lawman

1. (law, historical) A lawspeaker: a declarer of the law.Synonyms: lawspeakerhistorical

2. (law, historical) One of 12 magistrates in certain Danish boroughs of England empowered with soc and sac over their own households.Synonyms: lageman, lagman, Orcadian & Shetlandic chief justicehistorical

3. (law, Orkney and Shetland) The presiding justice of the supreme court.Examples: "From the twelfth century Shetland had been administered directly by the Norwegian crown through the 'foud', rather than forming part of the patrimony of a great aristocratic estate. The foud appointed 'underfouds' and the Shetlands evolved their own elected officers, a 'lawman' and parish 'lawrightmen', who adjudicated and negotiated the collection of customary taxes and fines on behalf of the local population."OrkneyShetland

4. (rare) A man of the law: a lawyer.rare

5. (informal) An officer of the law: a law-enforcement officer.Examples: ""Fill your hand, you sonuvabitch," the old lawman cries, clamping the reins of his horse between his teeth and filling his own hands with six-gun and repeater."; "The two lawmen punched his ticket with four well-aimed rifle shots."Synonyms: police officerinformal