with authority to uphold such rules and order (for example, one or more police officers).

Chiefly Southern US Considerably; very

The profession that deals with such rules (as lawyers, judges, police officers, etc).

Used as an intensive

Jurisprudence, the field of knowledge which encompasses these rules.

Used in titles

Litigation; legal action (as a means of maintaining or restoring order, redressing wrongs, etc).

To put in or restore to an upright or proper position

An allowance of distance or time (a head start) given to a weaker (human or animal) competitor in a race, to make the race more fair.

To put in order or set right; correct

(aviation) A mode of operation of the flight controls of a fly-by-wire aircraft.

To make reparation or amends for; redress

(fantasy) One of two metaphysical forces ruling the world in some fantasy settings, also called order, and opposed to chaos.

To regain an upright or proper position.

An oath sworn before a court, especially disclaiming a debt. wager of law", "wage one's law", "perform one's law", "lose one's law".}}

(archaic) Straight, not bent.

(obsolete) A tumulus of stones.

(geometry) Of an angle, having a size of 90 degrees, or one quarter of a complete rotation; the angle between two perpendicular lines.

A hill.

(geometry) Of a geometric figure, incorporating a right angle between edges, faces, axes, etc.

A score; share of expense; legal charge.

Complying with justice, correctness or reason; correct, just, true.

(obsolete) To work as a lawyer; to practice law.

Appropriate, perfectly suitable; fit for purpose.

To prosecute or sue (someone), to litigate.

Healthy, sane, competent.

(nonstandard) To rule over (with a certain effect) by law; to govern.

Real; veritable (used emphatically).

(informal) To enforce the law.

(Australia) All right; not requiring assistance.

To subject to legal restrictions.

(dated) Most favourable or convenient; fortunate.

(dated) An exclamation of mild surprise; lawks.

Designating the side of the body which is positioned to the east if one is facing north. This arrow points to the reader's right: →

In general, a rule of being or of conduct, established by an authority able to enforce its will; a controlling regulation; the mode or order according to which an agent or a power acts.

(geography) Designating the bank of a river (etc.) on one's right when facing downstream (i.e. facing forward while floating with the current); that is, the south bank of a river that flows eastward. If this arrow: ⥴ shows the direction of the current, the tilde is on the right side of the river.

In morals: The will of God as the rule for the disposition and conduct of all responsible beings toward him and toward each other; a rule of living, conformable to righteousness; the rule of action as obligatory on the conscience or moral nature.

Designed to be placed or worn outward.

The Jewish or Mosaic code, and that part of Scripture where it is written, in distinction from the gospel; hence, also, the Old Testament.

(politics) Pertaining to the political right; conservative.

An organic rule, as a constitution or charter, establishing and defining the conditions of the existence of a state or other organized community.

On the right side.

In philosophy and physics: A rule of being, operation, or change, so certain and constant that it is conceived of as imposed by the will of God or by some controlling authority; as, the law of gravitation; the laws of motion; the law heredity; the laws of thought; the laws of cause and effect; law of self-preservation.

Towards the right side.

In mathematics: The rule according to which anything, as the change of value of a variable, or the value of the terms of a series, proceeds; mode or order of sequence.

Exactly, precisely.

In arts, works, games, etc.: The rules of construction, or of procedure, conforming to the conditions of success; a principle, maxim; or usage; as, the laws of poetry, of architecture, of courtesy, or of whist.

Immediately, directly.

Collectively, the whole body of rules relating to one subject, or emanating from one source; - including usually the writings pertaining to them, and judicial proceedings under them; as, divine law; English law; Roman law; the law of real property; insurance law.

Very, extremely, quite.

Legal science; jurisprudence; the principles of equity; applied justice.

According to fact or truth; actually; truly; really.

Trial by the laws of the land; judicial remedy; litigation; as, to go law.

In a correct manner.

An oath, as in the presence of a court.

To a great extent or degree.

An exclamation of mild surprise.

Yes, that is correct; I agree.

Legal document setting forth rules governing a particular kind of activity;

I agree with whatever you say; I have no opinion.

The collection of rules imposed by authority;

Signpost word to change the subject in a discussion or discourse.

A generalization that describes recurring facts or events in nature;

Used to check agreement at the end of an utterance.

