guideline

American  

[gahyd-lahyn] / ˈgaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

• guidelines
  plural

1. any guide or indication of a future course of action.

   guidelines on the government's future policy.

2. a lightly marked line used as a guide, as in composing a drawing, a typed page, or a line of lettering.

3. a rope or cord that serves to guide one's steps, especially over rocky terrain, through underground passages, etc.

4. a rope or wire used in guiding the movement of stage scenery or curtains being raised or lowered.

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guideline British  

/ ˈɡaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. a principle put forward to set standards or determine a course of action

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• guidelines
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of guideline

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85; guide + line ¹

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Explanation

A guideline is a rule-of-thumb or suggestion that shows or tells you how to behave. If you want to stay healthy, you might want to follow the government's dietary guidelines. Sample guideline: go easy on the salt. In the 18th century, guideline referred to an actual line that you drew on fabric before cutting. So for example, if you wanted to cut a piece of linen to make a dress, you'd draw a guideline on it first to make sure the incision would be straight. The line guided your cut; over time, the word became a metaphor for a guide to any sort of action.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

guideline guidelines

That should be a fairly good guideline for what direction the next two years could possibly be.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

He sometimes uses his watch as a guideline when running, but no longer "obsesses over it", adding that he "goes by how I feel on the day".

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

How much credence a court gives to both the guideline range versus the commentary details matters a lot in a case like Beiard’s, as it can mean the difference of years worth of prison time.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2026

A Medicare decision, especially alongside a blessing from guideline groups like the American Cancer Society, is what tends to pry open the commercial market, says Dan Brennan of TD Cowen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

Food fads still come and go with alarming speed: A scientific study, a new government guideline, a lone crackpot with a medical degree can change our nation’s diet overnight.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

A TikTok spokesperson pointed AFP to its community guidelines, which prohibits creators from sharing content that violate another user's intellectual property rights.

From Barron's ● Nov. 11, 2026

Start heating your kettle and brush up on the International Organization for Standardization’s guidelines.

From Slate ● Nov. 9, 2026

By the time it reports second-quarter 2027 earnings, Goldman estimates, SpaceX will be able to meet the S&P 500’s guidelines for profitability and amount of time on the public market.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026

Airbnb's new guidelines, which apply to bookings made globally from 20 November, state that hosts can now set seven standard house rules and other "reasonable" requests.

From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2026

Those guidelines had been implemented in 1966, in the aftermath of the Southam trial, and then expanded to include a detailed definition of informed consent in 1971.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

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Related Words

• code
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• guidance
• instruction
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