12 PHRASE A rule of thumb is a rule or principle that you follow which is not based on exact calculations, but rather on experience. □ A good rule of thumb is that a broker must generate sales of ten times his salary.
13 PHRASE If workers work to rule , they protest by working according to the rules of their job without doing any extra work or taking any new decisions. [BRIT ] □ Nurses are continuing to work to rule.
▸ rule in PHRASAL VERB If you say that you are not ruling in a particular course of action, you mean that you have not definitely decided to take that action. □ [V n P ] We have made no decisions yet. We are ruling nothing out and we are ruling nothing in. □ [V P n] We must take care not to rule in or rule out any one solution.
▸ rule out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you rule out a course of action, an idea, or a solution, you decide that it is impossible or unsuitable. □ [V P n] The Prime Minister is believed to have ruled out cuts in child benefit or pensions. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If something rules out a situation, it prevents it from happening or from being possible. □ [V P n] A serious car accident ruled out a permanent future for him in farming.
▸ rule out of PHRASAL VERB If someone rules you out of a contest or activity, they say that you cannot be involved in it. If something rules you out of a contest or activity, it prevents you from being involved in it. □ [V n P P n] He has ruled himself out of the world championships next year.
ru le book (rule books )
1 N‑COUNT A rule book is a book containing the official rules for a particular game, job, or organization. □ …one of the most serious offences mentioned in the Party rule book.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is doing something by the rule book , you mean that they are doing it in the normal, accepted way. □ This was not the time to take risks; he knew he should play it by the rule book.
ru le of la w N‑SING The rule of law refers to a situation in which the people in a society obey its laws and enable it to function properly. [FORMAL ] □ I am confident that we can restore peace, stability and respect for the rule of law.
rul|er /ruː lə r / (rulers )
1 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] The ruler of a country is the person who rules the country. □ [+ of ] …the former military ruler of Lesotho.
2 N‑COUNT A ruler is a long flat piece of wood, metal, or plastic with straight edges marked in centimetres or inches. Rulers are used to measure things and to draw straight lines.
rul|ing ◆◇◇ /ruː l I ŋ/ (rulings )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] The ruling group of people in a country or organization is the group that controls its affairs. □ …the Mexican voters' growing dissatisfaction with the ruling party. □ …the sport's ruling body, the International Cricket Council.
2 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A ruling is an official decision made by a judge or court. □ Goodwin tried to have the court ruling overturned.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Someone's ruling passion or emotion is the feeling they have most strongly, which influences their actions. □ Their ruling passion is that of carnal love. COLLOCATIONS ruling NOUN 2
noun + ruling : court, landmark, trade, tribunal
adjective + ruling : favourable, preliminary
verb + ruling : issue, uphold; appeal, challenge, overturn
rum /rʌ m/ (rums ) N‑VAR Rum is an alcoholic drink made from sugar. □ …a bottle of rum.
Ru|ma|nian /ruːme I niən/ → see Romanian
rum|ba /rʌ mbə/ (rumbas ) N‑COUNT The rumba is a popular dance that comes from Cuba, or the music that the dance is performed to.
rum|ble /rʌ mb ə l/ (rumbles , rumbling , rumbled )
1 N‑COUNT A rumble is a low continuous noise. □ [+ of ] The silence of the night was punctuated by the distant rumble of traffic.
2 VERB If a vehicle rumbles somewhere, it moves slowly forward while making a low continuous noise. □ [V adv/prep] A bus rumbled along the road at the top of the path.
3 VERB If something rumbles , it makes a low, continuous noise. □ [V ] The sky, swollen like a black bladder, rumbled and crackled.
4 VERB If your stomach rumbles , it makes a vibrating noise, usually because you are hungry. □ [V ] Her stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten any breakfast.
5 VERB [usu passive] If someone is rumbled , the truth about them or something they were trying to hide is discovered. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] When his fraud was rumbled he had just £20.17 in the bank.
▸ rumble on PHRASAL VERB If you say that something such as an argument rumbles on , you mean that it continues for a long time after it should have been settled. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □ [V P ] And still the row rumbles on over who is to blame for the steadily surging crime statistics.
rum|bling /rʌ mbl I ŋ/ (rumblings )
1 N‑COUNT A rumbling is a low continuous noise. □ [+ of ] …the rumbling of an empty stomach.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rumblings are signs that a bad situation is developing or that people are becoming annoyed or unhappy. □ [+ of ] There were rumblings of discontent within the ranks.
rum|bus|tious /rʌmbʌ stʃuəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rumbustious person is energetic in a cheerful, noisy way. [BRIT ] □ …the flamboyant and somewhat rumbustious prime minister. in AM, use rambunctious