a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.: the rules of chess.
the code of regulations observed by a religious order or congregation: the Franciscan rule.
the customary or normal circumstance, occurrence, manner, practice, quality, etc.: the rule rather than the exception.
control, government, or dominion: under the rule of a dictator.
tenure or conduct of reign or office: during the rule of George III.
a prescribed mathematical method for performing a calculation or solving a problem.
ruler (def. 2).
(initial capital letter)Astronomy. the constellation Norma.
Printing. a thin, type-high strip of metal, for printing a solid or decorative line or lines.
Law.
a formal order or direction made by a court, as for governing the procedure of the court (general rule ) or for sending the case before a referee (special rule ).
a legal principle.
a court order in a particular case.
rules,Penology. (formerly)
a fixed area in the neighborhood of certain prisons within which certain prisoners were allowed to live.
the freedom of such an area.
Obsolete. behavior.
verb (used with object),ruled,rul·ing.
to control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern: to rule the empire with severity.
to decide or declare judicially or authoritatively; decree: The judge ruled that he should be exiled.
to mark with lines, especially parallel straight lines, with the aid of a ruler or the like: to rule paper.
to mark out or form (a line) by this method: to rule lines on paper.
to be superior or preeminent in (a specific field or group); dominate by superiority; hold sway over: For centuries, England ruled the seas.
verb (used without object),ruled,rul·ing.
to exercise dominating power or influence; predominate.
to exercise authority, dominion, or sovereignty.
to make a formal decision or ruling, as on a point at law.
to be prevalent or current: Higher prices ruled throughout France.
Verb Phrases
rule out,
to prove to be unrelated or not for consideration; eliminate; exclude: to rule out the possibility of error.
to make impossible or impracticable: The rainstorm ruled out the holiday camping.
Idioms for rule
as a rule, generally; usually: He arrives at eleven o'clock, as a rule.
rule the roost. roost (def. 7).
Origin of rule
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English riule, reule<Old French riule<Latin rēgula straight stick, pattern (see regula); (v.) Middle English riwlen, reulen, rewellen<Old French riuler, rieuler, ruler<Late Latin rēgulāre, derivative of rēgula
1. See principle. 13. Rule,administer,command,govern,manage mean to exercise authoritative guidance or direction. Rule implies the exercise of authority as by a sovereign: to rule a kingdom.Administer places emphasis on the planned and orderly procedures used: to administer the finances of an institution.Command suggests military authority and the power to exact obedience; to be in command of: to command a ship.To govern is authoritatively to guide or direct persons or things, especially in the affairs of a large administrative unit: to govern a state.To manage is to conduct affairs, i.e., to guide them in a unified way toward a definite goal, or to direct or control people, often by tact, address, or artifice: to manage a business.
OTHER WORDS FROM rule
in·ter·rule,verb (used with object),in·ter·ruled,in·ter·rul·ing.self-rule,nounsubrule,nounun·der·rule,noun
Obviously, the first obligation of all liberal democratic governments is to enforce the rule of law.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali: Our Duty Is to Keep Charlie Hebdo Alive|Ayaan Hirsi Ali|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And so the same creeping rot of the rule of law that the administration has inflicted on immigration now bedevils our drug laws.
Obama’s Pot Policy Is Refer Madness|James Poulos|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Rule 16(c) was a proposed change in the rules at the 1976 Republican Convention.
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz|Jeff Greenfield|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The rule of law, you see, buckles, bends and sometimes crumbles under the weight of racism, sexism, and classism.
What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face?|Goldie Taylor|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His rule over the country came to an end in 1979 when the director of the KCIA shot Park and his bodyguard to death at dinner.
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea|Rich Goldstein|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
See "Boulter's Letters" on this subject of the English rule.
The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift, D.D., Vol. VII|Jonathan Swift
We encounter much difficulty in attempting to reduce these various facts to any rule or law.
The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, Volume II (of 2)|Charles Darwin
I know not by what majority, for you did not read the record; I know not by whose votes; but that rule was rejected.
Thirty Years' View (Vol. II of 2)|Thomas Hart Benton
Should one be in doubt, the rule is to glance at the hostess and adopt her method, whatever that may be.
The Etiquette of To-day|Edith B. Ordway
From this time I made it a rule, day by day, to find out if there were grounds for my fears or not.
Robinson Crusoe|Mary Godolphin
British Dictionary definitions for rule
rule
/ (ruːl) /
noun
an authoritative regulation or direction concerning method or procedure, as for a court of law, legislative body, game, or other human institution or activityjudges' rules; play according to the rules
the exercise of governmental authority or controlthe rule of Caesar
the period of time in which a monarch or government has powerhis rule lasted 100 days
a customary form or procedure; regular course of actionhe made a morning swim his rule
the rulethe common order of things; normal conditionviolence was the rule rather than the exception
a prescribed method or procedure for solving a mathematical problem, or one constituting part of a computer program, usually expressed in an appropriate formalism
a formal expression of a grammatical regularity in a linguistic description of a language
any of various devices with a straight edge for guiding or measuring; rulera carpenter's rule
a printed or drawn character in the form of a long thin line
another name for dash 1 (def. 13) en rule; em rule
a strip of brass or other metal used to print such a line
Christianitya systematic body of prescriptions defining the way of life to be followed by members of a religious order
lawan order by a court or judge
as a rulenormally or ordinarily
verb
to exercise governing or controlling authority over (a people, political unit, individual, etc)he ruled for 20 years; his passion for her ruled his life
(when tr, often takes a clause as object)to decide authoritatively; decreethe chairman ruled against the proposal
(tr)to mark with straight parallel lines or make one straight line, as with a rulerto rule a margin
(tr)to restrain or controlto rule one's temper
(intr)to be customary or prevalentchaos rules in this school
(intr)to be pre-eminent or superiorfootball rules in the field of sport
(tr)astrology(of a planet) to have a strong affinity with certain human attributes, activities, etc, associated with (one or sometimes two signs of the zodiac)Mars rules Aries
rule the roostorrule the roastto be pre-eminent; be in charge
Derived forms of rule
rulable, adjective
Word Origin for rule
C13: from Old French riule, from Latin rēgula a straight edge; see regulate