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Rule Very Common

Rule has 24 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior

"it was his rule to take a walk before breakfast"

"short haircuts were the regulation"

2

something regarded as a normative example

"the convention of not naming the main character"

"violence is the rule not the exception"

"his formula for impressing visitors"

3

prescribed guide for conduct or action

"The new company rule requires everyone to wear a safety vest while working on the construction site."

4

(linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice

"Linguists proposed a new rule to describe how speakers in that region consistently drop the final consonant before a vowel."

5

a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct

"their principles of composition characterized all their works"

6

the duration of a monarch's or government's power

"during the rule of Elizabeth"

7

dominance or power through legal authority

"France held undisputed dominion over vast areas of Africa"

"the rule of Caesar"

8

directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted

"he knew the rules of chess"

9

any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order

"the rule of St. Dominic"

10

a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system

"the principle of the conservation of mass"

"the principle of jet propulsion"

"the right-hand rule for inductive fields"

11

(mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems

"he determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs"

"he gave us a general formula for attacking polynomials"

12

measuring stick consisting of a strip of wood or metal or plastic with a straight edge that is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths

"She pulled out her ruler to draw a perfectly straight line across the graph paper."

13

A regulation, law, guideline.

"The whole town went wild after the mayor's decree, turning the quiet street into a chaotic scene of revelry."

14

Revelry.

In plain English: A rule is a law or guideline that you must follow.

"The unwritten rule at our office is to arrive fifteen minutes early."

Verb
1

exercise authority over; as of nations

"Who is governing the country now?"

2

decide with authority

"The King decreed that all firstborn males should be killed"

3

be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance

"Money reigns supreme here"

"Hispanics predominate in this neighborhood"

4

decide on and make a declaration about

"find someone guilty"

5

have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac

"Leo and I really rule each other, as we share so many compatible traits under our respective signs."

6

mark or draw with a ruler

"rule the margins"

7

keep in check

"rule one's temper"

8

To regulate, be in charge of, make decisions for, reign over.

"The children ruled through the park until sunset, laughing and chasing each other without any care for time or rules."

9

To revel.

In plain English: To rule something means to decide what is right or wrong and make people follow your decisions.

"The king ruled the country with justice and fairness."

Usage: Use this verb to describe exercising authority or control over people, organizations, or territories rather than physical objects like roads or games. It often implies making binding decisions that must be followed by those under your jurisdiction.

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"The famous Rule family has lived in that manor for five generations."

Example Sentences
"The unwritten rule at our office is to arrive fifteen minutes early." noun
"The king ruled the country with justice and fairness." verb
"She rules her classroom with kindness and firmness." verb
"The teacher will rule lines on the paper before we start writing." verb
"He does not want to be ruled by fear or anger." verb
See Also
law regulation king govern golden order kings reign
Related Terms
law regulation king govern golden order kings reign instruction games command commandment game guideline juntocracy action codifiability autarchy hanover jurat
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
concept practice direction generalization duration dominance law procedure measuring stick control decide pronounce attach to draw restrain
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
restriction guidepost cy pres working principle mores code of conduct universal bylaw rubric order rule of evidence Miranda rule principle golden rule GIGO dictate regulation canon etiquette protocol grammatical rule morphological rule pillar yang yin feng shui regency paramountcy raj reign suzerainty ground rule Gestalt law of organization Le Chatelier's principle Gresham's Law mass-energy equivalence Naegele's rule Occam's Razor principle of equivalence principle of liquid displacement principle of superposition mass-action principle localization of function metarule algorithm heuristic recursion carpenter's rule foot rule meterstick yardstick throne misgovern overrule rule out override overarch preponderate

Origin

The word "rule" entered English from Old French and originally referred to a straight stick or bar used as a pattern for drawing lines. Its meaning later expanded through the Latin root regō, which means to keep something straight, direct, or govern.

Rhyming Words
ule jule yule tule pule bule mule zule baule houle thule ovule joule boule brule poule soule emule maule paule
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