law of nations

Definitions

1. Synonym of international law.
   uncountable
2. The shared set of legal principles said to be recognized by most peoples in the world; natural law.
   Early, Modern, archaic, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“A person commits piracy who does any act that, by the law of nations, is piracy.”

“And this is the Law, not of the Persians alone (which yet was the Law of a hundred twentie seven Provinces;) nor ours alone (and so may seeme to be the Law of Nations) but, that which strikes it home, by vertue of this enrolement here, is the Law of God; […]”

“But this is monstrous, and unchristian, to say⟳, That servants are wholly at their Masters command; and that by the Law of Nations: What? to murder⟳, steal⟳, lye at their commands? So they must, if this assertion of his be generally true; Is there no difference between the servant, and the asse, by the Law of Nations, or Nature?”

“But for the most part the Law of Nations is nothing else but Equity, and the Law of Nature and Reason⟳, which standeth as the common Rule⟳ among men, appointed of God, by which they may know⟳; and crave each from other their Rights […]”

CEFR level