Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - rule

~1 n 1 »INSTRUCTION« 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« the way of behaving that is accepted as right by most people  (the rules of etiquette) 3 »OF GRAMMAR/OF A SYSTEM« 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« 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« 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« old-fashioned ruler (2)  (- see also golden rule, ground rules, home rule, slide rule, work to rule work1 (30)) ~2 v 1 »GOVERNMENT« 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« 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« I always + adv/prep, 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 ruling1) 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« 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 phr v 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.)