rule

n.

1. 1. Governing power or its possession or use; authority.
   2. The duration of such power.
2. 1. An authoritative, prescribed direction for conduct, especially one of the regulations governing procedure in a legislative body or a regulation observed by the players in a game, sport, or contest.
   2. The body of regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for governing the conduct of its members.
3. A usual, customary, or generalized course of action or behavior: "The rule of life in the defense bar ordinarily is to go along and get along" (Scott Turow).
4. A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases: In this office, hard work is the rule, not the exception.
5. Mathematics. A standard method or procedure for solving a class of problems.
6. Law.
   1. A court order limited in application to a specific case.
   2. A subordinate regulation governing a particular matter.
7. See ruler (sense 1).
8. Printing. A thin metal strip of various widths and designs, used to print borders or lines, as between columns.

v., ruled, rul·ing, rules.

v.tr.

1. To exercise control, dominion, or direction over; govern.
2. To dominate by powerful influence.
3. To decide or declare authoritatively or judicially; decree. See synonyms at decide.
4. 1. To mark with straight parallel lines.
   2. To mark (a straight line), as with a ruler.

v.intr.

1. To be in total control or command; exercise supreme authority.
2. To formulate and issue a decree or decision.
3. To prevail at a particular level or rate: Prices ruled low.
4. Slang. To be excellent or superior: That new video game rules!

phrasal verb:

rule out

1. To prevent; preclude: The snowstorm ruled out their weekly meeting.
2. To remove from consideration; exclude: The option of starting over has been ruled out.

idiom:

as a rule

1. In general; for the most part: As a rule, we take the bus.

[Middle English reule, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *regula, from Latin rēgula, rod, principle.]

rulable rul'a·ble adj.

1. Statement governing procedures, interpretations, or inferences belonging to sets of operations or decisions. See Decision Rule.

2. Directive, instruction, or order detailing something to be done. Requiring the cash receipts to be counted at the end of the day to assure that the physical cash received agrees with the recorded book amount is an example of rule.

also rule out

noun

1. The act of exercising controlling power or the condition of being so controlled: command, control, dominance, domination, dominion, mastery, reign, sway. See over/under.
2. The continuous exercise of authority over a political unit: administration, control, direction, governance, government. See control/uncontrol, politics.
3. A system by which a political unit is controlled: governance, government, regime. See politics.
4. A principle governing affairs within or among political units: canon, decree, edict, institute, law, ordinance, precept, prescription, regulation. See law.
5. A code or set of codes governing action or procedure, for example: dictate, prescript, regulation, rubric. See order/disorder.
6. A regular or customary matter, condition, or course of events: commonplace, norm, ordinary, usual. See usual/unusual.

verb

1. To exercise authority or influence over: control, direct, dominate, govern. Idioms: be at the helm, be in the driver's seat, hold sway over, hold the reins. See over/under.
2. To exercise the authority of a sovereign: govern, reign. Archaic sway. Idioms: wear thecrownpurple. See over/under.
3. To command or issue commands in an arrogant manner: boss, dictate, dominate, domineer, order, tyrannize. See over/under.
4. To occupy the preeminent position in: dominate, predominate, preponderate, prevail, reign. Idioms: have the ascendancy, reign supreme. See over/under.
5. To make a decision about (a controversy or dispute, for example) after deliberation, as in a court of law: adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, decide, decree, determine, judge, referee, umpire. See decide/hesitate, law.

phrasal verb - rule out

1. To prohibit from occurring by advance planning or action: avert, forestall, forfend, obviate, preclude, prevent, stave off, ward (off). Idioms: nip in the bud. See allow/prevent.
2. To keep from being admitted, included, or considered: bar, count out, debar, eliminate, except, exclude, keep out, shut out. See include/exclude.

Idioms beginning with rule:
rule of thumb
rule the roost

See also as a rule; exception proves the rule; ground rules.

