0 an accepted principle or instruction that states the way things are or should be done, and tells you what you are allowed or are not allowed to do:
The first/most important rule in life is always to appear confident.
Before you start your own business you should be familiar with the government's rules and regulations.
You must not break the rules.
In special cases the manager will bend/stretch the rules (= allow the rules to be broken slightly).
You can trust Ruth because she always plays (it) by/goes by/does things by the rules (= follows instructions, standards, or rules).
[ + to infinitive ] It's against the rules (of/in boxing) to hit below the belt.
[ + that ] It's a club rule that new members must sing a song.
1 a period of time during which a particular person or group is in control of a country:
2 to control or be the person in charge of something such as a country:
3 to decide officially:
[ + that ] The government has ruled that the refugees must be deported.
[ + obj + noun/adj ] The courts have ruled his brave action illegal.
4 to draw a straight line using something that has a straight edge:
6 an accepted principle or instruction that states the way things are or should be done, and tells you what you are allowed or are not allowed to do:
7 control:
8 to decide officially:
10 an accepted principle or instruction that states the way things are or should be done, and tells you what you are allowed or are not allowed to do:
rules and regulations.
a general/basic/fundamental rule
As a general rule, companies do not qualify for the generous tax breaks if they are listed on another exchange.
a rule about/on sth Hodgson breached Football League rules on payments to agents.
a rule of sth A basic rule of finance is that if an asset produces a high return, it carries a high risk.
make/set/change the rules
be against the rules Such misleading advertising is against the rules.
it is against the rules to do sth Halverson said it was against the group's rules to disclose the number of volunteers in its ranks.
Under current rules only €30,000 of savings would be protected should the bank collapse.
break the rules
This huge company has been the exception to the rule that conglomerates are doomed to underperformance.
11 to allow the rules to be broken in a way that is not very serious:
12 a practical and approximate way of measuring or deciding about something:
13 the set of ideas and principles that most people involved in an activity, area of business, etc. accept and follow:
Both companies changed the rules of the retail game by producing entertaining retail experiences.
14 used to say that a particular condition or way of operating is typical or accepted in a particuar situation:
15 to decide officially:
There are exceptions to every rule.
There's an unwritten rule that you don't wear jeans to work.
They made an ineffective attempt to get the rules changed.
Prisoners complain that they are subjected to too many petty rules and restrictions.
Grammatical rules prescribe how words may be used together.
UK The constituency fell to Labour at the last election, after ten years of Conservative rule.
The president resigned after 30 years of autocratic rule.
中文繁体
指導, 規則, 法則…
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指导, 规则, 法则…
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regla, norma, gobernar (en)…
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regra, regulamento, costume…
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(社会的な)規則, 規定, (科学や文法などの)法則…
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kural, kaide, talimat…
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règle [feminine], gouvernement [masculine], gouverner…
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regla, norma, governar…
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