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Definitions for Rule

[1] a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.: the rules of chess.
[2] the code of regulations observed by a religious order or congregation: the Franciscan rule.
[3] the customary or normal circumstance, occurrence, manner, practice, quality, etc.: the rule rather than the exception.
[4] control, government, or dominion: under the rule of a dictator.
[5] tenure or conduct of reign or office: during the rule of George III.
[6] a prescribed mathematical method for performing a calculation or solving a problem.
[7] ruler(def 2) .
[8] (initial capital letter ) Astronomy . the constellation Norma.
[9] Printing . a thin, type-high strip of metal, for printing a solid or decorative line or lines.
[10] 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.
[11] 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.
[12] Obsolete . behavior.
[13] to control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern: to rule the empire with severity.
[14] to decide or declare judicially or authoritatively; decree: The judge ruled that he should be exiled.
[15] to mark with lines, especially parallel straight lines, with the aid of a ruler or the like: to rule paper.
[16] to mark out or form (a line) by this method: to rule lines on paper.
[17] to be superior or preeminent in (a specific field or group); dominate by superiority; hold sway over: For centuries, England ruled the seas.
[18] to exercise dominating power or influence; predominate.
[19] to exercise authority, dominion, or sovereignty.
[20] to make a formal decision or ruling, as on a point at law.
[21] to be prevalent or current: Higher prices ruled throughout France.
[22] 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.
[23] as a rule , generally; usually: He arrives at eleven o'clock, as a rule.
[24] rule the roost . roost(def 7) .
[25] 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
[26] the exercise of governmental authority or control the rule of Caesar
[27] the period of time in which a monarch or government has power his rule lasted 100 days
[28] a customary form or procedure; regular course of action he made a morning swim his rule
[29] the rule the common order of things; normal condition violence was the rule rather than the exception
[30] a prescribed method or procedure for solving a mathematical problem, or one constituting part of a computer program, usually expressed in an appropriate formalism
[31] a formal expression of a grammatical regularity in a linguistic description of a language
[32] any of various devices with a straight edge for guiding or measuring; ruler a carpenter's rule
[33] 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
[34] Christianity a systematic body of prescriptions defining the way of life to be followed by members of a religious order
[35] law an order by a court or judge
[36] as a rule normally or ordinarily
[37] 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
[38] (when tr, often takes a clause as object) to decide authoritatively; decree the chairman ruled against the proposal
[39] (tr) to mark with straight parallel lines or make one straight line, as with a ruler to rule a margin
[40] (tr) to restrain or control to rule one's temper
[41] (intr) to be customary or prevalent chaos rules in this school
[42] (intr) to be pre-eminent or superior football rules in the field of sport
[43] (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
[44] rule the roost or rule the roast to be pre-eminent; be in charge

Words related to Rule

statute, decree, precedent, guideline, regulation, ruling, test, law, order, control, power, government, administration, authority, domination, reign, sovereignty, regime, policy, practice

Words nearby Rule

ruination, ruinous, ruisdael, rukeyser, rukwa, rule, rule joint, rule of bigeminy, rule of eleven, rule of engagement, rule of law

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

Other words from Rule

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

Word origin for Rule

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

Synonyms for Rule

decree, guideline, law, order, precedent, regulation, ruling, statute, test, aphorism, apothegm, assize, axiom, basis, canon, command, commandment, criterion, decorum, dictum, direction, edict, etiquette, formula, fundamental, gnome, guide, keynote, keystone, maxim, model, moral, ordinance, precept, prescription, propriety, regimen, tenet, truism, brocard, chapter and verse, decretion, no-no's, the book, the numbers