laws written in blood
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Demades said that the laws of Draco were written in blood, because every offence was punishable by death.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “laws written in blood” mean?
Demades said that the laws of Draco were written in blood, because every offence was punishable by death.
Is “laws written in blood” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.