0 past simple and past participle of rule
1 to control or be the person in charge of something such as a country:
2 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.
3 to draw a straight line using something that has a straight edge:
The Romans ruled over most of Europe.
He was able to rule the game with his superior strength and skill.
He has been ruling the country since a military coup in 1987.
It used to be said that Britain ruled an empire on which the sun never set.
Her confession was ruled inadmissible as evidence because it was given under pressure from the police.
The judge ruled that the directors had knowingly broken the law.
The judge ruled her unfit to plead on the grounds of insanity.
