Rule \Rule\, n. [OE. reule, riule, OF. riule, reule, F. r['e]gle, fr. L. regula a ruler, rule, model, fr. regere, rectum, to lead straight, to direct. See {Right}, a., and cf. {Regular}.] 1. That which is prescribed or laid down as a guide for conduct or action; a governing direction for a specific purpose; an authoritative enactment; a regulation; a prescription; a precept; as, the rules of various societies; the rules governing a school; a rule of etiquette or propriety; the rules of cricket.
We profess to have embraced a religion which contains the most exact rules for the government of our lives. --Tillotson.
2. Hence: (a) Uniform or established course of things.
'T is against the rule of nature. --Shak. (b) Systematic method or practice; as, my ule is to rise at six o'clock. (c) Ordibary course of procedure; usual way; comon state or condition of things; as, it is a rule to which there are many exeptions. (d) Conduct in general; behavior. [Obs.]
This uncivil rule; she shall know of it. --Shak.
3. The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.
Obey them that have the rule over you. --Heb. xiii. 17.
His stern rule the groaning land obeyed. --Pope.
4. (Law) An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit. --Wharton.
5. (Math.) A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result; as, a rule for extracting the cube root.
6. (Gram.) A general principle concerning the formation or use of words, or a concise statement thereof; thus, it is a rule in England, that s or es, added to a noun in the singular number, forms the plural of that noun; but ``man'' forms its plural ``men'', and is an exception to the rule.
7. (a) A straight strip of wood, metal, or the like, which serves as a guide in drawing a straight line; a ruler. (b) A measuring instrument consisting of a graduated bar of wood, ivory, metal, or the like, which is usually marked so as to show inches and fractions of an inch, and jointed so that it may be folded compactly.
A judicious artist will use his eye, but he will trust only to his rule. --South.
8. (Print.) (a) A thin plate of metal (usually brass) of the same height as the type, and used for printing lines, as between columns on the same page, or in tabular work. (b) A composing rule. See under {Conposing}.
{As a rule}, as a general thing; in the main; usually; as, he behaves well, as a rule.
{Board rule}, {Caliber rule}, etc. See under {Board}, {Caliber}, etc.
{Rule joint}, a knuckle joint having shoulders that abut when the connected pieces come in line with each other, and thus permit folding in one direction only.
{Rule of the road} (Law), any of the various regulations imposed upon travelers by land or water for their mutual convenience or safety. In the United States it is a rule of the road that land travelers passing in opposite directions shall turn out each to his own right, and generally that overtaking persons or vehicles shall turn out to the left; in England the rule for vehicles (but not for pedestrians) is the opposite of this.
{Rule of three} (Arith.), that rule which directs, when three terms are given, how to find a fourth, which shall have the same ratio to the third term as the second has to the first; proportion. See {Proportion}, 5 (b) .
{Rule of thumb}, any rude process or operation, like that of using the thumb as a rule in measuring; hence, judgment and practical experience as distinguished from scientific knowledge.
Rule \Rule\, n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Syn: regulation; law; precept; maxim; guide; canon; order; method; direction; control; government; sway; empire. ※ Rule \Rule\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ruled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ruling}.] [Cf. OF. riuler, ruiler, L. regulare. See {Rule}, n., and cf. {Regulate}.] 1. To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority or dominion over; to govern; to manage. --Chaucer.
A bishop then must be blameless; . . . one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection. --1 Tim. iii. 2, 4.
2. To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; -- used chiefly in the passive.
I think she will be ruled In all respects by me. --Shak.
3. To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.
That's are ruled case with the schoolmen. --Atterbury.
4. (Law) To require or command by rule; to give as a direction or order of court.
5. To mark with lines made with a pen, pencil, etc., guided by a rule or ruler; to print or mark with lines by means of a rule or other contrivance effecting a similar result; as, to rule a sheet of paper of a blank book.
{Ruled surface} (Geom.), any surface that may be described by a straight line moving according to a given law; -- called also a {scroll}.
Rule \Rule\, n. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Syn: regulation; law; precept; maxim; guide; canon; order; method; direction; control; government; sway; empire. ※ Rule \Rule\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ruled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ruling}.] [Cf. OF. riuler, ruiler, L. regulare. See {Rule}, n., and cf. {Regulate}.] 1. To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority or dominion over; to govern; to manage. --Chaucer.
A bishop then must be blameless; . . . one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection. --1 Tim. iii. 2, 4.
2. To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; -- used chiefly in the passive.
I think she will be ruled In all respects by me. --Shak.
3. To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.
That's are ruled case with the schoolmen. --Atterbury.
