n. 1 regulation, order, law, ordinance, ruling, decree, ukase, statute, principle, direction, guide, guideline, precept We go by the Golden Rule here, Jim, 'Do unto others before they do unto you' 2 dominion, authority, control, sovereignty, sway, command, ascendancy, direction, oversight, supervision, mastery How could such a despised monarch maintain rule over a people for so long? 3 fact, standard, customs, practice, form, routine, convention, policy, way things are Honesty and integrity among our students are the rule rather than the exception 4 as a rule. generally, usually, normally, customarily, for the most part, mostly, ordinarily, mainly, in the main, chiefly, on the whole, commonly, more often than not As a rule, we require payment in advance
v. 5 Sometimes, rule over. reign (over), govern, be in control or charge or command (of or over), be in power (over), hold sway (over), wield the sceptre, wear the crown, run; prevail, hold sway, dominate, predominate, control The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world Supposedly, the majority rules in a democracy. 6 direct, guide, manage, control, lead, head (up), preside (over), superintend, oversee, supervise, regulate, govern, run The company is ruled by a committee made up of employees and directors 7 decide, judge, hand down a judgement or decision, decree, deem, resolve, settle, determine, find, declare, pronounce The referee ruled that Jones had committed a foul 8 rule out. ban, bar, prohibit, exclude, eliminate, forbid, preclude, proscribe, negate, dismiss, disregard, bypass, ignore, overlook The programme committee ruled out Birmingham as the site of next year's conference