rule
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++rule1 /ruːl/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 about what is allowed 关于允许做的事 [countable]RULE/REGULATION an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or job 规则；章程；规定〔尤用于游戏、组织或工作〕rule of the rules of the game 游戏规则under the rules/according to the rules 恪守/遵守规定 Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts. 根据规定，该公司必须公布年度账目。2 about what you should do 关于应该做的事 [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this 〔特定情况下〕应做的事；规定，规则 There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to wear to classes. 对于上课着装并没有硬性规定。rule of There are two basic rules of survival. 有两条基本的生存规则。 The rule is: if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately. 原则是: 如果觉得疼痛，就应立即停止锻炼。3 normal/usual 正常的/通常的 [singular] something that is normal or usually true 习惯；常规；惯常做法as a (general) rule As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May. 一般来说，大多数学生在5月底结束他们的课程。 Early marriage used to be the rule in that part of the world. 过去在那个地方早婚是常见现象。 A series of payments used to be the exception rather than the rule. 在过去分期付款并不多见。 Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule. 很遗憾，每项规则都有例外。4 government 政府 [uncountable]GOVERENMENT the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system 统治；管辖；治理under ... rule5people living under colonial rule生活在殖民统治下的人们n people living under communist rule the end of colonial rule 殖民统治的结束 a period of military rule 军政府统治的时期 direct rule from Westminster 英国议会的直接统治 the restoration of majority rule (=government by the party that most people have voted for) to Northern Ireland 北爱尔兰恢复由获多数选票的政党执政5 in grammar/science etc 语法/科学等中 [countable]SLG a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science 规则；定律rule of the rules of English punctuation 英语标点符号的用法6 the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed 法治 We are here to uphold the rule of law. 我们在这里是要维护法治。7 the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair 公道，公理 The governor failed to observe the rules of natural justice. 总督不讲公道。8 rule of thumb GUESSa rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience 〔基于实际经验的〕粗略的数字[计算方法] As a general rule of thumb, children this age should not spend more than one hour on homework. 按照实际经验，这个年龄的儿童花在家庭作业上的时间不应超过一小时。9 make it a rule (to do something) USUALLYto try to make sure that you always do something 定下规矩（做某事）10. for measuring 用于测量 [countable] old-fashionedTMDHH a ruler 尺子，直尺 → golden rule, ground rules, home rule, slide rule, → work to rule at work1(32) COLLOCATIONSverbsbreak a rule (also violate a rule formal) (=not obey it) 违反规定He had clearly broken the official rules. 他显然违反了官方的规定。nAny one who violates this rule will be severely punished.obey/follow a rule 遵守/服从规定She wasn’t going to obey their silly rules. 她不会去遵守他们的愚蠢规定。comply with/abide by/observe a rule formal (=obey it) 遵从/遵循/遵守规定All members must comply with the rules of the organization. 所有成员都必须服从组织的规定。nThere is little that one country can do if another fails to abide by the rules.nWe expect you to observe the general rules of conduct as set out below.stick to/go by the rules informal (=obey them) 恪守/遵守规定We all have to stick to the rules. 我们都必须恪守规定。make the rules 制定规则I’m only an assistant manager – I don’t make the rules. 我只是个经理助理——规则不是我定的。the rule says ... 规定是…The rule says that you must be standing inside the line. 按规定，必须站在线内。nthe rule stipulates that ... formal (=it says that something must be done)The rules stipulate that clubs must field the strongest team available. nthe rule prohibits/forbids somethingThe rule forbids women from becoming members of the club.nthe rule requires (that) ... formal (=it says that people must do something)School rules required all girls to tie back their hair.the rule applies to somebody/something (=it concerns them) 规定适用于某人/某事物nEveryone thinks that the rule doesn’t apply to them.play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed) 依规定行事nThe system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.bend/stretch the rules (=allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed) 放松规定，通融nThey bend the rules to suit themselves.relax the rules (=make them less strict) 放宽规定nBritain relaxed its immigration rules.tighten (up) the rules (=make them stricter) 收紧规定nThe EU has tightened the rules on the quality of drinking water.enforce a rule (=make sure that it is obeyed) 实施规定nThe planning office does not always enforce its own rules.nflout a rule (=break it, without trying to hide what you are doing)The party continues to flout its own rules.nbe bound by rules (=have to obey them)Solicitors are bound by strict rules that regulate their professional conduct.