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v

Definition: govern, manage
Antonyms: serve, submit

v

Definition: judge, decide
Antonyms: plead

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An instrument having straight edges, usually marked off in inches or centimeters and fractions thereof; used for measuring distance and for drawing straight lines.

common types of rules

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A regulation governing conduct or procedure.

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To command or require pursuant to a principle of the court, as to rule the sheriff to serve the summons.

To settle or decide a point of law at a trial or hearing.

An established standard, guide, or regulation governing conduct, procedure, or action.

The word rule has a wide range of meanings in the law, as in ordinary English. As a verb, it most commonly refers to the action of a court of law in settling a legal question. When a court rules, the decision is called a ruling. As a noun, rule generally refers to either settled principles of substantive law or procedural regulations used by courts to administer justice.

One of the most basic concepts in the Anglo-American legal tradition is called the rule of law. The rule of law refers to a set of rules and procedures governing human and institutional behavior that are autonomous and possess their own logic. These rules are fundamental to society and provide the guides for all other rules that regulate behavior. The rule of law argues for the legitimacy of the legal system by claiming that all persons will be judged by a neutral and impartial authority and that no one will receive special treatment. The concept of due process of law is an important component of the rule of law.

Courts and legislatures produce substantive law in all areas of human behavior and social arrangement. Over time certain guiding principles emerge that rise to the level of a rule. When this happens, it usually means that the courts have firmly established a standard for assessing an issue. The source of a rule may be a previous set of court decisions or a legislative act that clearly sets out how the law is to be interpreted. Substantive rules help guide attorneys in giving advice to clients. For example, the rule against perpetuities governs the way in which property may be given. Knowing this rule, a lawyer can draft a legal document that will not violate the rule.

Courts of law have many procedural rules that determine how the judicial system will handle disputes. Courts have the authority, either by legislative act or by their own inherent power, to promulgate (issue) rules of procedure. State and federal courts have rules of criminal and civil procedure that set out in great detail the requirements of every party to a criminal or civil proceeding. Rules of evidence provide guidelines for what a court may properly allow into evidence at a trial.

Courts promulgate rules of professional conduct that govern the ethical behavior of attorneys. Other rules specify how many hours of continuing legal education an attorney must attend to remain in good standing. Courts also issue rules on technology. For example, the highest court in a jurisdiction usually decides whether television cameras will be allowed in a courtroom and issues a rule to that effect.

There are also rules of interpretation that guide courts in making their rulings. For example, the plain-meaning rule is a general principle of statutory interpretation. If the meaning of the words in a writing (such as a statute, contract, or will) is clear, other evidence is inadmissible to change the meaning. The interpretation of criminal statutes is guided by the rule of lenity. A court will decline to interpret a criminal law so as to increase the penalty, unless it has clear evidence of legislative intent to do otherwise.

Since the 1930s the growth in the number of government administrative agencies with rule-making authority has led to thousands of rules and regulations. The Federal Register is an official U.S. government publication that regularly prints proposed and final rules and regulations of government agencies. The Internal Revenue Service, for example, issues administrative rulings that interpret the Internal Revenue Code.

IN BRIEF: A statement or law that is meant to guide or control the way one acts or does something. Also: Government or reign.

The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule. — Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

Quotes:

"Let your rule in reference to your social desires be this. Pray for the bad, pity the weak, enjoy the good, and reverence both the great and the small, as each playing their part in the divine symphony of the universe." - Professor Blackie

"Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night." - William Blake

"When ancient opinions and rules of life are taken away, the loss cannot possibly be estimated. From that moment, we have no compass to govern us, nor can we know distinctly to what port to steer." - Edmund Burke

"There are two great rules of life; the one general and the other particular. The first is that everyone can, in the end, get what he wants, if he only tries. That is the general rule. The particular rule is that every individual is, more or less, an exception to the rule." - Samuel Butler

"I don't go by the rule book I lead from the heart, not the head." - Princess of Wales Diana

"Hell, there are no rules here, we are trying to accomplish something." - Thomas A. Edison

See more famous quotes about Rules

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Common misspelling(s) of rule

