rule the roost

Cultural  

1. To dominate; to be in charge: “Even though Sally has five older brothers, she still rules the roost.”

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rule the roost Idioms  

1. Be in charge, boss others, as in In our division the chairman's son rules the roost. This expression originated in the 15th century as rule the roast, which was either a corruption of rooster or alluded to the person who was in charge of the roast and thus ran the kitchen. In the barnyard a rooster decides which hen should roost near him. Both interpretations persisted for 200 years. Thomas Heywood (c. 1630) put it as “Her that ruled the roast in the kitchen,” but Shakespeare had it in 2 Henry VI (1:1): “The new-made duke that rules the roast,” which is more ambiguous. In the mid-1700s roost began to compete with roast, and in the 1900s roost displaced roast altogether. Also see run the show.

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Example Sentences

He said the council "allowed developers to rule the roost" and that developers often build large buildings, with too few truly affordable homes.

From BBC

This leafy patch of suburban London is at the heart of “Ted Lasso,” the award-winning Apple TV Plus show about fictional soccer club AFC Richmond, but two minutes strolling around the neighborhood make it abundantly clear that other English games rule the roost here.

From Washington Post

“In effect, they rule the roost, as the saying goes.”

From Washington Post

Ali Brigginshaw is a stalwart in the Australia team and will completely rule the roost when it comes to directing play in the middle of the park.

From BBC

Results-wise, overall City only edge the subsequent head-to-heads 11-10, but now rule the roost on United's patch at Old Trafford where they have prevailed on five of their nine league visits since 2011, losing only twice.

From BBC