Lynch Law
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Mob-law, law adminis- tered by private persons. The origin of the term is unknown; none of the suggested derivations from James Lynch or Justice Lynch having any foundation in fact.
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 “Lynch Law” mean?
Mob-law, law adminis- tered by private persons. The origin of the term is unknown; none of the suggested derivations from James Lynch or Justice Lynch having any foundation in fact.
Is “Lynch Law” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.