Dictionary.net

decide on and make a declaration about; "find someone guilty"

(mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems; "he determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs"; "he gave us a general formula for attacking polynomials"

(linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice

prescribed guide for conduct or action

a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system; "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"; "the right-hand rule for inductive fields"

a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior; "it was his rule to take a walk before breakfast"; "short haircuts were the regulation"

have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac

directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted; "he knew the rules of chess"

the duration of a monarch's or government's power; "during the rule of Elizabeth"

any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order; "the rule of St. Dominic"

decide with authority; "The King decreed that all first-born males should be killed"

mark or draw with a ruler; "rule the margins"

decide on and make a declaration about; "find someone guilty"

(mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems; "he determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs"; "he gave us a general formula for attacking polynomials"

(linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice

prescribed guide for conduct or action

a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system; "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"; "the right-hand rule for inductive fields"

a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior; "it was his rule to take a walk before breakfast"; "short haircuts were the regulation"

have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac

a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order; "the rule of St. Dominic"

directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted; "he knew the rules of chess"

the duration of a monarch's or government's power; "during the rule of Elizabeth"

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.

Uniform or established course of things.

Systematic method or practice; as, my ule is to rise at six o'clock.

Ordibary course of procedure; usual way; comon state or condition of things; as, it is a rule to which there are many exeptions.

Conduct in general; behavior.

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.

An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.

A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result; as, a rule for extracting the cube root.

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.

A straight strip of wood, metal, or the like, which serves as a guide in drawing a straight line; a ruler.

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 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.

A composing rule. See under Conposing.

To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority or dominion over; to govern; to manage.

To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.

To require or command by rule; to give as a direction or order of court.

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.

To lay down and settle a rule or order of court; to decide an incidental point; to enter a rule.

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.

To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; - used chiefly in the passive.

To have power or command; to exercise supreme authority; - often followed by over.

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.

Uniform or established course of things.

Systematic method or practice; as, my ule is to rise at six o'clock.

Ordibary course of procedure; usual way; comon state or condition of things; as, it is a rule to which there are many exeptions.

Conduct in general; behavior.

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.

An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.

A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result; as, a rule for extracting the cube root.

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.

A straight strip of wood, metal, or the like, which serves as a guide in drawing a straight line; a ruler.

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 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.

A composing rule. See under Conposing.

To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority or dominion over; to govern; to manage.

To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.

To require or command by rule; to give as a direction or order of court.

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.

To lay down and settle a rule or order of court; to decide an incidental point; to enter a rule.

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.

To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; - used chiefly in the passive.

To have power or command; to exercise supreme authority; - often followed by over.

A standard or principle of conduct; as, honesty should be the rule for all; regulation; as, a rule of the game; an established usage or law; government; authority; as, a democratic rule; usual course of action; as, I walk there as a rule; that which is true or may be expected in the majority of cases; as, among the people of some countries, ignorance is the rule; a straight strip for drawing lines.

To govern or control; settle, as by a rule; manage, control, influence, or restrain; establish by a decision; mark with lines with the aid of a straight strip.

Government: a principle: a standard: a statute: a maxim: order: an instrument used in drawing lines.

To govern: to manage: to settle as by a rule: to establish by decision: to determine, as a court: to mark with lines.

To exercise power: to decide: to lay down and settle: to stand or range, as prices.

That which regulates; government; principle; law; order; instrument used in drawing lines, or measuring.

To exercise power; decide; range, as prices.

To govern; settle by a rule; mark with straight lines.

To control; govern; establish; order.

To mark with lines, as with ruler.

Controlling power; authority.

A direction; command; prescribed form; regular procedure.

A ruler; printers' straight strip of metal.

Government; sway; established principle, standard, or directory; established or regular mode of proceeding; a maxim or canon; an instrument for drawing lines; in monasteries, corporations, or societies, that which is established for the direction of the society; a determinate mode prescribed for performing any operation and producing certain results; an established form of construction in a particular class of words; an order made either between parties to a suit on motion, or to regulate the practice of the court. Rule of Three, that which teaches how to find a fourth proportional number to three others which are given.

To govern; to manage; to settle as by rule; to determine, as a court; to mark lines by a ruler.

To have power or command; to decide; to stand or maintain a level.

An instrument by which straight lines are drawn, or short lengths measured; something established for guidance and direction; government; supreme command; control; a prescribed mode of operation by which certain results may be obtained; in gram., a statement by which some established order in the construction of words is expressed.

To govern; to conduct; to direct; to determine, as a court of justice; to decide; to lay down and settle; to exercise supreme authority.

n. [French] Government; sway;- supreme authority over or command of; control;— a prescribed law or ordinance; precept; injunction;— In ecclesiastical law, a canon; a directory;- in English law courts, an order or judgment of the court determining the general practice or further course of proceedings in a case;— established customary principle or mode of action in individual or social life; regulation; maxim; received opinion; habitual practice;— that by which a thing is to be judged of, or to which it is to be aptitude or conformed; standard; exemplar;- an instrument by which straight lines are drawn; ruler;— also, an instrument for measuring short lengths in carpentry; or for performing various peroration in mensuration;— in arithmetic, determinate mode of making a calculation and producing a required result.