A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Law Day • Lawful Day
Law Day —(U.S.) the day established by a resolution of
Congress in 
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96
1
to draw attention to the principles of justice
and the practice of law: For the last several years the American
Bar Association has been sponsoring “Law Day” on May 
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.
Lawful Day —(hist.) a day on which the courts sat; a day
on which particular kinds of business might be legally done:
A calendar indicated the lawful days for legal business, and
also the festivals, anniversaries of historical events, etc.
law of nature • law of the jungle
law of nature —(also: natural law) 
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. is used to refer to a par-
ticular phenomenon always occurring if certain conditions are
present: A fundamental law of nature must capture a cause-
and-effect relation about the workings of the real world. 2. is
used of ideas, etc. as implanted by nature in the human mind:
Right libertarians are not alone in claiming that their particular
ideology is based on the law of nature.
law of the jungle —(also: jungle law) the superiority of brute
force or self-interest in the ruthless struggle for survival: A
purely materialistic society inevitably succumbs to the law of
the jungle and political dictatorship.
lawman • man of law
lawman —(U.S.) 
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. a law-enforcement officer: Had he actu-
ally seen the rough law-men bundle the startled widow into
the Black Maria? 2. a sheriff or marshal: A retired lawman,
still sporting a tin star, demonstrated how he could kill with
either hand.
man of law —(UK dated) a lawyer: Another man of law now
came in, straight from the magistrates’ chamber.
lay a finger on someone • put the finger on
 someone
lay a finger on someone —(also: set a finger on someone) touch
or harm a person however slightly: I never ever laid a finger
on him. We were very good friends.
put the finger on someone —(sl.) inform against smb.; de -
nounce a person to the police: If I’m grabbed with this junk
I’ll rot in jail before I put the finger on you.