• rulle

Dansk (Danish)
n. - regel, vedtægter, styre, lineal
v. tr. - styre, regere, herske, afgøre, erklære, afsige kendelse, liniere
v. intr. - ligge (om priser)

idioms:

• as a rule    som regel, generelt
• by rule    mekanisk, efter bogen
• rule book    forskrift, rettesnor
• rule of law    retsregel, retssikkerhed
• rule of thumb    tommerfingerregel
• rule off    skille fra med en streg
• rule out    udelukke
• rule the roost    dominere, være ledende
• work to rule    arbejde efter reglerne

Nederlands (Dutch)
regel, voorschrift, overheersing, bewind, lijn, heersen, regeren, liniëren, uitspraak doen (rechtbank)

Français (French)
n. - règle, règlement, domination, règle (pour mesurer)
v. tr. - (Pol) gouverner, régner sur, diriger, commander, dominer, dicter, tirer (une ligne), décréter que
v. intr. - (gén, Pol) régner, gouverner, statuer (contre)

idioms:

• as a rule    en général
• by rule    par décision
• rule book    règlement, (fig) (faire fi) des conventions
• rule of law    (Pol) séparation constitutionnelle de la justice et du pouvoir
• rule of thumb    principe de base
• rule off    faire/tirer un trait, faire/tirer un trait sous (dans un texte)
• rule out    exclure, exclure (de, de faire), interdire (qch)
• rule the roost    régner, faire la loi, décider que
• work to rule    (Ind) grève du zèle, (faire) la grève du zèle

Deutsch (German)
n. - Regel, Maß, Lineal, Zollstock, Herrschaft
v. - herrschen, regieren, entscheiden, linieren, ziehen

idioms:

• as a rule    in der Regel
• by rule    gemäß den Regeln
• rule book    Regelbuch
• rule of law    Autorität des Gesetzes
• rule of thumb    Faustregel
• rule off    einen Schlußstrich ziehen
• rule out    ausschließen
• rule the roost    Herr im Hause sein
• work to rule    Dienst nach Vorschrift

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αρχή, κανόνας, κανονισμός, εξουσία, κυριαρχία, χάρακας, ρίγα, κανόνας, συνήθεια, το κανονικό
v. - κυριαρχώ, εξουσιάζω, δεσπόζω, διέπω, (για δικαστές) ορίζω, αποφαίνομαι, βγάζω απόφαση, ριγώνω, χαρακώνω

idioms:

• as a rule    κατά κανόνα, συνήθως
• by rule    μηχανικά
• rule book    βιβλίο κανονισμών, κανονισμός
• rule of law    εξουσία του νόμου
• rule of thumb    εμπειροτεχνική μέθοδος
• rule off    κλείνω τα (λογιστικά) βιβλία της ημέρας, υπογραμμίζω το άθροισμα λογαριασμού
• rule out    αποκλείω (πιθανότητα)
• rule the roost    διαφεντεύω, κάνω κουμάντο
• work to rule    κάνω λευκή απεργία, τηρώ αυστηρά τον κανονισμό

Italiano (Italian)
governare, tracciare, prescrivere, regola, governo, dominazione

idioms:

• as a rule    di solito
• bend/stretch the rules    fare un'eccezione alla regola
• by rule    secondo le regole
• rule book    regolamento
• rule of law    ordinamento basato sulla legge
• rule of thumb    regola empirica, a occhio
• rule off    regolare un conto
• rule out    escludere
• rule the roost    essere in controllo
• work to rule    sciopero alla rallentata

Português (Portuguese)
n. - regra (f), norma (f), lei (f)
v. - governar, reger

idioms:

• as a rule    geralmente, por via de regra
• bend/stretch the rules    interpretar a lei de forma que ela favoreça
• by rule    de acordo com os regulamentos
• rule book    livro de regras (jogos)
• rule of law    regulamentos de esportes
• rule of thumb    empiricamente
• rule off    separar por meio de uma linha vertical
• rule out    excluir
• rule the roost    dar ordens
• work to rule    pôr em prática