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + rulestrict 严格的They have very strict rules about gambling. 对于赌博，他们有严格的规定。simple 简单的The rules of the game are quite simple. 这一游戏的规则很简单。petty (=unreasonable rules about unimportant things) 琐碎的There are hundreds of petty rules. 有几百条琐碎的规定。a school/prison/club etc rule 学校/监狱/俱乐部等规章He had broken one of the school rules. 他违反了一条校规。an unwritten rule (=a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands) 不成文的规定nThere’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m. nhealth and safety rulesYou should follow any health and safety rules which apply to your workplace.phrasesbe against the rules (=not be allowed) 违反规定It was against the rules to talk in class. 在课堂上讲话是不守规矩。the rules concerning/governing/relating to something formal (=the rules about something) 某事物的规定the rules governing food labeling 食品标签规定a change in the rules 规则的变化nI didn’t realise that there had been a change in the rules.na breach of the rules formal (=something that is against the rules)a serious breach of the rulesrules and regulations 规章制度nThe government keeps introducing more and more rules and regulations.rules are rules spoken (=a rule must be obeyed) 规定就是规定nRules are rules and you have to abide by them. THESAURUSrule an instruction that says what people are allowed to do or not allowed to do, for example in a game, school, or company 〔游戏、学校或公司等的〕规则；章程；规定the rules of baseball 棒球规则He disobeyed the school rules. 他不遵守校规。law an official rule that everyone in a country, city, or state must obey 〔国家、城市或州的〕法律；法规It is against the law to carry a concealed weapon. 携带秘密武器是违法的。nThe law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.regulation an official rule or order, which is part of a set of rules made by a government or organization 〔政府或机构制定的〕规章；条例the regulations for applying for a passport 申领护照之规定building regulations 建筑规定nenvironmental regulations on air pollutionrestriction an official rule that limits what people can do 限制规定new restrictions on immigration 新的移民限制规定The government is planning to impose regulations on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country. 政府正计划对可携带入境的酒品数量实行限制。guidelines rules or instructions about the best way to do something 指导原则；准则the Department of Health’s guidelines for a healthy diet 卫生部健康饮食准则nguidelines for classroom teacherscode a set of rules that people or organizations agree to obey but are not forced to obey 行为规范The school has a dress code for its students. 那所学校有学生着装规定。the company’s code of conduct 公司的行为准则statute formal a law that has been officially approved by a parliament, council etc, and written down 法令；成文法The statute banned corporal punishment. 这条法令禁止体罚。nordinance American English a law, made by a city or town, that forbids or restricts an activityA local ordinance limited speed in the parks to ten miles an hour.Examples from the Corpus
rule• So break any rules you please.• The resultant grammar contained 3527 basic rules which were converted and extended to a set of 200,000 rules.• British rule in India came to an end in 1947.• Clear rules, fairly and consistently applied, are fundamental to all forms of punishment.• Late in 1991, Communist rule ended in Russia.• No one's allowed to ride with the driver. That's a company rule.• Legal advice must be taken to ascertain the exact rules and how they are applied.• These are just guidelines, not hard and fast rules.• For many years Algeria was under French rule.• In the next section we will also discuss the loss of a morphological rule that created causative verbs from adjectives.• In general, two kinds of rule will be considered - first, rules of interpretation and second, prescriptive rules.• It is strictly against the rules for athletes to take drugs.• What are the rules of the game?• I have no sympathy for Jonson. He broke the rules and got caught, that's all.• There have been some changes in the rules governing the use of safety equipment.• It says in the rules that every child has to wear school uniform.• Sparky is a manufacturer within the rule and Pyro and Nancy are consumers.• the rules of etiquette• The rules of grammar in French are very complex.• We can, however, instantly recognize the actual instances where rules are broken.The rule is• The words for his own purposes will be discussed later. The rule is not confined to the case of adjacent freeholders.exception ... rule• There are exceptions to the rules of party apprenticeship and nepotism.