rule of thumb
Use Rule of thumb in a sentencerule of thumb
noun
1.
a general or approximate principle, procedure, or rule based on experience or practice, as opposed to a specific, scientific calculation or estimate.
2.
a rough, practical method of procedure.
Origin:
1685–95
1685–95
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To rule of thumb
Collins
World English Dictionary
| rule of thumb | |
| —n | |
| a. a rough and practical approach, based on experience, rather than a scientific or precise one based on theory | |
| b. (as modifier): a rule-of-thumb decision | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Rule of thumb
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc. |
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
rule of thumb definition
A practical principle that comes from the wisdom of experience and is usually but not always valid: “When playing baseball, a good rule of thumb is to put your best hitter fourth in the batting order.”
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
rule of thumb
A rough and useful principle or method, based on experience rather than precisely accurate measures. For example, His work with the youth group is largely by rule of thumb. This expression alludes to making rough estimates of measurements by using one's thumb. [Second half of 1600s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
As a rule of thumb, whenever political leaders talk a lot at press conferences, it often means they have not much to say.
Twelve to fifteen books over a fifteen-week semester used to be the rule of thumb at selective colleges.
The rule of thumb is the higher the value, the darker the color.
As a rule of thumb, for every magnitude you drop down, there are roughly ten times more earthquakes.
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