rule
a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,639 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 11,098 times across 191,579 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior also: regulation it was his rule to take a walk before breakfastshort haircuts were the regulation
- something regarded as a normative example also: convention, normal, pattern, formula the convention of not naming the main characterviolence is the rule not the exception
- prescribed guide for conduct or action also: prescript
- (linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice also: linguistic rule
- a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct also: principle their principles of composition characterized all their works
- the duration of a monarch's or government's power during the rule of Elizabeth
rule in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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To this rule there will be no exception.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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The rule of the Order is indeed against it, but the rule is constantly broken.
A Knight of the White Cross · G. A. (George Alfred) Henty · Chapter 1
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It was maintained that "This is a white man's government," and regardless of numbers the white man should rule.
The Red Record Tabulated Statistics · Ida B. Wells-Barnett · Chapter 1
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As a rule, he is charming to me, and we sit in the studio and talk of a thousand things.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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It is a rule that nothing so stimulates the production of cream in the financial pastures as that curious esculent the greenback.
Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 08, May 21, 1870 · Various · Chapter 1