Idioms form 02.01

A situation or activity that is fraught with legal complications and risks

A legal minefield

The established law in a country

Law of the land

To punish or criticize someone as severely as possible

To throw the book at someone

Done in private; secret, especially with reference to legal or judicial proceedings

Behind closed doors

To behave in a way that is unacceptable or not considered standard within the legal or ethical context

To cross the line

To have the right or opportunity to speak in a group, especially at length

To hold the floor

To argue against or attack an idea, argument, or proposition—even if one is in favour of it—for the sake of debate or to further examine its strength, validity, or details

To play devil’s advocate

To cause a change, especially in making something more likely to happen

To tip the scales

Completely settled or decided.

Cut-and-dried

A situation that is not clear or where the rules are not known

A grey area