the long arm of the law
noun phrase
: the ability of the police to find and catch people who commit crimes
The long arm of the law finally caught up with him 30 years later.
Examples of the long arm of the law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the long arm of the law is not the hand of God.
—
Theodore R. Johnson, Washington Post, 18 June 2024
Now the long arm of the law has reached him and dumped him in jail.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 June 2024
Staying in power is a form of insurance policy against the long arm of the law.
—Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2014
Theodore R. Johnson, Washington Post, 18 June 2024
Now the long arm of the law has reached him and dumped him in jail.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 June 2024
Staying in power is a form of insurance policy against the long arm of the law.
—Foreign Affairs, 15 Dec. 2014
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the long arm of the law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the long arm of the law
Cite this Entry
“The long arm of the law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20long%20arm%20of%20the%20law. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share