RULE


Meaning of RULE in English

I. rule 1 S1 W1 /ruːl/ BrE AmE noun

[ Word Family: noun : ↑ rule , ↑ ruler , ↑ ruling , ↑ unruliness ; adjective : ↑ ruling , ↑ unruly , ↑ ruled ; verb : ↑ rule , ↑ overrule ]

[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: reule , from Latin regula ; ⇨ ↑ regular 1 ]

1 . ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED [countable] an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or job

rule of

the rules of the game

under the rules/according to the rules

Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts.

2 . ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this:

There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to wear to classes.

rule of

There are two basic rules of survival.

The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately.

3 . NORMAL/USUAL [singular] something that is normal or usually true

as a (general) rule

As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May.

Early marriage used to be the rule in that part of the world.

A series of payments used to be the exception rather than the rule.

Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule.

4 . GOVERNMENT [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system

under ... rule

people living under communist rule

the end of colonial rule

a period of military rule

direct rule from Westminster

the restoration of majority rule (=government by the party that most people have voted for) to Northern Ireland

5 . IN GRAMMAR/SCIENCE ETC [countable] a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science

rule of

the rules of English punctuation

6 . the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed:

We are here to uphold the rule of law.

7 . the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair:

The governor failed to observe the rules of natural justice.

8 . rule of thumb a rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience:

As a general rule of thumb, children this age should not spend more than one hour on homework.

9 . make it a rule (to do something) to try to make sure that you always do something:

I make it a rule never to mix business with pleasure.

10 . FOR MEASURING [countable] old-fashioned a ↑ ruler

⇨ ↑ golden rule , ↑ ground rules , ↑ home rule , ↑ slide rule , ⇨ work to rule at ↑ work 1 (32)

• • •

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs

▪ break a rule ( also violate a rule formal ) (=not obey it)

He had clearly broken the official rules.

|

Any one who violates this rule will be severely punished.

▪ obey/follow a rule

She wasn’t going to obey their silly rules.

▪ comply with/abide by/observe a rule formal (=obey it)

All members must comply with the rules of the organization.

|

There is little that one country can do if another fails to abide by the rules.

|

We expect you to observe the general rules of conduct as set out below.

▪ stick to/go by the rules informal (=obey them)

We all have to stick to the rules.

▪ make the rules

I’m only an assistant manager – I don’t make the rules.

▪ the rule says ...

The rule says that you must be standing inside the line.

▪ the rule stipulates that ... formal (=it says that something must be done)

The rules stipulate that clubs must field the strongest team available.

▪ the rule prohibits/forbids something

The rule forbids women from becoming members of the club.

▪ the rule requires (that) ... formal (=it says that people must do something)

School rules required all girls to tie back their hair.

▪ the rule applies to somebody/something (=it concerns them)

Everyone thinks that the rule doesn’t apply to them.

▪ play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed)

The system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.

▪ bend/stretch the rules (=allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed)

They bend the rules to suit themselves.

▪ relax the rules (=make them less strict)

Britain relaxed its immigration rules.

▪ tighten (up) the rules (=make them stricter)

The EU has tightened the rules on the quality of drinking water.

▪ enforce a rule (=make sure that it is obeyed)

The planning office does not always enforce its own rules.

▪ flout a rule (=break it, without trying to hide what you are doing)

The party continues to flout its own rules.

▪ be bound by rules (=have to obey them)

Solicitors are bound by strict rules that regulate their professional conduct.

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + rule

▪ strict

They have very strict rules about gambling.

▪ simple

The rules of the game are quite simple.

▪ petty (=unreasonable rules about unimportant things)

There are hundreds of petty rules.

▪ a school/prison/club etc rule

He had broken one of the school rules.

▪ an unwritten rule (=a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands)

There’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m.

▪ health and safety rules

You should follow any health and safety rules which apply to your workplace.

■ phrases

▪ be against the rules (=not be allowed)

It was against the rules to talk in class.

▪ the rules concerning/governing/relating to something formal (=the rules about something)

the rules governing food labeling

▪ a change in the rules

I didn’t realise that there had been a change in the rules.

▪ a breach of the rules formal (=something that is against the rules)

a serious breach of the rules

▪ rules and regulations

The government keeps introducing more and more rules and regulations.

▪ rules are rules spoken (=a rule must be obeyed)

Rules are rules and you have to abide by them.