• There are two particular exceptions to this rule, i.e. where the signer will not be bound by his signature.• Humanity is a startling exception to this rule.• Over the years, however, such dramatic action proved to be the exception rather than the rule.• His route is the exception to the rule nowadays.• The two exceptions prove the rule.majority rule• Many reject democracy in terms of party competition, majority rule and the rule of law.• In these weeks, I have had the chance to listen to Joshua Nkomo calling for majority rule now.• Is majority rule under a system of parliamentary democracy a sufficient guarantee of legitimacy?• In the case of spending and tax legislation, majority rule is thus further weakened.• Two working conclusions follow from this, namely, toleration and the qualification of majority rule.• Those who peopled them have either been driven out in a bloody liberation war or yielded their political supremacy to majority rule.• South Africa has made a somewhat peaceful transition to majority rule.• While majority rules in Fed decisions, the chairman carries a lot of weight.rule2 ●●● W2 verb 1 government 政府 [intransitive, transitive]GOVERENMENT to have the official power to control a country and the people who live there 统治，治理 → govern2 control/influence 控制/影响 [transitive]CONTROL if a feeling or desire rules someone, it has a powerful and controlling influence on their actions 〔情感或欲望〕控制，支配3 court/law 法庭/法律 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive]SCT to make an official decision about something, especially a legal problem 判定，裁定〔尤指法律问题〕 → decree4 rule the roost informalPOWER to be the most powerful person in a group 当家做主，支配一切5 rule somebody/something with a rod of iron also rule somebody with an iron fist/handCONTROL to control a group of people in a very severe way 对某人/某事物实行严酷的高压统治6 somebody/something rules BEST informal used to say that the team, school, place etc mentioned is better than any other 某人/某事物最好〔指球队、学校、地方等〕7 draw a line 划线 [transitive]LINE to draw a line using a ruler or other straight edge 〔用尺子等〕画〔线〕8 rule something/somebody ↔ out phrasal verb → overrule, → let your heart rule your head at heart1(2)→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
rule• Anybody who could sew had a collection on show and fashion ruled.• Ashley's life was ruled by her addiction to drugs.• At that time, Persia was divided into several provinces, ruled by local khans.• They were ruled by powerful clans.• In 1860, Italy was a collection of small states ruled by princes and dukes.• India was ruled by the British for a very long time.• The Pol Pot regime ruled Cambodia from 1974 to 1978.• Henry VIII ruled England from 1509 to 1547.• Mary, Queen of Scots, only ruled for six years.• Golding said that, before she reaches any conclusions, she wants a full briefing on the court ruling from Gwinn.• Paper ruled into one-inch squares is used to practice writing Chinese characters.• Speculation that the Dolphin Centre could be used has been ruled out by Mr Boyle who says it would be too expensive.• This does not rule out evolution by mutation and selection.• Why weren't they ruled out of order before they transgressed?• Spain ruled over Portugal from 1580 to 1640.• Motamid had died, leaving his son Mostain to rule over Saragossa.• Voting six to three, the court ruled that this ultimate threat violated states' rights.• While they ruled, the country remained isolated from the rest of the world.• The Medical Examiner's office ruled the death a murder.• Marcos ruled the Philippines for 20 years.• He ruled three lines under the title of his essay.• She divided the page into four by ruling two diagonal lines across it.rule by decree• Article 38 permits the government to rule by decree.• The powers allow it to rule by decree and declare a state of war.• Mr Gorbachev may well use his powers to rule by decree to push the reform through.rules ... life• Their torment is kept hidden, but rules their lives.be ruled illegal/unlawful etc• Publicly the banks have suggested that there could be dire consequences for the City should the deals be ruled illegal.