RULE

I. noun see: right Date: 13th century 1. a prescribed guide for conduct or action, the laws or regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for observance by its members, an accepted procedure, custom, or habit, d. a usually written order or direction made by a court regulating court practice or the action of parties, a legal precept or doctrine, a regulation or bylaw governing procedure or controlling conduct, 2. a. a usually valid generalization, a generally prevailing quality, state, or mode , a standard of judgment ; criterion , a regulating principle, a determinate method for performing a mathematical operation and obtaining a certain result, 3. the exercise of authority or control ; dominion , a period during which a specified ~r or government exercises control, 4. a strip of material marked off in units used especially for measuring ; ~r 3, tape measure , a metal strip with a type-high face that prints a linear design, see: law II. verb (~d; ruling) Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. to exert control, direction, or influence on , to exercise control over especially by curbing or restraining , 2. to exercise authority or power over often harshly or arbitrarily , to be preeminent in ; dominate , to determine and declare authoritatively, 4. a. to mark with lines drawn along or as if along the straight edge of a ~r, to mark (a line) on a paper with a ~r, to arrange in a line, intransitive verb 1. to exercise supreme authority, to be first in importance or prominence ; predominate , to exist in a specified state or condition, to lay down a legal ~, to be extremely cool or popular, see: decide