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Definition of “rule”

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Word Frequency

Word Frequency of rule

rule (ruːl Pronunciation for rule ) 

Definitions

noun

  1. an authoritative regulation or direction concerning method or procedure, as for a court of law, legislative body, game, or other human institution or activity ⇒ judges' rules, play according to the rules
  2. the exercise of governmental authority or control ⇒ the rule of Caesar
  3. the period of time in which a monarch or government has power ⇒ his rule lasted 100 days
  4. a customary form or procedure; regular course of action ⇒ he made a morning swim his rule

  5. See the rule

  6. a prescribed method or procedure for solving a mathematical problem, or one constituting part of a computer program, usually expressed in an appropriate formalism
  7. a formal expression of a grammatical regularity in a linguistic description of a language
  8. any of various devices with a straight edge for guiding or measuring; ruler ⇒ a carpenter's rule
    1. a printed or drawn character in the form of a long thin line
    2. another name for dash1 (sense 13) ⇒ en rule, em rule
    3. a strip of brass or other metal used to print such a line
  10. (Christianity) a systematic body of prescriptions defining the way of life to be followed by members of a religious order
  11. (law) an order by a court or judge

  12. See as a rule

verb

  1. 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
  2. when tr, often takes a clause as object to decide authoritatively; decree ⇒ the chairman ruled against the proposal
  3. tr to mark with straight parallel lines or make one straight line, as with a ruler ⇒ to rule a margin
  4. tr to restrain or control ⇒ to rule one's temper
  5. intr to be customary or prevalent ⇒ chaos rules in this school
  6. intr to be pre-eminent or superior ⇒ football rules in the field of sport
  7. 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

  8. See rule the roost

Derived Forms

ˈrulable adjective

Word Origin

C13: from Old French riule, from Latin rēgula a straight edge; see regulate

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= regulation, order, law, ruling, guide, direction, guideline, decree, ordinance, dictum
= precept, principle, criterion, canon, maxim, tenet, axiom
= procedure, policy, standard, method, way, course, formula
= custom, procedure, practice, routine, form, condition, tradition, habit, convention, wont, order or way of things
= government, power, control, authority, influence, administration, direction, leadership, command, regime, empire, reign, sway, domination, jurisdiction, supremacy, mastery, dominion, ascendancy, mana
= govern, lead, control, manage, direct, guide, regulate, administer, oversee, preside over, have power over, reign over, command over, have charge of
= reign, govern, be in power, hold sway, wear the crown, be in authority, be number one
= control, dominate, monopolize, tyrannize, be pre-eminent, have the upper hand over
= decree, find, decide, judge, establish, determine, settle, resolve, pronounce, lay down, adjudge
= be prevalent, prevail, predominate, hold sway, be customary, preponderate, obtain

Quotations including 'rule'

  • "He shall rule them with a rod of iron" Bible: Revelation
  • "My people and I have come to an agreement which satisfies us both. They are to say what they please, and I am to do what I please" Frederick the Great
  • "The hand that rocks the cradleIs the hand that rules the world" William Ross Wallace
  • "Rules and models destroy genius and art" William Hazlitt

Translations for 'rule'

  • British English: rulePronunciation for rule Rules are instructions that tell you what you must do or must not do.Can you explain the rules of cricket to me?ruːl NOUN
  • Arabic: حُكْمPronunciation for حُكْم
  • Brazilian Portuguese: regraPronunciation for regra
  • Chinese: 规则Pronunciation for 规则
  • Croatian: praviloPronunciation for pravilo
  • Czech: pravidloPronunciation for pravidlo
  • Danish: regelPronunciation for regel
  • Dutch: regelPronunciation for regel
  • European Spanish: reglaPronunciation for reglanorma
  • Finnish: sääntöPronunciation for sääntö
  • French: règlePronunciation for règleréglement
  • German: RegelPronunciation for RegelGesetz
  • Greek: κανόναςPronunciation for κανόνας
  • Italian: regolePronunciation for regole
  • Japanese: 規則Pronunciation for 規則
  • Korean: 규칙Pronunciation for 규칙
  • Norwegian: regelPronunciation for regel
  • Polish: regułaPronunciation for reguła
  • Portuguese: regraPronunciation for regra
  • Romanian: regulă reguli
  • Russian: правилоPronunciation for правило
  • Spanish: reglaPronunciation for reglanorma
  • Swedish: regelPronunciation for regel
  • Thai: หลักเกณฑ์Pronunciation for หลักเกณฑ์
  • Turkish: kuralPronunciation for kural
  • Ukrainian: правило
  • Vietnamese: quy tắcPronunciation for quy tắc
  • British English: ruleruːl Someone who rules a country controls it.He ruled the country until his death.He ruled for eight months. VERB
  • Arabic: يَتَحَكَّمُ
  • Brazilian Portuguese: governar
  • Chinese: 统治
  • Croatian: vladati
  • Czech: vládnout
  • Danish: styre
  • Dutch: heersen
  • European Spanish: gobernar
  • Finnish: hallita
  • French: gouverner
  • German: regieren
  • Greek: κυβερνώ
  • Italian: governare
  • Japanese: 支配する
  • Korean: 통치하다
  • Norwegian: regjere
  • Polish: rządzić
  • Portuguese: governar
  • Romanian: a conduce
  • Russian: управлять
  • Spanish: gobernar
  • Swedish: styra
  • Thai: ปกครอง
  • Turkish: yönetmek
  • Ukrainian: правити
  • Vietnamese: lãnh đạo

Example Sentences Including 'rule'

But within his party there is a silent minority that is unhappy with his rule.
Irish Times (2002)
Hepatitis sufferer seeks to increase award in test case The High Court was asked to rule on a hepatitis C compensation case yesterday.
Irish Times (2002)
Highways to Hell Rock'n'roll's first rule of the road: What happens on tour stays on tour.
Maxim (2004)
It's really just part of an ongoing conspiracy to persuade us we were better off under direct rule from Westminster.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
King Mswati III has come under increasing criticism over the past year for his authoritarian rule.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
The greedy, the corrupt, the stupid, the inefficient -- the nobodies who make themselves into somebodies who rule everybody.
Robert Wilson BLOOD IS DIRT (2002)
The only rule is, whatever you choose, you have to enjoy it.
Sally Gunnell, Kathryn Leigh BE YOUR BEST: How Anyone can become Fit, Healthy and Confident (2002)
The time of the Elves is over, but our time is at hand: the world of Men, which we must rule.
J.R.R. Tolkien THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2004)
Thy hope is to rule in my stead, to stand behind every throne, north, south, or west.
J.R.R. Tolkien THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2004)

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