• A further 40,000 boat people still waiting to be screened will almost certainly be ruled illegal as well.From Longman Business Dictionaryrulerule1 /ruːl/ noun1[countable] an official instruction that says how things should be done or what is allowedThe phone companies are working under new rules now.The company broke government rules to undercut other bids.company rules and regulations regarding sexual harassment → see also Hague Rules2[uncountable] the government of a country by a particular group of people or using a particular systema constitution that formally ended one-party rule3work to ruleHUMAN RESOURCES to work less quickly or effectively than usual, but without breaking your employer’s rules, as a protestThe customs men are prohibited from striking, but some have worked to rule out of sympathy with the government workers.4be the rule to be the normal or usual thing to happen in a situationMonopoly business practices are the rule here and not the exception.rulerule2 verb [intransitive, transitive]1to have the official power to control a country or organizationa country that has been ruled by a dictator for three decadesEach bank would be ruled by a mix of outside directors.2LAWto make an official decision about something, especially a legal problemrule (that)The board ruled that the contract was valid and should be honored.rule againstThe court had ruled against the use of any unpublished works.rule in favour ofa court decision to rule in favour of the company → rule something → out→ See Verb tableOrigin rule1 (1200-1300) Old French reule, from Latin regula; → REGULAR1rule1 noun →COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1rule2 verbLDOCE OnlineChinese
Business must things official how that says an Corpus instruction be
rule
rule1 S1 W1 /ruːl/ 
noun
rule of
the rules of the game
under the rules/according to the rules
Under the rules, the company must publish its annual accounts.
2. ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this:
There are no hard and fast rules (=clear and definite rules) about what to wear to classes.
rule of
There are two basic rules of survival.
The rule is : if you feel any pain you should stop exercising immediately.
3. NORMAL/USUAL [singular] something that is normal or usually true
as a (general) rule
As a general rule most students finish their coursework by the end of May.
Early marriage used to be the rule in that part of the world.
A series of payments used to be the exception rather than the rule.
Unfortunately there is an exception to every rule.
4. GOVERNMENT [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system
under ... rule
people living under communist rule
the end of colonial rule
a period of military rule
direct rule from Westminster
the restoration of majority rule (=government by the party that most people have voted for) to Northern Ireland
5. IN GRAMMAR/SCIENCE ETC [countable] a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science
rule of
the rules of English punctuation
6. the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed:
We are here to uphold the rule of law.
7. the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair:
The governor failed to observe the rules of natural justice.
8. rule of thumb a rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience:
As a general rule of thumb, children this age should not spend more than one hour on homework.
9. make it a rule (to do something) to try to make sure that you always do something:
I make it a rule never to mix business with pleasure.
10. FOR MEASURING [countable] old-fashioned a ruler
⇨ golden rule, ground rules, home rule, slide rule, ⇨ work to rule at work1(32)
■ verbs
▪break a rule (also violate a rule formal) (=not obey it) He had clearly broken the official rules. | Any one who violates this rule will be severely punished.
▪obey/follow a rule She wasn’t going to obey their silly rules.
▪comply with/abide by/observe a rule formal (=obey it) All members must comply with the rules of the organization. | There is little that one country can do if another fails to abide by the rules. | We expect you to observe the general rules of conduct as set out below.
▪stick to/go by the rules informal (=obey them) We all have to stick to the rules.
▪make the rules I’m only an assistant manager – I don’t make the rules.
▪the rule says ... The rule says that you must be standing inside the line.
▪the rule stipulates that ... formal (=it says that something must be done) The rules stipulate that clubs must field the strongest team available.
▪the rule prohibits/forbids something The rule forbids women from becoming members of the club.
▪the rule requires (that) ... formal (=it says that people must do something) School rules required all girls to tie back their hair.