A rule or body of rules of conduct inherent in human nature and essential to or binding upon human society

Used to add seriousness or decisiveness before a statement.

The learned profession that is mastered by graduate study in a law school and that is responsible for the judicial system;

That which complies with justice, law or reason.

The force of policemen and officers;

A legal, just or moral entitlement.

The branch of philosophy concerned with the law and the principles that lead courts to make the decisions they do

The right side or direction.

The right hand or fist.

The authority to perform, publish, film, or televise a particular work, event, etc.; a copyright.

(politics) The ensemble of right-wing political parties; political conservatives as a group.

The outward or most finished surface, as of a coin, piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.

(surfing) A wave breaking from right to left (viewed from the shore).

(transitive) To correct.

(transitive) To set upright.

(intransitive) To return to normal upright position.

(transitive) To do justice to; to relieve from wrong; to restore rights to; to assert or regain the rights of.

Straight; direct; not crooked; as, a right line.

Upright; erect from a base; having an upright axis; not oblique; as, right ascension; a right pyramid or cone.

Fit; suitable; proper; correct; becoming; as, the right man in the right place; the right way from London to Oxford.

Conformed to the constitution of man and the will of God, or to justice and equity; not deviating from the true and just; according with truth and duty; just; true.

Characterized by reality or genuineness; real; actual; not spurious.

According with truth; passing a true judgment; conforming to fact or intent; not mistaken or wrong; not erroneous; correct; as, this is the right faith.

Most favorable or convenient; fortunate.

Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action is usually stronger than on the other side; - opposed to left when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the right side, hand, arm. Also applied to the corresponding side of the lower animals.

Well placed, disposed, or adjusted; orderly; well regulated; correctly done.

Designed to be placed or worn outward; as, the right side of a piece of cloth.

In a right manner.

In a right or straight line; directly; hence; straightway; immediately; next; as, he stood right before me; it went right to the mark; he came right out; he followed right after the guide.

Exactly; just.

According to the law or will of God; conforming to the standard of truth and justice; righteously; as, to live right; to judge right.

According to any rule of art; correctly.

According to fact or truth; actually; truly; really; correctly; exactly; as, to tell a story right.

In a great degree; very; wholly; unqualifiedly; extremely; highly; as, right humble; right noble; right valiant.

That which is right or correct.

A just judgment or action; that which is true or proper; justice; uprightness; integrity.

That to which one has a just claim.

That which one has a legal or social claim to do or to exact; legal power; authority; as, a sheriff has a right to arrest a criminal.

The right side; the side opposite to the left.

Privilege or immunity granted by authority.

In some legislative bodies of Europe (as in France), those members collectively who are conservatives or monarchists. See Center, 5.

The outward or most finished surface, as of a piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.

To bring or restore to the proper or natural position; to set upright; to make right or straight (that which has been wrong or crooked); to correct.

To do justice to; to relieve from wrong; to restore rights to; to assert or regain the rights of; as, to right the oppressed; to right one's self; also, to vindicate.

To recover the proper or natural condition or position; to become upright.

Hence, to regain an upright position, as a ship or boat, after careening.

An abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature;

(frequently plural) the interest possessed by law or custom in some intangible thing;

Location near or direction toward the right side; i.e. the side to the south when a person or object faces east;

A turn to the right;

Those who support political or social or economic conservatism; those who believe that things are better left unchanged

Anything in accord with principles of justice;

The hand that is on the right side of the body;

The piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher's right

Make reparations or amends for;

Put in or restore to an upright position;

Regain an upright or proper position;

Make right or correct;

Free from error; especially conforming to fact or truth;

Being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the east when facing north;

Socially right or correct;

In conformance with justice or law or morality;

Correct in opinion or judgment;

Appropriate for a condition or occasion;

Of or belonging to the political or intellectual left

In or into a satisfactory condition;

Intended for the right hand;

In accord with accepted standards of usage or procedure;

Having the axis perpendicular to the base;

Of the side of cloth or clothing intended to face outward;

Most suitable or right for a particular purpose;

Precisely, exactly;

Immediately;

Exactly;

Toward or on the right; also used figuratively;

In the right manner;

An interjection expressing agreement

Completely;

(Southern regional intensive) very;

In accordance with moral or social standards;

In a correct manner;