Lawe

noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Obsolete spelling of law (“system of regulations etc.”). alt-of, countable, obsolete, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To cut off the claws and balls of (e.g. a dog's forefeet, to hinder it from hunting). transitive

    "They were enveloped in forms, and easily evaded ; like a lawed dog, too mutilated to catch their game."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Perhaps from law because the practice was ordained by law. Few dictionaries comment directly on the etymology of the sense, but several (which also spell the infinitive law) group it with the other verb and noun senses derived from Old English lagu (“law”).

Etymology 2

Perhaps from law because the practice was ordained by law. Few dictionaries comment directly on the etymology of the sense, but several (which also spell the infinitive law) group it with the other verb and noun senses derived from Old English lagu (“law”).

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