▪the rule applies to somebody/something (=it concerns them) Everyone thinks that the rule doesn’t apply to them.
▪play by the rules (=do what is expected and agreed) The system works well enough — as long as everyone plays by the rules.
▪bend/stretch the rules (=allow someone to do something that is not normally allowed) They bend the rules to suit themselves.
▪relax the rules (=make them less strict) Britain relaxed its immigration rules.
▪tighten (up) the rules (=make them stricter) The EU has tightened the rules on the quality of drinking water.
▪enforce a rule (=make sure that it is obeyed) The planning office does not always enforce its own rules.
▪flout a rule (=break it, without trying to hide what you are doing) The party continues to flout its own rules.
▪be bound by rules (=have to obey them) Solicitors are bound by strict rules that regulate their professional conduct.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + rule
▪strict They have very strict rules about gambling.
▪simple The rules of the game are quite simple.
▪petty (=unreasonable rules about unimportant things) There are hundreds of petty rules.
▪a school/prison/club etc rule He had broken one of the school rules.
▪an unwritten rule (=a rule of behaviour that everyone in a group understands) There’s an unwritten rule that you never call an actor before 10 a.m.
▪health and safety rules You should follow any health and safety rules which apply to your workplace.
■ phrases
▪be against the rules (=not be allowed) It was against the rules to talk in class.
▪the rules concerning/governing/relating to something formal (=the rules about something) the rules governing food labeling
▪a change in the rules I didn’t realise that there had been a change in the rules.
▪a breach of the rules formal (=something that is against the rules) a serious breach of the rules
▪rules and regulations The government keeps introducing more and more rules and regulations.
▪rules are rules spoken (=a rule must be obeyed) Rules are rules and you have to abide by them.
▪ rule an instruction that says what people are allowed to do or not allowed to do, for example in a game, school, or company: the rules of baseball | He disobeyed the school rules.
▪law an official rule that everyone in a country, city, or state must obey: It is against the law to carry a concealed weapon. | The law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets.
▪regulation an official rule or order, which is part of a set of rules made by a government or organization: the regulations for applying for a passport | building regulations | environmental regulations on air pollution
▪restriction an official rule that limits what people can do: new restrictions on immigration | The government is planning to impose regulations on the amount of alcohol you can bring into the country.
▪guidelines rules or instructions about the best way to do something: the Department of Health’s guidelines for a healthy diet | guidelines for classroom teachers
▪code a set of rules that people or organizations agree to obey but are not forced to obey: The school has a dress code for its students. | the company’s code of conduct
▪statute formal a law that has been officially approved by a parliament, council etc, and written down: The statute banned corporal punishment.
▪ordinance American English a law, made by a city or town, that forbids or restricts an activity: A local ordinance limited speed in the parks to ten miles an hour.
rule2 W2 verb
Queen Victoria ruled England for 64 years.
African tribal societies were traditionally ruled by a council of elders.
rule over
Alexander the Great ruled over a huge empire.
He announced that henceforth he would rule by decree (=make all the important decisions himself).
2. CONTROL/INFLUENCE [transitive] 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 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to make an official decision about something, especially a legal problem ⇨ decree
rule that
The judge ruled that she should have custody of the children.
rule on
The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the case.
rule in favour of/against somebody/something
The tribunal ruled in her favour.
be ruled illegal/unlawful etc
This part of the bill was ruled unconstitutional. ⇨ ruling1
4. rule the roost informal to be the most powerful person in a group:
His wife rules the roost in their house.
5. rule somebody/something with a rod of iron alsorule somebody with an iron fist/hand to control a group of people in a very severe way:
Although he was a fair man, he ruled us with an iron fist.
6. somebody/something rules informal used to say that the team, school, place etc mentioned is better than any other:
Arsenal rules OK. British English
graffiti saying ‘Poheny High rules’
7. DRAW A LINE [transitive] to draw a line using a ruler or other straight edge:
Rule a line under each answer.