Русский (Russian)
править, управлять, постановлять, правило, обычай, правление, линейка

idioms:

• as a rule    как правило
• bend/stretch the rules    нарушать правила
• by rule    по правилу
• rule book    инструкция
• rule of law    конституционное разделение власти и юстиции, управлять соблюдая праведные законы
• rule of thumb    главный принцип
• rule off    отделить чертой
• rule out    исключить
• rule the roost    быть хозяином (в доме)
• work to rule    работать точно по всем правилам (вид забастовки)

Español (Spanish)
n. - regla, canon, norma, gobierno, dominio, imperio
v. tr. - gobernar, regir, mandar, rayar, reglar, pautar, decretar, ordenar
v. intr. - gobernar, regir, mandar, estar en boga, prevalecer

idioms:

• as a rule    como regla general, normalmente
• by rule    de acuerdo con las reglas
• rule book    reglamento
• rule of law    el imperio de la ley
• rule of thumb    cálculo primitivo, regla empírica
• rule off    trazar una línea debajo de, cerrar (una cuenta)
• rule out    excluir, descartar
• rule the roost    llevar la batuta, dirigir el cotarro
• work to rule    trabajar a reglamento, huelga pasiva o de celo

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - regel, sedvänja, herravälde, tumstock, tankstreck
v. - härska, linjera, stadga, gälla, (jur) meddela utslag

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
规则, 统治, 惯例, 管辖, 裁决, 控制, 支配, 划, 作出裁决, 维持在某一水平

idioms:

• as a rule    一般说来, 通常
• by rule    按照规则地, 墨守成规地
• rule book    规则手册, 守则本
• rule of law    法规
• rule of thumb    实用方法, 约略的衡量, 概测法, 基本原则
• rule off    划线隔开
• rule out    排除
• rule the roost    当家
• work to rule    按章工作

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 規則, 統治, 慣例
v. tr. - 統治, 管轄, 裁決, 控制, 支配, 劃
v. intr. - 統治, 管轄, 作出裁決, 控制, 支配, 維持在某一水準

idioms:

• as a rule    一般說來, 通常
• by rule    按照規則地, 墨守成規地
• rule book    規則手冊, 守則本
• rule of law    法規
• rule of thumb    實用方法, 約略的衡量, 概測法, 基本原則
• rule off    劃線隔開
• rule out    排除
• rule the roost    當家
• work to rule    按章工作

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 규정, 관례, 통치
v. tr. - 지배하다, 규정하다, 설득하다
v. intr. - 통치하다, 널리 행해지다, 재정하다

idioms:

• as a rule    대개, 일반적으로
• by rule    규칙에 의하여
• rule off    줄을 그어 구획하다
• rule out    제외하다, 배제하다, 무시하다
• work to rule    합법적인 투쟁을 하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 規則, 習慣, 通例, ものさし, 支配, 統治期間, 統治権, けい
v. - 支配する, 統治する, 左右する, …にけいを引く, 裁決する, 一般に続いている, 支配的である

idioms:

• as a rule    概して, 一般に
• bend/stretch the rules    規則を曲げる
• by rule    規定どおりに
• rule book    ルールブック
• rule of law    法の支配
• rule of thumb    経験則, 大ざっぱなやり方
• rule off    線を引いて区切る, 除外する, 区切る
• rule out    除外する, 禁止する
• rule the roost    実権を握る, 牛耳る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) حكم, قاعدة, قانون, امر قضائي (فعل) يحكم, يأمر, يسيطر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮כלל, חוק, סרגל, תקנה, שלטון, הרגל קבוע, מנהג, קו דק או מקף (דפוס), צו שופט התקף למקרה מסוים בלבד, סרגל מתכת דק להפרדת כותרות וטורים (דפוס)‬
v. tr. - ‮שלט, מלך, פסק, החליט, קבע, שרטט קו עם סרגל, השפיע‬
v. intr. - ‮היה ברמה כללית מסוימת (מחיר), קיבל עצה‬

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ja rule	slide rule
rule of rose	5 4 3 Rule