1.legal adj.与法律有关的，法律上；经法律许可的，法律承认的，合法的。（这个词与法律发生关系的法律仅指国家的法律，而且有具体的条文的法律），如：
a legal advicer 法律顾问
a legal document 法律文件
legal formalities 法律程序（the course of legal proceedings）
the legal fee诉讼费
legal act法律行为
legal assistance司法协助
legal agent法定代理人
legal address法定地址
legal entity法人
legal estate法定财产
legal profession法律职业
the legal profession/system
法律专业 / 体系
to take/seek legal advice
听取 / 寻求法律咨询
legal costs
律师费用（也指诉讼费）
The driver was more than three times over the legal limit
那名司机体内的酒精含量超过了法律允许限度的三倍。
Should euthanasia be made legal?
安乐死是否应定为合法？
be legally responsible for sb/sth
对某人 / 某事负有法律责任
Gambling is legal in the Sate of Nevada.赌博在内华达州是合法的。
Is it legal to marry one’s cousin?跟表兄弟、表姐妹结婚是合法的吗？
Prisoners have legal rights, but in practice these rights are not always respected.
囚犯虽有合法的权利，但实际上这些权利常未受到尊重。
Banning cigarette advertising would be unconstitutional, since selling cigarettes is legal.
既然出售香烟是合法的，那么禁止做香烟广告就是违宪的。
He is considering taking legal action against the hospital.
他正考虑起诉这家医院。
It is interesting to contrast the British legal system with the American one.
把英国的法制与美国的加以对比很有意思。
We'll look at the problem from a strictly legal point of view.
我们将只从法律的角度来看待这个问题。
The judge's decision became a legal talking point.
法官的判决成了法律界谈论的中心。
He had to mortgage his house to pay his legal costs.
他不得不把房子抵押出去来付诉讼费。
She finally won the legal battle for compensation.
她终于赢得了这场要求赔偿的法律斗争。
He's always using fancy legal words.
他总是使用异常复杂的法律词语。
You want to avoid costly legal proceedings if you can.
如果能够的话你希望避免昂贵的法律诉讼。
They were travelling at a speed that was double the legal limit.
他们正以两倍于法定限速的速度行驶。
They decided against taking legal action.
他们决定不提起诉讼。
The letter was a bald statement of our legal position.
那封信是对我们的法律立场的直截了当的声明。
He is unlikely to ever recover his legal costs.
他不大可能收回他的诉讼费用了。
Legal costs had eaten up all the savings she had.
诉讼费耗掉了她所有的积蓄。
Their legal system parallels our own.
他们的法律制度与我们的相似。
Stronger legal safeguards are needed to protect the consumer.
需要有更有力的法律措施来保护消费者。
The contract has no legal standing.
那份合同在法律上没有约束力。
The company was almost bankrupted by legal costs.
这家公司为律师费用所累几乎*。
Holding copyright provides the only legal remedy against unauthorized copying.
持有版权是制止盗版的唯一法律手段。
The party was denied legal status.
那个党没有获得合法地位。
2. lawful，合理合法的，合乎或不违反国家的法律、教会的戒律或道德的标准的
这个词在指：“合乎国家法律的”这个含义时与legal含义是重叠的，至于到底选哪个词一般与约定俗成的惯用法有关，如：
合法婚姻，常常说lawful marriage，lawful wedlock
合法谋生，常常说lawful living
合法经营，常常说lawful business
合法妻子，常常说lawful wife
合法行为，常常说lawful act
法定年龄，常常说lawful age
合法政党，常常说lawful party
合法财产，常常说lawful property
合法席位，常常说lawful seat
合法防卫，正当防卫常常说legitimate defence
合法收入，常常说legitimate income
合法正当的自由，常常说legitimate freedom
合法的宗教活动，常常说legitimate religious activities
合法收入，正当收入，从此说legitimate income
To some people gambling is never lawful,although it may be legal in some places.
在某些人看来，赌博永远都是不合法的，尽管在一些地方赌博是法律所允许的。
Divorce is lawful but subject to various legal requirements before taking final effect.
离婚是合法的，但是必须履行各种各样的法律程序之后才能最后生效。
以上2例摘自赵振才《英语常见问题解答大词典》P757
his lawful heir
他的合法继承人
It was lawful for the doctors to treat her in whatever way they considered was in her best interests
医生们采用他们认为对她最有利的方法为她治疗是合法的。
Hunting is a lawful activity.
狩猎是合法活动。
It is our task to convince the multitudes that we are pursuing a lawful hobby in a lawful way.
我们的任务是要让民众相信，我们是在用合法的方式来从事一种合法的爱好。
Children born out of wedlock enjoy the same right of inheritance as children born in lawful wedlock.
非婚生子女享有与婚生子女同等的继承权。
It is not lawful to kill or injure a pet animal.
*死或伤害宠物是犯法的。
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