⇨ overrule, ⇨ let your heart rule your head at heart(2)
▪ control to have power over a country, place, company etc, and decide what happens there: The Democrats controlled the US Congress. | Government forces now control the city.
▪run to make the important everyday decisions concerning a company, organization, country etc, so that it can continue to operate: He runs a software company in New York. | The parents want to run the school themselves. | The government is unfit to run the country. | The charity runs a medical clinic in one of the poorest parts of the city.
▪be in charge of somebody/something to have control over something, or responsibility for a group of people: She is in charge of training new employees. | I left him in charge of the children while I was out.
▪manage to be in charge of a company, especially one that someone else owns: In 1963, she opened a furniture store, and her son has managed it since 1985.
▪be in power if a group or leader is in power, they have political control of a country: Abe resigned after less than a year in power. | It was the first time a democratically elected government had been in power.
▪rule if a leader or political group rules a country, they have political control of that country: President Assad ruled the country for almost 30 years. | The same party has ruled Japan for many years.
▪supervise to be in charge of a group of workers or students and make sure that they do their work properly: Professor Braude supervised the research team. | He’s supervising the building work.
rule something/somebody ↔ out phrasal verb
1. to decide that something is not possible or suitable:
The police have ruled out suicide.
She has refused to rule out the possibility of singing again.
2. to make it impossible for something to happen:
The mountainous terrain rules out most forms of agriculture.
3. to state that someone will not be able to take part in a sports event
rule something/somebody ↔ out of
He has been ruled out of the match with a knee injury.
| I |
noun Word Family: noun: rule, ruler, ruling, unruliness; adjective: ruling, unruly, ruled; verb: rule, overrule
1. ABOUT WHAT IS ALLOWED [countable] an official instruction that says how things must be done or what is allowed, especially in a game, organization, or jobrule of
under the rules/according to the rules
2. ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO [countable] what you should do in a particular situation, or a statement about this:
rule of
3. NORMAL/USUAL [singular] something that is normal or usually true
as a (general) rule
4. GOVERNMENT [uncountable] the government of a country or area by a particular group of people or using a particular system
under ... rule
5. IN GRAMMAR/SCIENCE ETC [countable] a statement about what is usually allowed in a particular system, such as the grammar of a language, or a science
rule of
6. the rule of law a situation in which the laws of a country are obeyed:
7. the rules of natural justice what people believe to be right and fair:
8. rule of thumb a rough figure or method of calculation, based on practical experience:
9. make it a rule (to do something) to try to make sure that you always do something:
10. FOR MEASURING [countable] old-fashioned a ruler
⇨ golden rule, ground rules, home rule, slide rule, ⇨ work to rule at work1(32)
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verb Word Family: noun: rule, ruler, ruling, unruliness; adjective: ruling, unruly, ruled; verb: rule, overrule
1. GOVERNMENT [intransitive and transitive] to have the official power to control a country and the people who live there ⇨ govern: rule over
2. CONTROL/INFLUENCE [transitive] if a feeling or desire rules someone, it has a powerful and controlling influence on their actions:
3. COURT/LAW [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive] to make an official decision about something, especially a legal problem ⇨ decree
rule that
rule on
rule in favour of/against somebody/something
be ruled illegal/unlawful etc
4. rule the roost informal to be the most powerful person in a group:
5. rule somebody/something with a rod of iron alsorule somebody with an iron fist/hand to control a group of people in a very severe way:
6. somebody/something rules informal used to say that the team, school, place etc mentioned is better than any other:
7. DRAW A LINE [transitive] to draw a line using a ruler or other straight edge:
⇨ overrule, ⇨ let your heart rule your head at heart(2)
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rule something/somebody ↔ out phrasal verb
1. to decide that something is not possible or suitable:
2. to make it impossible for something to happen:
3. to state that someone will not be able to take part in a sports event
rule something/somebody ↔ out of
often
often