be a law unto oneself
expression · Collocation / phrase C1
Plain meaning
to behave independently and ignore normal rules
Exam-register meaning
In exam reading or discussion, this expression signals to behave independently and ignore normal rules rather than a literal meaning.
In context
naturalThe phrase “be a law unto oneself” fitted the situation perfectly.
examIn higher-level reading passages, “be a law unto oneself” may be used to show to behave independently and ignore normal rules.
Common collocations
be a law unto oneselfuse “be a law unto oneself” in contextthe expression “be a law unto oneself”
Watch out
Do not translate “be a law unto oneself” word-for-word; learn it as a fixed expression and check whether it is suitable for formal writing.