4. (Law) To require or command by rule; to give as a direction or order of court.
5. To mark with lines made with a pen, pencil, etc., guided by a rule or ruler; to print or mark with lines by means of a rule or other contrivance effecting a similar result; as, to rule a sheet of paper of a blank book.
{Ruled surface} (Geom.), any surface that may be described by a straight line moving according to a given law; -- called also a {scroll}.
Rule \Rule\, v. i. 1. To have power or command; to exercise supreme authority; -- often followed by over.
By me princes rule, and nobles. --Prov. viii. 16.
We subdue and rule over all other creatures. --Ray.
2. (Law) To lay down and settle a rule or order of court; to decide an incidental point; to enter a rule. --Burril. Bouvier.
3. (Com.) To keep within a (certain) range for a time; to be in general, or as a rule; as, prices ruled lower yesterday than the day before.
The Soviet Union today sent medical supplies to Romania and appealed to its Warsaw Pact allies to help support the uprising against Nicolae Ceausescu, but it appeared to rule out military intervention.
Perhaps Columbus, had been right, after all. I took my leave of the finest green refuge on New York City's outskirts: the evening bell was sounding and somebody was driving a car along the lower terrace to remind us that highway morals rule.
The rational response to these factors, and to the reversion of Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997, would seem to be global expansion.
The telecommunications company said the judge granted a waiver for the FTS-2000 bid, but didn't rule on whether the Bell companies would violate the consent decree by providing switching services generally.
Though French officials generally said a reversal of the decision is unlikely, one official who declined to be named said, "You can't rule anything out."
The move, from January 1, was announced by President Daniel arap Moi at a rally to mark 31 years of independence from British rule.
Even with the no-checking rule, players collide in tussles for the puck.
Laos, along with Vietnam and Cambodia, came under communist rule in 1975.
The protesters blame the United States for supporting military rule in South Korea and partitioning the Korean Peninsula, divided since 1945.
Nixon's representatives and Chinese officials are arranging the details of a sixth visit, though Taylor did not rule out a future group trip.
Ershad stepped down in November after widespread protests against his rule.
By official count, 12 people had been killed and more than 100 wounded in violence since Sunday when Tibetans marched in Lhasa, demanding an end to nearly four decades of communist rule and the return of their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
At the ceremony at Hradcany Castle, the seat of the president, Calfa pledged to help lead Czechoslovakia out of the debris of the Communist legacy, recalling the democratic tradition that prevailed before Communist rule.
The FCC did not rule on whether Tariff 15 was legal at the time it was filed, which AT&T construed as a victory.
Their leader, Aung San, negotiated the end of colonial rule and would undoubtably have become the country's first leaders if he had not been assassinated in 1947.
"The history of successful economic reforms shows that as a rule all of them were carried out with the involvement of significant volumes of foreign assistance," Mr. Yavlinsky said in his report.
Critics said the homosexuality measure, known as Clause 28, was a setback for gay rights in Britain and a swing toward authoritanian rule by Mrs. Thatcher and her government.
As Namibians danced in the streets celebrating independence after 75 years of South African rule, many whites in this country were feeling betrayed and bitter.
Administration officials didn't rule out military action against Libya, but they suggested it isn't likely.
Lawrence White, a Bank Board member, said the rule would discourage "gains trading," by which a thrift will book profits by selling the best securities in its portfolio without disclosing losses on the rest.
"Pakistan is in a period of transition," she said. "We don't have a direct military rule; we have an indirect military rule, or we have the iron fist in the velvet glove.
"Pakistan is in a period of transition," she said. "We don't have a direct military rule; we have an indirect military rule, or we have the iron fist in the velvet glove.
More than 6 million Jews were killed under Nazi rule.
Uno resigned to take responsibility for the July election loss, leaving the Liberal Democrats in their worst crisis since the party was formed in 1955 and began enjoying uninterrupted rule.
The agency will not rule on Michigan's panda request until at least June 6, said spokesman Dave Klinger in Washington.
Houses could avoid any party ban just as many have gone around another recent rule prohibiting buying kegs of beer with a house check, he said.
For companies that defer ad costs, the new accounting rule will lower profits.
If opinion polls are correct, Quebeckers will sweep the separatists back into power in a provincial election, ending nine years of rule by the Liberal party, which wants Quebec to remain part of Canada.
If Mr Soskovets' tough line - rather than Mr Yeltsin's quiet granting of soft loans - is to be the new rule in Russian economic policy, then Russia could be poised for one of the most serious political battles it has yet faced.
The IRA killed four soldiers with a similar bomb beneath a road on April 9. Attacks against police officers and soldiers are a trademark of the IRA and smaller groups fighting British rule.