rule
gb/ɹˈul/ us/ɹˈul/
A2
Anglais
~ 2200
Sens
0 sens
Nom
A2
entity
1
Official instruction or law
A statement that says what you must or must not do.
Schéma d’usage :
a rule about [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'rule' with 'law'; laws are made by governments, while rules can be made by any group or organization.
Synonymes
regulation (More formal and often used for official or legal contexts.)
Antonymes
freedom (The absence of restrictions or limitations.)
Collocations
follow the rules
|break a rule
|set a rule
|strict rules
Thèmes
law
|daily life
|education
|politics
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- There is a rule about wearing shoes in the gym.
- We have a new rule at home.
- Please follow the rules in the library.
Verbe
B1
action
2
Govern or control people/places
To control a place or people as a leader.
Schéma d’usage :
to rule [a place]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse this with 'control'; 'rule' implies formal authority over others, often in politics or leadership.
Synonymes
govern (More formal; often used for political administration.)
Antonymes
serve (To act under someone else's authority rather than controlling them.)
Collocations
rule a country
|rule with an iron fist
|rule over
Thèmes
politics
|history
Exemples
- The king ruled the land for fifty years.
- They ruled the city until they were overthrown.
- She ruled the empire wisely and fairly.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The queen rules the country.
- He ruled the small island for many years.
- They rule the city together.
Nom
B2
entity
3
General principle or guideline
A fact or idea that is usually true in most situations.
Synonymes
principle (A broader term for a basic truth or idea guiding behavior or thought.)
Antonymes
exception (Something that does not follow the usual pattern or principle.)
Collocations
the rules of physics
|as a general rule
Thèmes
science
|logic
|education
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- As a rule, I drink tea in the morning.
- The rules of math are important.
- There are rules for writing English sentences.
Verbe
B2
action
4
Make an official legal decision
To make an official decision about something important, often in court.
Schéma d’usage :
to rule that [clause]
Synonymes
decide (More general; not necessarily in a legal context.)
Antonymes
overturn (To reverse an earlier decision.)
Collocations
rule in favor of
|rule against
|rule on a case
Thèmes
law
Exemples
- The judge ruled in favor of the defendant.
- The court ruled that the law was unconstitutional.
- They ruled against the proposal after much debate.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The judge ruled that he was not guilty.
- The court ruled against him.
- The school ruled that hats are not allowed.
Nom
technical
B1
entity
5
Straight-edged measuring tool
A flat tool with numbers used to measure length or draw straight lines.
Synonymes
ruler (Commonly used term for this object; 'rule' is less frequent in everyday speech.)
Collocations
wooden rule
|steel rule
Thèmes
tools
|education
|daily_life
Exemples
- He measured the paper with a steel rule.
- Use a rule to draw the diagram accurately.
- The carpenter kept his rule in his pocket.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I use a rule to draw lines.
- The rule is 30 centimeters long.
- She measured it with a rule.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
rule
API
GB/ɹˈul/
US/ɹˈul/
Syllabes et accentuation
rule (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (rule)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: rule
- Plural: rule, rules
Verb
- Base: rule
- 3rd Person Singular: rules
- Present Participle: ruling
- Past: ruled
Famille de mots
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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples
- As a rule of thumb, add two minutes for each extra kilometer.
- A good rule of thumb is to save 10% of your income.