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ rule an instruction that says what people are allowed to do or not allowed to do, for example in a game, school, or company:

the rules of baseball

|

He disobeyed the school rules.

▪ law an official rule that everyone in a country, city, or state must obey:

It is against the law to carry a concealed weapon.

|

The law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.

▪ regulation an official rule or order, which is part of a set of rules made by a government or organization:

the regulations for applying for a passport

|

building regulations

|

environmental regulations on air pollution

▪ restriction an official rule that limits what people can do:

new restrictions on immigration

|

The government is planning to impose regulations on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country.

▪ guidelines rules or instructions about the best way to do something:

the Department of Health’s guidelines for a healthy diet

|

guidelines for classroom teachers

▪ code a set of rules that people or organizations agree to obey but are not forced to obey:

The school has a dress code for its students.

|

the company’s code of conduct

▪ statute formal a law that has been officially approved by a parliament, council etc, and written down:

The statute banned corporal punishment.

▪ ordinance American English a law, made by a city or town, that forbids or restricts an activity:

A local ordinance limited speed in the parks to ten miles an hour.

II. rule 2 W2 BrE AmE verb

[ Word Family: noun : ↑ rule , ↑ ruler , ↑ ruling , ↑ unruliness ; adjective : ↑ ruling , ↑ unruly , ↑ ruled ; verb : ↑ rule , ↑ overrule ]

1 . GOVERNMENT [intransitive and transitive] to have the official power to control a country and the people who live there ⇨ govern :

Queen Victoria ruled England for 64 years.

African tribal societies were traditionally ruled by a council of elders.

rule over

Alexander the Great ruled over a huge empire.

He announced that henceforth he would rule by decree (=make all the important decisions himself) .

2 . CONTROL/INFLUENCE [transitive] if a feeling or desire rules someone, it has a powerful and controlling influence on their actions:

the passion for power and success which rules her life

3 . COURT/LAW [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to make an official decision about something, especially a legal problem ⇨ decree

rule that

The judge ruled that she should have custody of the children.

rule on

The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the case.

rule in favour of/against somebody/something

The tribunal ruled in her favour.

be ruled illegal/unlawful etc

This part of the bill was ruled unconstitutional.

⇨ ↑ ruling 1

4 . rule the roost informal to be the most powerful person in a group:

His wife rules the roost in their house.

5 . rule somebody/something with a rod of iron also rule somebody with an iron fist/hand to control a group of people in a very severe way:

Although he was a fair man, he ruled us with an iron fist.

6 . somebody/something rules informal used to say that the team, school, place etc mentioned is better than any other:

Arsenal rules OK. British English

graffiti saying ‘Poheny High rules’

7 . DRAW A LINE [transitive] to draw a line using a ruler or other straight edge:

Rule a line under each answer.

⇨ ↑ overrule , ⇨ let your heart rule your head at ↑ heart (2)

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ control to have power over a country, place, company etc, and decide what happens there:

The Democrats controlled the US Congress.

|

Government forces now control the city.

▪ run to make the important everyday decisions concerning a company, organization, country etc, so that it can continue to operate:

He runs a software company in New York.

|

The parents want to run the school themselves.

|

The government is unfit to run the country.

|

The charity runs a medical clinic in one of the poorest parts of the city.

▪ be in charge of somebody/something to have control over something, or responsibility for a group of people:

She is in charge of training new employees.

|

I left him in charge of the children while I was out.

▪ manage to be in charge of a company, especially one that someone else owns:

In 1963, she opened a furniture store, and her son has managed it since 1985.

▪ be in power if a group or leader is in power, they have political control of a country:

Abe resigned after less than a year in power.

|

It was the first time a democratically elected government had been in power.

▪ rule if a leader or political group rules a country, they have political control of that country:

President Assad ruled the country for almost 30 years.

|

The same party has ruled Japan for many years.

▪ supervise to be in charge of a group of workers or students and make sure that they do their work properly:

Professor Braude supervised the research team.

|

He’s supervising the building work.

rule something/somebody ↔ out phrasal verb

1 . to decide that something is not possible or suitable:

The police have ruled out suicide.

She has refused to rule out the possibility of singing again.

2 . to make it impossible for something to happen:

The mountainous terrain rules out most forms of agriculture.

3 . to state that someone will not be able to take part in a sports event

rule something/somebody ↔ out of

He has been ruled out of the match with a knee injury.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.