rule
gb/ɹˈul/ us/ɹˈul/
A2
English
~ 2200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Official instruction or law
A statement that says what you must or must not do.
Usage pattern:
a rule about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'rule' with 'law'; laws are made by governments, while rules can be made by any group or organization.
Synonyms
regulation (More formal and often used for official or legal contexts.)
Antonyms
freedom (The absence of restrictions or limitations.)
Collocations
follow the rules
|break a rule
|set a rule
|strict rules
Themes
law
|daily life
|education
|politics
Examples
- The school has a rule against using phones in class.
- New safety rules were introduced after the accident.
- You must follow the rules if you want to play the game.
Learner examples
- There is a rule about wearing shoes in the gym.
- We have a new rule at home.
- Please follow the rules in the library.
Verb
B1
action
2
Govern or control people/places
To control a place or people as a leader.
Usage pattern:
to rule [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'control'; 'rule' implies formal authority over others, often in politics or leadership.
Synonyms
govern (More formal; often used for political administration.)
Antonyms
serve (To act under someone else's authority rather than controlling them.)
Collocations
rule a country
|rule with an iron fist
|rule over
Themes
politics
|history
Examples
- The king ruled the land for fifty years.
- They ruled the city until they were overthrown.
- She ruled the empire wisely and fairly.
Learner examples
- The queen rules the country.
- He ruled the small island for many years.
- They rule the city together.
Noun
B2
entity
3
General principle or guideline
A fact or idea that is usually true in most situations.
Synonyms
principle (A broader term for a basic truth or idea guiding behavior or thought.)
Antonyms
exception (Something that does not follow the usual pattern or principle.)
Collocations
the rules of physics
|as a general rule
Themes
science
|logic
|education
Examples
- As a general rule, you should back up your data regularly.
- The rules of grammar help us write correctly.
- There are exceptions to every rule.
Learner examples
- As a rule, I drink tea in the morning.
- The rules of math are important.
- There are rules for writing English sentences.
Verb
B2
action
4
Make an official legal decision
To make an official decision about something important, often in court.
Usage pattern:
to rule that [clause]
Synonyms
decide (More general; not necessarily in a legal context.)
Antonyms
overturn (To reverse an earlier decision.)
Collocations
rule in favor of
|rule against
|rule on a case
Themes
law
Examples
- The judge ruled in favor of the defendant.
- The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional.
- They ruled against the proposal after much debate.
Learner examples
- The judge ruled that he was not guilty.
- The court ruled against him.
- The school ruled that hats are not allowed.
Noun
technical
B1
entity
5
Straight-edged measuring tool
A flat tool with numbers used to measure length or draw straight lines.
Synonyms
ruler (Commonly used term for this object; 'rule' is less frequent in everyday speech.)
Collocations
wooden rule
|steel rule
Themes
tools
|education
|daily_life
Examples
- He measured the paper with a steel rule.
- Use a rule to draw the diagram accurately.
- The carpenter kept his rule in his pocket.
Learner examples
- I use a rule to draw lines.
- The rule is 30 centimeters long.
- She measured it with a rule.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rule
IPA
GB/ɹˈul/
US/ɹˈul/
Syllables & stress
rule (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (rule)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: rule
- Plural: rule, rules
Verb
- Base: rule
- 3rd Person Singular: rules
- Present Participle: ruling
- Past: ruled
Word family
Forms
rules
noun
ruling
verb
ruled
verb
Core family
ruler
noun A1
Related words
regulate
verb B2
regulation
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
unruly
adjective
Advanced or less common
overrule
verb
regulatory
adjective B2
Expressions
as a rule
1/ˈæz ə ɹˈul/
fixed phrase
Generally true in most cases
Usually; in most situations.
Examples
- As a rule, we don’t eat after 9 p.m.
- As a rule, children love playing outside.
lay down the law/rules
1/lˈeɪ dˈaʊn ðə lˈɔɚˈulz/
idiom
informal
State rules firmly to others
To tell people clearly and strongly what they must do.
Examples
- The teacher laid down the rules on the first day of class.
- He laid down the law about no smoking inside.
rule out
1/ɹˈul ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Exclude something as an option
To decide that something is not possible or will not happen.
Examples
- The police have ruled out robbery as a motive.
- We can’t rule out the possibility of rain.
rule the roost
1/ɹˈul ðə ɹˈust/
idiom
informal
Be in charge of everything
To be the person who makes all the decisions in a group or place.
Examples
- She really rules the roost at home.
- In this office, it's clear who rules the roost.
rule of thumb
1/ɹˈul əv θˈʌm/
idiom
general practical guideline
A simple general rule that people use in normal life, not a strict or exact rule.
Examples
- As a rule of thumb, you should save at least ten percent of your income.
- A good rule of thumb is to add one extra minute of cooking time for every hundred watts less power.
rule of thumb
2/ɹˈul əv θˈʌm/
idiom
Practical general guideline
A simple way to judge or decide something based on experience, not exact facts.
Examples
- As a rule of thumb, add two minutes for each extra kilometer.
- A good rule of thumb is to save 10% of your income.