依法律制裁犯罪行為。繩，即準(zhǔn)繩，木工用的墨線，校正曲直的工具，引申為制裁。在現(xiàn)代社會(huì)，“繩之以法”多用于描述依法律辦事，懲治犯罪行為，以維護(hù)社會(huì)安定，實(shí)現(xiàn)司法公正。

The term means holding criminals accountable according to law. In the Chinese expression,“繩” means the carpenter’s chalk line, which is used as a straightening tool, and figuratively, punishment. In modern society, the phrase “bring to justice” mostly means punishing criminal acts in accordance with law, so as to maintain social stability and judicial fairness.

引例 Citation

◎ 以文帝之明，而魏尚之忠，繩之以法則為罪，施之以德則為功。（《后漢書·馮衍傳》）

（憑著文帝的圣明和魏尚的忠心，文帝依法制裁他（魏尚），他就有罪；文帝對他（魏尚）施加恩德，他就有功。）

By virtue of Emperor Wen’s sagacity and Wei Shang’s loyalty, Wei would be guilty if Emperor Wen chose to punish him according to law. He would be meritorious by the grace of Emperor Wen. (History of the Later Han Dynasty)