A man's home is his castle

A proverbial expression that illustrates the principle of individual privacy, which is fundamental to the American system of government. In this regard, the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution — part of the Bill of Rights — prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures.” ( See also under “Proverbs.” )

People enjoy the position of rulers in their own homes, and others have no right to enter without the householder's permission.

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Notes

Disagreement over the extent of personal privacy and over interpretation of unreasonable has brought many cases before the Supreme Court .

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In 1604, the English jurist Lord Coke, famous for establishing the principle that “a man’s home is his castle,” also said a man could not assemble an armed retinue to protect him in town.

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A man’s home is his castle, says a maxim coined back when women rarely had property rights.

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If a man’s home is his castle, where are you most comfortable?

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But a country where a man's home is his castle and tax affairs are secret is far removed from one where curtains were banned just in case you were committing a sin in your own sauna.

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“This is contrary to the traditional idea that a man’s home is his castle, and it represents another step limiting what used to be called smokers’ rights,” he said.

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Amanite a man's reach should exceed his grasp

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