1. The use of the club to enforce obedience; physical force as contrasted with argument; law or rule of the physically stronger.
[1597–8. in Macray, Parnassus, Pref. 6. He had already been satirized in Club-Law, a play acted at Clare Hall in 1597–8.]
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 7. 146. This castle is not wonne by fists or clublaw.
1675. J. Smith, Chr. Relig. Appeal, II. 15. The Herculean Argument of Club-Law [We may because we can].
1741. Warburton, Div. Legat., II. 247. The first bringing in of Club-Law into Religion.
1829. C. Welch, Wesl. Polity, 9. Argumenta ad baculum, vulgarly termed club-law.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U.S., II. xxiv. 114. Club-law, he argued with the minister, may make hypocrites, it can never make converts.
2. The body of rules by which a club is regulated.
3. Cards. A rule sometimes adopted in the game of Loo: see quot.
1863. G. F. Pardon, Hoyle’s Games Mod., 157. Sometimes the rule of club-law is introduced [at three card loo], when all must play when a club happens to be turned up [for trumps].
1875. ‘Cavendish,’ Round Games, 4.
