Rural Dictionary

Down by Law

According to Jim Jarmusch, director of the film by this name: "Down by law, at the time in the mid-80s, was kind of in use on the streets as meaning a very close connection with somebody. If somebody was down by law, they were close to you or you would protect them. I know that, earlier, in prison slang, if somebody was down by law, and they got out before you, they would contact your family or look after people outside if you needed them to. So it meant something very close or a code. I really liked the contradiction of that, being something that sounds like being oppressed by the law, which of course under that condition is where the slang came from. So, I liked that contradiction of it. And I liked it also in terms of the film being contradictory in that they are oppressed by the law but they also become down by law with each other."

Jimmy ain't gonna rat on me. We're down by law.

by UnfrozenCaveman September 29, 2014

101👍 4👎

Hold it down

To maintain someone or to 'hold someone down'.

Meaning to keep someone interested and committed to you without showing hesitation on your part. If youre not holding them down, you ain't trying, it can lead to them leaving your lazy a**

Drake: "she held it down, so she got a Mercedes"
Them: "oh okay"

Friend: "why did you break up with mark?"
Her: "He's so flaky, he just doesn't know how to hold it down"

by Ruran Triphis November 16, 2019

117👍 8👎