noun
the body of law imposed by the military over civilian affairs (usually in time of war or civil crisis); overrides civil law
• Topics:
• Hypernyms: ↑law, ↑jurisprudence
* * *
noun [noncount]
: control of an area by military forces rather than by the police
The government has imposed/declared martial law throughout the city to stop the riots.
an area placed under martial law
* * *
a situation where the army of a country controls an area instead of the police during a time of trouble
•
to
declare/impose/lift martial law•
The city remains firmly
under martial law.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.