le ‧ gal S2 W1 AC /ˈliːɡ ə l/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ legality ≠ ↑ illegality , ↑ legalization , ↑ legalese , ↑ illegal ; adjective : ↑ legal ≠ ↑ illegal , ↑ legalistic ; verb : ↑ legalize ; adverb : ↑ legally ≠ ↑ illegally ]
[ Date: 1400-1500 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin legalis , from lex 'law' ]
1 . if something is legal, you are allowed to do it or have to do it by law OPP illegal :
What the company has done is perfectly legal.
plans to make the carrying of identity cards a legal requirement
He had twice the legal limit of alcohol in his bloodstream.
a pressure group that is campaigning to make cannabis legal
2 . [only before noun] concerned with or relating to the law:
free legal advice
a costly legal dispute
the Scottish legal system
the legal profession (=lawyers)
3 . legal action/proceedings the use of the legal system to settle an argument, put right an unfair situation etc:
She threatened to take legal action against the hospital.
⇨ ↑ legally