{
    "term": "illegal",
    "partOfSpeech": "adjective",
    "academic": true,
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "not allowed by the law",
            "sensetop": "it is illegal to do somethingit is illegal for somebody to do something",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**illegal drugs/firearms/substances**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She promised to crack down on **illegal immigration**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "**illegal immigrants/aliens**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "His **illegal activities** landed him in jail several times."
                },
                {
                    "text": "illegal mining/fishing/gambling"
                },
                {
                    "text": "These proposals are unethical and possibly illegal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It's illegal to drive through a red light.",
                    "contextForm": "it is illegal to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It is illegal for anyone under 18 to possess fireworks in a public place.",
                    "contextForm": "it is illegal for somebody to do something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The sale of these knives should be made illegal."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Their action was judged illegal by the International Court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They accused the government of engaging in an illegal war."
                }
            ],
            "topics": [
                "Crime and punishment",
                "Law and justice",
                "Permission and obligation"
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "verbs": ["be", "become", "remain"],
                "adverb": ["highly", "blatantly", "clearly"]
            }
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈliːɡl/",
                "audio": "il/illegal/illegal__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ɪˈliːɡl/",
                "audio": "il/illegal/illegal__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "early 17th cent.: from French illégal or medieval Latin illegalis, from Latin in- ‘not’ + legalis ‘according to the law’."
}