General-rule

noun, Law.
1.
See under (def 10).
[rool] /rul/
noun
1.
a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement, etc.:
the rules of chess.
2.
the code of regulations observed by a religious order or congregation:
the Franciscan rule.
3.
the customary or normal circumstance, occurrence, manner, practice, quality, etc.:
the rule rather than the exception.
4.
control, government, or dominion:
under the rule of a dictator.
5.
tenure or conduct of reign or office:
during the rule of George III.
6.
a prescribed mathematical method for performing a calculation or solving a problem.
7.
(def 2).
8.
(initial capital letter) Astronomy. the constellation Norma.
9.
Printing. a thin, type-high strip of metal, for printing a solid or decorative line or lines.
10.
Law.

11.
rules, Penology.

12.
Obsolete. .
verb (used with object), ruled, ruling.
13.
to control or direct; exercise dominating power, authority, or influence over; govern:
to rule the empire with severity.
14.
to decide or declare judicially or authoritatively; decree:
The judge ruled that he should be exiled.
15.
to mark with lines, especially parallel straight lines, with the aid of a or the like:
to rule paper.
16.
to mark out or form (a line) by this method:
to rule lines on paper.
17.
to be superior or preeminent in (a specific field or group); dominate by superiority; hold sway over:
For centuries, England ruled the seas.
verb (used without object), ruled, ruling.
18.
to exercise dominating power or influence; predominate.
19.
to exercise authority, dominion, or sovereignty.
20.
to make a formal decision or , as on a point at law.
21.
to be prevalent or current:
Higher prices ruled throughout France.
Verb phrases
22.
rule out,

Idioms
23.
as a rule, generally; usually:
He arrives at eleven o’clock, as a rule.
24.
rule the roost. (def 7).
/ruːl/
noun
1.
an authoritative regulation or direction concerning method or procedure, as for a court of law, legislative body, game, or other human institution or activity: judges’ rules, play according to the rules
2.
the exercise of governmental authority or control: the rule of Caesar
3.
the period of time in which a monarch or government has power: his rule lasted 100 days
4.
a customary form or procedure; regular course of action: he made a morning swim his rule
5.
the rule, the common order of things; normal condition: violence was the rule rather than the exception
6.
a prescribed method or procedure for solving a mathematical problem, or one constituting part of a computer program, usually expressed in an appropriate formalism
7.
a formal expression of a grammatical regularity in a linguistic description of a language
8.
any of various devices with a straight edge for guiding or measuring; ruler: a carpenter’s rule
9.

10.
(Christianity) a systematic body of prescriptions defining the way of life to be followed by members of a religious order
11.
(law) an order by a court or judge
12.
as a rule, normally or ordinarily
verb
13.
to exercise governing or controlling authority over (a people, political unit, individual, etc): he ruled for 20 years, his passion for her ruled his life
14.
(when transitive, often takes a clause as object) to decide authoritatively; decree: the chairman ruled against the proposal
15.
(transitive) to mark with straight parallel lines or make one straight line, as with a ruler: to rule a margin
16.
(transitive) to restrain or control: to rule one’s temper
17.
(intransitive) to be customary or prevalent: chaos rules in this school
18.
(intransitive) to be pre-eminent or superior: football rules in the field of sport
19.
(transitive) (astrology) (of a planet) to have a strong affinity with certain human attributes, activities, etc, associated with (one or sometimes two signs of the zodiac): Mars rules Aries
20.
rule the roost, rule the roast, to be pre-eminent; be in charge
n.

c.1200, “principle or maxim governing conduct, formula to which conduct must be conformed” from Old French riule, Norman reule “rule, custom, (religious) order” (in Modern French partially re-Latinized as règle), from Vulgar Latin *regula, from Latin regula “straight stick, bar, ruler;” figuratively “a pattern, a model,” related to regere “to rule, straighten, guide” (see regal). Replaced Old English wealdan.

Meaning “regulation governing play of a game, etc.” is from 1690s. Phrase rule of thumb first attested 1690s. Rule of law “supremacy of impartial and well-defined laws to any individual’s power” is from 1883. Meaning “strip used for making straight lines or measuring” is recorded from mid-14c. Typography sense is attested from 1680s.
v.

c.1200, “to control, guide, direct,” from Old French riuler “impose rule,” from Latin regulare (see regulate). Legal sense “establish by decision” is recorded from early 15c. Meaning “mark with lines” is from 1590s. Meaning “to dominate, prevail” is from 1874. “Rule Brittania,” patriotic song, is from 1740. Related: Ruled; ruling.

rule (rōōl)
n.

verb

To dominate; to be the most important: Girls rule!