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# unlawfully

adverb (unlawfully)

«unlawfully» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Unlawfully means in a way that is against the law. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#m1)

### In the lessons

Used in news, law and history: «unlawfully killed», «unlawfully detained», «entered the country unlawfully». It tells the reader that an action broke the law.

### Examples

- The man was arrested for unlawfully entering the building. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#x1)
- The court said the workers had been unlawfully dismissed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#x2)
- Taking someone's bike without asking is acting unlawfully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#x3)
- The prisoner claimed he was held unlawfully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#x4)
- The land had been taken unlawfully many years ago. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#x5)
- The company unlawfully dumped waste in the river. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/#x6)

### Note

Formal; everyday speech says «illegally». Opposite: «lawfully», «legally». «Unlawfully» means against the law; «unfairly» means not fair but may still be legal.

## In Jewish tradition

In Ezekiel it means wrongly and against God's law, as in cheating foreigners who live among the people.

**Interpretation.** The Torah repeatedly commands care for the stranger. Tradition reads this verse as showing how far the people strayed from that law.

### Examples

- The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have wronged the poor and needy, and have oppressed the stranger unlawfully. (Prophets EZK.22.29, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/unlawfully/#x1)

### Note

Formal; everyday speech says «illegally». Opposite: «lawfully», «legally». «Unlawfully» means against the law; «unfairly» means not fair but may still be legal.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «unlawfully» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unlawfully/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«unlawfully» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/unlawfully.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «unlawfully» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/U/unlawfully/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«unlawfully» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/unlawfully.html) on Mova free.