RULE


Meaning of RULE in English

/ ruːl; NAmE / noun , verb

■ noun

OF ACTIVITY / GAME

1.

[ C ] a statement of what may, must or must not be done in a particular situation or when playing a game :

to follow / obey / observe the rules

It's against all rules and regulations .

to break a rule (= not follow it)

This explains the rules under which the library operates.

Without unwritten rules civilized life would be impossible.

—see also ground rule

ADVICE

2.

[ C ] a statement of what you are advised to do in a particular situation :

There are no hard and fast rules for planning healthy meals.

The first rule is to make eye contact with your interviewer.

—see also golden rule

HABIT / NORMALLY TRUE

3.

[ C , usually sing. ] a habit; the normal state of things; what is true in most cases :

He makes it a rule never to borrow money.

I go to bed early as a rule .

Cold winters here are the exception rather than the rule (= are rare) .

As a general rule vegetable oils are better for you than animal fats.

OF SYSTEM

4.

[ C ] a statement of what is possible according to a particular system, for example the grammar of a language :

the rules of grammar

GOVERNMENT / CONTROL

5.

[ U ] the government of a country or control of a group of people by a particular person, group or system :

under Communist / civilian / military, etc. rule

majority rule (= government by the political party that most people have voted for)

The 1972 act imposed direct rule from Westminster.

—see also home rule

MEASURING TOOL

6.

[ C ] a measuring instrument with a straight edge

—see also slide rule

IDIOMS

- bend / stretch the rules

- play by sb's (own) rules

- play by the rules

- the rules of the game

- the rule of law

- a rule of thumb

- work to rule

—more at exception

■ verb

GOVERN / CONTROL

1.

rule (over sb/sth) to control and have authority over a country, a group of people, etc. :

[ vn ]

At that time John ruled England.

( figurative )

Eighty million years ago, dinosaurs ruled the earth.

[ v ]

Charles I ruled for eleven years.

She once ruled over a vast empire.

( figurative )

After the revolution, anarchy ruled.

2.

[ vn ] [ often passive ] (often disapproving ) to be the main thing that influences and controls sb/sth :

The pursuit of money ruled his life.

We live in a society where we are ruled by the clock.

GIVE OFFICIAL DECISION

3.

rule (on sth) to give an official decision about sth

SYN pronounce :

[ v ]

The court will rule on the legality of the action.

The judge ruled against / in favour of the plaintiff.

[ vn - adj ]

The deal may be ruled illegal.

[ v that ]

The court ruled that the women were unfairly dismissed.

[also vn to inf , vn that ]

DRAW STRAIGHT LINE

4.

to draw a straight line using sth that has a firm straight edge :

Rule a line at the end of every piece of work.

IDIOMS

- rule the roost

- rule (sb/sth) with a rod of iron

—more at court noun , divide verb , heart

PHRASAL VERBS

- rule off | rule sth off

- rule sb/sth out

- rule sb out of sth

••

WORD ORIGIN

Middle English : from Old French reule (noun), reuler (verb), from late Latin regulare , from Latin regula straight stick.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.