Definition of "modus operandi" [‖Mo•dus op•er•an•di]

• A method of operating or functioning. (noun)
• A person's manner of working. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• ""Evidently," continued Crooks, "for had I broken your laws, you would not have been under the necessity of violating them and adopting the sublime modus operandi of Mob Law to punish me.""
• "It was neeessary for the simple reason that there were too many potential Slashers out there, waiting for a modus operandi to be disclosed so that they could grab a piece of the publicity."
• "And is the task-avoidance assumption of fight not the prevalent modus operandi in the chaotic arena of international relations?"