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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
rule    Audio Help   [rool] Pronunciation Key, noun, verb, ruled, rul·ing.
–noun
1.a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.: the rules of chess.
2.the code of regulations observed by a religious order or congregation: the Franciscan rule.
3.the customary or normal circumstance, occurrence, manner, practice, quality, etc.: the rule rather than the exception.
4.control, government, or dominion: under the rule of a dictator.
5.tenure or conduct of reign or office: during the rule of George III.
6.a prescribed mathematical method for performing a calculation or solving a problem.
7.ruler (def. 2).
8.(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Norma.
9.Printing. a thin, type-high strip of metal, for printing a solid or decorative line or lines.
10.Law.
a.a formal order or direction made by a court, as for governing the procedure of the court (general rule) or for sending the case before a referee (special rule).
b.a legal principle.
c.a court order in a particular case.
11.rules, Penology. (formerly)
a.a fixed area in the neighborhood of certain prisons within which certain prisoners were allowed to live.
b.the freedom of such an area.
12.Obsolete. behavior.
–verb (used with object)
13.to control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern: to rule the empire with severity.
14.to decide or declare judicially or authoritatively; decree: The judge ruled that he should be exiled.
15.to mark with lines, esp. parallel straight lines, with the aid of a ruler or the like: to rule paper.
16.to mark out or form (a line) by this method: to rule lines on paper.
17.to be superior or preeminent in (a specific field or group); dominate by superiority; hold sway over: For centuries, England ruled the seas.
–verb (used without object)
18.to exercise dominating power or influence; predominate.
19.to exercise authority, dominion, or sovereignty.
20.to make a formal decision or ruling, as on a point at law.
21.to be prevalent or current: Higher prices ruled throughout France.
—Verb phrase
22.rule out,
a.to prove to be unrelated or not for consideration; eliminate; exclude: to rule out the possibility of error.
b.to make impossible or impracticable: The rainstorm ruled out the holiday camping.
—Idioms
23.as a rule, generally; usually: He arrives at eleven o'clock, as a rule.
24.rule the roost. roost (def. 6).
[Origin: 1175–1225; (n.) ME riule, reule < OF riule < L régula straight stick, pattern (see regula); (v.) ME riwlen, reulen, rewellen < OF riuler, rieuler, ruler < LL régulāre, deriv. of régula]

—Synonyms 1. standard, law, ruling, guide, precept, order. See principle. 4. command, domination, mastery, sway, authority, direction. 13. Rule, administer, command, govern, manage mean to exercise authoritative guidance or direction. Rule implies the exercise of authority as by a sovereign: to rule a kingdom. Administer places emphasis on the planned and orderly procedures used: to administer the finances of an institution. Command suggests military authority and the power to exact obedience; to be in command of: to command a ship. To govern is authoritatively to guide or direct persons or things, esp. in the affairs of a large administrative unit: to govern a state. To manage is to conduct affairs, i.e., to guide them in a unified way toward a definite goal, or to direct or control people, often by tact, address, or artifice: to manage a business. 14. order, judge.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
as a rule

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© 2008 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
rule    Audio Help   (rōōl)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
    1. Governing power or its possession or use; authority.
    2. The duration of such power.
    3. An authoritative, prescribed direction for conduct, especially one of the regulations governing procedure in a legislative body or a regulation observed by the players in a game, sport, or contest.
    4. The body of regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for governing the conduct of its members.
    5. A court order limited in application to a specific case.
    6. A subordinate regulation governing a particular matter.
    1. An authoritative, prescribed direction for conduct, especially one of the regulations governing procedure in a legislative body or a regulation observed by the players in a game, sport, or contest.
    2. The body of regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for governing the conduct of its members.
    3. A court order limited in application to a specific case.
    4. A subordinate regulation governing a particular matter.
  3. A usual, customary, or generalized course of action or behavior: "The rule of life in the defense bar ordinarily is to go along and get along" (Scott Turow).
  4. A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases: In this office, hard work is the rule, not the exception.
  5. Mathematics A standard method or procedure for solving a class of problems.
  6. Law
    1. A court order limited in application to a specific case.
    2. A subordinate regulation governing a particular matter.
  7. See ruler.
  8. Printing A thin metal strip of various widths and designs, used to print borders or lines, as between columns.

v.   ruled, rul·ing, rules

v.   tr.
  1. To exercise control, dominion, or direction over; govern.
  2. To dominate by powerful influence.
  3. To decide or declare authoritatively or judicially; decree. See Synonyms at decide.
    1. To mark with straight parallel lines.
    2. To mark (a straight line), as with a ruler.

v.   intr.
  1. To be in total control or command; exercise supreme authority.
  2. To formulate and issue a decree or decision.
  3. To prevail at a particular level or rate: Prices ruled low.
  4. Slang To be excellent or superior: That new video game rules!

Phrasal Verb(s):
rule out
  1. To prevent; preclude: The snowstorm ruled out their weekly meeting.
  2. To remove from consideration; exclude: The option of starting over has been ruled out.

Idiom(s):
as a rule
In general; for the most part: As a rule, we take the bus.

[Middle English reule, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *regula, from Latin rēgula, rod, principle; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]

rul'a·ble adj.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
as a rule
usually
Example: I don't go out in the evening as a rule.
Arabic: عادَةً
Chinese (Simplified): 通常
Chinese (Traditional): 通常
Czech: zpravidla
Danish: som regel
Dutch: gewoonlijk
Estonian: tavaliselt
Finnish: yleensä
French: en règle générale
German: in der Regel
Greek: κατά κανόνα
Hungarian: rendszerint
Icelandic: venjulega, yfirleitt
Indonesian: biasanya
Italian: in genere*
Japanese: ふつうは
Latvian: parasti
Lithuanian: paprastai, dažniausiai
Norwegian: som regel
Polish: z reguły
Portuguese (Brazil): via de regra
Portuguese (Portugal): regra geral
Romanian: de regulă
Russian: как правило
Slovak: spravidla
Slovenian: praviloma
Spanish: por norma, *regla general, por lo general
Swedish: som regel
Turkish: genellikle
See also: ruler, ruling, rule, rule off, rule out, ruled, "as a rule" in any language

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
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