rule

[ rool ]

See synonyms for: rule ruled rules ruling on Thesaurus.com

noun

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).
Rule, 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 about rule

as a rule, generally; usually: He arrives at eleven o'clock, as a rule.
rule the roost. roost (def. 7).

Origin of rule

First recorded in 1175–1225; (noun) Middle English riule, reule, from Old French riule, from Latin rēgula “straight stick, pattern” (see regula); (verb) Middle English riwlen, reulen, rewellen, from Old French riuler, rieuler, ruler, from Late Latin rēgulāre, derivative of rēgula

synonym study For rule

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 for rule

1	bylaw, guideline, law, regulation; decree, dictate, order, precept; guideline, standard
4	authority, command; dominion, power, sway; direction, government, management, regulation; domination, mastery, oppression, tyranny
14	dictate, judge

See synonyms for rule on Thesaurus.com

Other words from rule

in·ter·rule, verb (used with object), in·ter·ruled, in·ter·rul·ing.
self-rule, noun
subrule, noun
un·der·rule, noun
un·der·rule, verb, un·der·ruled, un·der·rul·ing.
un·ruled, adjective
well-ruled, adjective

Words Nearby rule

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use rule in a sentence

Our guys have been great about the rules and we’re adjusting.
The NBA’s week of controversies show how hard life is outside of the bubble | Ben Golliver | February 12, 2021 | Washington Post
My rule of thumb is that if it cooks quickly at a high heat on the stovetop, it will cook quickly under the high heat of a broiler, too.
Don’t Fear the Broiler | Elazar Sontag | February 11, 2021 | Eater
General rules and guidelines are not likely to be the way to go, she says.
New technology can get inside your head. Are you ready? | Laura Sanders | February 11, 2021 | Science News For Students
He went back and forth over the legislature’s proposed vaccination rules and has struggled to convince teachers and administrators to reopen schools.
California’s Gavin Newsom Will Likely Face A Recall Election — But He’ll Probably Survive It | Geoffrey Skelley (geoffrey.skelley@abc.com) | February 10, 2021 | FiveThirtyEight
Nextdoor would not comment on individual users but emphasized the site has rules in place against profanity, over-posting, and personal disputes.
How the Covid-19 pandemic broke Nextdoor | Rebecca Heilweil | February 9, 2021 | Vox

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 | THE 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 | THE 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 | THE 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 | THE 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 | THE DAILY BEAST
All elements of expression modify each other, so that no mere rule can cover all cases.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge Southwick
As a rule, however, even in the case of extreme varieties, a careful examination of the specimen will enable it to be identified.
How to Know the Ferns | S. Leonard Bastin
He set down as the second the golden rule, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them.”
The Giant of the North | R.M. Ballantyne
Hence arise factions, dissensions, and loss to their religious interests and work; and these intruders seek to rule the others.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624 | Various
This impulse to extend rule appears more plainly in many of the little ceremonial observances of the child.
Children's Ways | James Sully

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 activity: judges' rules; play according to the rules
the exercise of governmental authority or control: the rule of Caesar

the period of time in which a monarch or government has power: his rule lasted 100 days
a customary form or procedure; regular course of action: he made a morning swim his rule
the rule the common order of things; normal condition: violence 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; ruler: a 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
Christianity a systematic body of prescriptions defining the way of life to be followed by members of a religious order
law an order by a court or judge
as a rule normally 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; decree: the chairman ruled against the proposal

(tr) to mark with straight parallel lines or make one straight line, as with a ruler: to rule a margin
(tr) to restrain or control: to rule one's temper
(intr) to be customary or prevalent: chaos rules in this school
(intr) to be pre-eminent or superior: football 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 roost or rule the roast to be pre-eminent; be in charge

Origin of rule

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

Derived forms of rule

rulable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with rule

rule

In addition to the idioms beginning with rule

rule of thumb
rule out
rule the roost

also see:

as a rule
exception proves the rule
ground rules

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