(legal, US) A mere semblance of legal right; a means to do something with the apparent authority of law but actually in contravention of law.
The plaintiff claimed that under color of law the officer had deprived him of his civil rights.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.