le‧gis‧late AC /ˈledʒəsleɪt, ˈledʒɪsleɪt/ verb [intransitive]
[Word Family: noun: legislation, legislator, legislature; verb: legislate; adjective: legislative]
[Date: 1700-1800; Origin: legislator]

1. to make a law about something
legislate on
Only Parliament has the power to legislate on constitutional matters.
legislate for/against
The government has promised to legislate against discrimination.
We must legislate for equal pay.
legislate to do something
We must legislate to control these drugs.

2. legislate for something to think about how something may affect what you are doing, and do something to prepare for it:
You can’t legislate for bad luck.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