outlaw

Everyday

1. A person who has broken the law and is running away from it, especially in old stories. tree →
2. (verb) To make something against the law; to ban it. tree →

In the lessons

In stories and history an outlaw lives outside the law, like Robin Hood or the bandits of the Wild West. In everyday news, a government may outlaw something dangerous or unfair. Phrases: an outlaw band, outlaw a practice, be outlawed.

Examples

• Robin Hood was an outlaw who lived in Sherwood Forest. tree →
• The sheriff chased the outlaws across the desert. tree →
• Many countries have outlawed child labour. tree →
• Smoking is outlawed inside restaurants here. tree →
• The outlaw hid in the hills with stolen gold. tree →
• The school outlawed phones in class. tree →
• There were nearly a hundred of these outlaws, and their leader was a bold fellow called Robin Hood. tree →

Note

As a verb it means ban, not «become an outlaw». Past form outlawed. The noun stresses OUT-law. Outlaws in stories can be heroes or villains.