Meaning:
When one obeys the spirit of the law but not the letter, one is doing what the authors of the law intended, though not necessarily adhering to the literal wording.
Examples:
- But we need to follow the spirit of the law.
- He cannot make exceptions to the spirit of the law.
- You're not going to the spirit of the law.
- Yet this wasn't the spirit of the law.
- You're not going to the spirit of the law.
- No, it is the law and the spirit of the law.
- But the spirit of the law often requires labour on the sabbath.
- Let's stick to the spirit of the law.
- Hmm. But in this case, I think it serves the spirit of the law.
- Both the letter and the spirit of the law were respected;