Rule

Rule, rōōl, n. government: a principle: a standard: a statute, a maxim, formula, or order: an instrument used in drawing lines or making calculations mechanically: a minor law, something established for guidance and direction, esp. the regulations of monasteries, corporate societies, &c.: the limits of a prison (esp. in pl.): conformity to rule, uniformity: in American parliamentary law, the regulations adopted by a deliberative body for the regulation of its proceedings: (gram.) the expression of some established form of construction: the description of a process for solving a problem: a general proposition, as 'Failure is the rule, success the exception': (law) an order regulating the court: (print.) a thin strip of rolled brass, cut type high, used for printing: in plastering, a strip of wood on the face of the wall as a guide to assist in keeping the plane surface.—v.t. to dispose: to regulate: to dominate: to govern: to manage: to prevail upon: to settle as by a rule: to establish by decision: to determine, as a court: to mark with lines.—v.i. to exercise power (with over): to decide: to lay down and settle: to stand or range, as prices.—adj. Ru′lable, governable: allowable.—ns. Rule′-case (print.), a tray with partitions for rules; Rule′-cut′ter (print.), a machine for cutting brass rules into short lengths; Rule′-drill′er, a teacher who teaches by rote; Rule′-joint, a pivoted joint used by surveyors, &c.—adj. Rule′less, lawless.—ns. Rule′lessness; Rule′-mong′er, a stickler for rules; Ru′ler, a sovereign: a governor: an instrument used in drawing lines: in engraving, a straight steel bar employed in engraving the lines; Ru′lership; Rule′-work (print.), work with many rules, as tables of figures, &c.—adj. Ru′ling, predominant: prevailing: reigning.—n. the determination by a judge, esp. an oral decision: the act of making ruled lines.—n. Ru′ling-en′gine, a machine for ruling diffraction gratings.—adv. Ru′lingly.—ns. Ru′ling-machine′, a machine used by engravers for ruling in flat tints: a machine for ruling parallel coloured lines upon writing-paper; Ru′ling-pen, a form of pen for drawing lines of even thickness; Slid′ing-rule, a rule having one or more scales which slide over others for the purpose of facilitating calculations.—Rule of faith, not the sum of the Christian faith as laid down in creeds and confessions, but, in polemical theology, the sources whence the doctrines of the faith are to be authoritatively derived—the Scriptures, the tradition of the Church, the teaching of the Fathers, &c.; Rule of the road, the regulations to be observed in the movements of conveyances either on land or at sea—thus in England drivers, riders, and cyclists take the left side in meeting, and the right in passing; Rule of three, the method of finding the fourth term when three are given; Rule of thumb, any rough process of measurement.—A rule to show cause, or A rule nisi, a rule which is conditional (see Nisi); As a rule, on the whole; One hour rule, a rule prohibiting members of the United States House of Representatives speaking more than an hour. [O. Fr. reule (Fr. règle)—L. regula—regĕre, to rule.]