Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective unlawful; illegal.
  • noun The commission of a criminal act, the violation or breaking of a law.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

law +‎ breaking

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Examples

  • Tolerated lawbreaking is almost always a response to a political failure – the inability of our political institutions to adapt to social change or reach a rational compromise that reflects the interests of the nation and all concerned parties.

    Which Laws Don’t We Enforce And Why? | Impact Lab 2007

  • Granting immunity sets a dangerous precedent, sending the message that lawbreaking is acceptable and that the rights of Americans can be freely infringed by private companies in defiance of the law.

    Boing Boing 2007

  • One cry of “but he’s a Maverick!” and the opposition to his lawbreaking is dropped.

    Democrats Protest McCain Finance Opinion - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com 2008

  • If that's what they keep demanding with their lawbreaking, that is what they will eventually get.

    courierpress.com Stories 2010

  • If that's what they keep demanding with their lawbreaking, that is what they will eventually get.

    courierpress.com Stories 2010

  • If that's what they keep demanding with their lawbreaking, that is what they will eventually get.

    courierpress.com Stories 2010

  • If your ability to monetize your living is undermined by rampant lawbreaking, that is somewhat unfortunate, but you just have to deal with it.

    Techdirt 2009

  • If your ability to monetize your living is undermined by rampant lawbreaking, that is somewhat unfortunate, but you just have to deal with it.

    Techdirt 2009

  • But even more damaging is the way that attitude -- that any kind of lawbreaking or even potential lawbreaking requires the harshest possible response, with no regard to more than 200 years of momentum toward basic civil liberties and human rights -- is filtering down to other aspects of American life.

    Will Bunch: The Taserification of America 2010

  • Thus, when OLC retracted its earlier approval, the "subsequent behavior" of the President in authorizing continuing taps amounted to "lawbreaking".

    Balkinization 2007

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