--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A foot on the neck is nine points of the…" description: "\"“A foot on the neck is nine points of the law.”\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg" --- # A foot on the neck is nine points of the law. ![“A foot on the neck is nine points of the law.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg) > ““A foot on the neck is nine points of the law.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A metaphor for oppressive power, suggesting that domination is a legal right for the powerful. **In simple terms:** Power can be justified as law. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek justice. Themes power law oppression Mood critical serious Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - workplace dynamics - social movements Key Concepts legalism authority justice Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from such "laws"? - How can we protect the vulnerable? A Different Perspective Law can be misused to legitimize cruelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) ## Related quotes > [That's not a chip on my shoulder, that's your foot on my neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/that-s-not-a-chip-on-my-shoulder-that-s-your-foot-on-my-neck/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Possession is eleven points in the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/possession-is-eleven-points-in-the-law/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [Possession, they say, is eleven points of the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/possession-they-say-is-eleven-points-of-the-law/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [The elevator shaft was a kind of heat sink. Hot food was cold by the time it arrived. Cold food got colder. No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-elevator-shaft-was-a-kind-of-heat-sink-hot-food-was-cold-by-the/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Kinky was only okay if it didn't lead to a broken neck, in his book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-johnson/kinky-was-only-okay-if-it-didn-t-lead-to-a-broken-neck-in-his-book/) Jean Johnson > [In drawing after drawing, pastel after pastel, painting after painting, the contours of Degas's dancing figures become, at a certain point, darkly insistent, tangled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/in-drawing-after-drawing-pastel-after-pastel-painting-after-painting/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [You're gonna meet tons of different people throughout your life, and it's totally worth it to stick your neck out a little bit if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/you-re-gonna-meet-tons-of-different-people-throughout-your-life-and/) [Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/) > [Grab this day by the neck and kiss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/grab-this-day-by-the-neck-and-kiss-it/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [It's depressing to think what it would mean to be impaired down the neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akkineni-nagarjuna/it-s-depressing-to-think-what-it-would-mean-to-be-impaired-down-the/) [Akkineni Nagarjuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akkineni-nagarjuna/) > [A hole is nothing at all, but you can break your neck in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/a-hole-is-nothing-at-all-but-you-can-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [“The chain of command, I wear it around my neck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-chain-of-command-i-wear-it-around-my-neck/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Foolish man, what do you bemoan, and what do you fear? Wherever you look there is an end of evils. You see that yawning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/foolish-man-what-do-you-bemoan-and-what-do-you-fear-wherever-you-look/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sporting a neck pillow!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-brothers/im-sporting-a-neck-pillow/) [Jonas Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-brothers/) > [Be like the turtle. If he didn't stick his neck out, he wouldn't get anywhere at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/be-like-the-turtle-if-he-didn-t-stick-his-neck-out-he-wouldn-t-get/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Ambition devours gold and drinks blood and climbs so high by other men's heads, that at the length in the fall, it breaks its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-wentworth-1st-earl-of-strafford/ambition-devours-gold-and-drinks-blood-and-climbs-so-high-by-other/) Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Foot quotes > [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [Follow your foot steps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/follow-your-foot-steps/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) > [I really tried to put my best foot forward all these years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/i-really-tried-to-put-my-best-foot-forward-all-these-years/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [I have played as a goalkeeper since I was six but I always worked on my ball skills, playing with my foot, knowing how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-bravo/i-have-played-as-a-goalkeeper-since-i-was-six-but-i-always-worked-on/) [Claudio Bravo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-bravo/) > [At least I've had one foot in a very normal kind of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/at-least-i-ve-had-one-foot-in-a-very-normal-kind-of-life/) [Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [A lot of Brazilians are very superstitious, especially footballers. I'm the same. I always step on to the pitch with my right foot first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/a-lot-of-brazilians-are-very-superstitious-especially-footballers-i-m/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [Coming from New Zealand and Australia is like a tough pre-school for Hollywood. And having been on 'Neighbours,' even though the agents I met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ryan/coming-from-new-zealand-and-australia-is-like-a-tough-pre-school-for/) [Jay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ryan/) > [I managed to get onto 'The Hobbit,' which is a story in itself. I missed the main round of auditions but managed to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-stevens/i-managed-to-get-onto-the-hobbit-which-is-a-story-in-itself-i-missed/) [Conan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-stevens/) > [“Our foot step may slip without the order of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/our-foot-step-may-slip-without-the-order-of-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In 2020 we saw the poorest Indian citizen suffer as migrant workers, in the hundreds of thousands, fled the cities on foot, sometimes barefoot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkha-dutt/in-2020-we-saw-the-poorest-indian-citizen-suffer-as-migrant-workers/) [Barkha Dutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkha-dutt/) > [I won't step foot inside a new eatery without some strong recommendations or after consulting a site like Yelp or Urban Spoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-kapler/i-won-t-step-foot-inside-a-new-eatery-without-some-strong/) [Gabe Kapler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-kapler/) > [Do everything with your whole heart, or not at all. Don't put up with lies or with people who lie to you. Don't risk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/do-everything-with-your-whole-heart-or-not-at-all-don-t-put-up-with/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [“Offence is like muddy soil; when trapped underfoot, it resists rapid progress. Don't trap offences under your mind, else you resist change! Jesus said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/offence-is-like-muddy-soil-when-trapped-underfoot-it-resists-rapid/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Shit. I hated her already, and we hadn’t even met.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/shit-i-hated-her-already-and-we-hadn-t-even-met/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) Browse all 564 Foot quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A foot on the neck is nine points of the law.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the-law/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Foot" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the-law/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f6/terry-pratchett-19_law_a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the_1928558.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A foot on the neck is nine points of the law.” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A foot on the neck is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the-law/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-foot-on-the-neck-is-nine-points-of-the-law/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```