rule

1 /ru:l/ noun

1 INSTRUCTION (C) an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or job: the school rules | against the rules: You can't come in if you're not a member - it's against the rules. | break the rules (=disobey): There's a penalty if you break the rules. | stick to the rules (=obey): I'm not going to play if you won't stick to the rules! | bend/stretch the rules (=say that on this occasion someone does not have to obey a particular rule): We might be able to bend the rules just this one time. | the rules that govern sth (=the rules that say how something should be done): changes to the rules governing international athletics | rules and regulations: I'm sick of all their petty rules and regulations. | hard and fast rule (=clear and definite rule): There are no hard and fast rules about what to wear to classes. | unwritten rule (=something that people usually expect you to do): an unwritten rule concerning being late for work | rules are rules: spoken (=used to tell someone that rules must be obeyed)

2 BEHAVIOUR (C) the way of behaving that is accepted as right by most people: the rules of etiquette

3 OF GRAMMAR/OF A SYSTEM (C) a statement about what is usually allowed in the grammar of a language, or according to a particular system: English grammar has very few rules that cannot be broken.

4 GOVERNMENT (U) the government of a country by a particular group of people or using a particular system: an end to over 200 years of French rule | rule by a social elite | under sb's rule (=when someone is the leader of a country): Britain prospered under Elizabeth's rule. | foreign rule (=government by foreigners) | majority rule (=government by the political party that most people have voted for): majority rule in South Africa | the rule of law (=a situation in which the people in a country obey the laws): The rule of law had broken down and the army was sent in to restore order.

5 CONTROL (U) a system for controlling a group of people

(+ by): rule by the gun

6 as a (general) rule used to say that something usually happens or is usually true: As a rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May.

7 be the rule used to say that something is the usual situation: It tends to be the rule that boys are more interested in cars than girls.

8 sth is the exception, not the rule used to say that something is unusual: You do get some women in managerial positions, but it's the exception rather than the rule..

9 rule of thumb a rough method of calculation, based on practical experience: As a rule of thumb, you'll pay -10 a month for each -100 you borrow.

10 the rule is spoken used when advising someone what to do in a particular situation: The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately.

11 make it a rule (to do sth) to try to make sure that you always do something: I generally make it a rule to be up by 7.

12 FOR MEASURING (C) old-fashioned ruler (2)

—see also: golden rule, ground rules, home rule, slide rule, work to rule work 1 (30) 2 verb

1 GOVERNMENT (I, T) to have the official power to control a country and the people who live there: Queen Victoria ruled England for 64 years.

(+ over): Alexander the Great ruled over a large empire.

2 CONTROL/INFLUENCE (T) 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 + adv/prep, transitive) to make an official decision about something, especially a legal problem: rule that: The judge ruled that she should have custody.

(+ on): The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the case. | rule in favour of: The tribunal ruled in her favour. —see also: ruling 1

4 let your heart rule your head to make decisions based on what you feel not what you think

5 rule the roost informal to be the most powerful person in a group: It's his wife who rules the roost in their house.

6 rule sb with a rod of iron to control a group of people in a very severe way

7 sb rules an expression, often written on walls, used to say that the team, gang etc mentioned is better than anyone else: Arsenal rules OK. | Midland High rules!

8 DRAW A LINE (T) to draw a line using a ruler or other straight edge: Rule a line under each answer.

9 be ruled by sb old-fashioned to do what someone else tells you to do

—see also: overrule rule sth/sb out phrasal verb (T)

1 to decide that something is not possible or suitable: The police have ruled out suicide.

2 to make it impossible for something to happen: The mountainous terrain rules out most forms of agriculture.