\Rule\, n.
{Rule of the road} (Law), any of the various regulations
   imposed upon travelers by land or water for their mutual
   convenience or safety. In the United States it is a rule
   of the road that land travelers passing in opposite
   directions shall turn out each to his own right, and
   generally that overtaking persons or vehicles shall turn
   out to the left; in England the rule for vehicles (but not
   for pedestrians) is the opposite of this. Run \Run\, n.
1. (Piquet, Cribbage, etc.) A number of cards of the same
   suit in sequence; as, a run of four in hearts.
2. (Golf)
   (a) The movement communicated to a golf ball by running.
   (b) The distance a ball travels after touching the ground
       from a stroke.

\Rule\, n. [OE. reule, riule, OF. riule, reule, F.
r['e]gle, fr. L. regula a ruler, rule, model, fr. regere,
rectum, to lead straight, to direct. See {Right}, a., and cf.
{Regular}.]
1. That which is prescribed or laid down as a guide for
   conduct or action; a governing direction for a specific
   purpose; an authoritative enactment; a regulation; a
   prescription; a precept; as, the rules of various
   societies; the rules governing a school; a rule of
   etiquette or propriety; the rules of cricket.
         We profess to have embraced a religion which
         contains the most exact rules for the government of
         our lives.                            --Tillotson.
2. Hence:
   (a) Uniform or established course of things.
             'T is against the rule of nature. --Shak.
   (b) Systematic method or practice; as, my ule is to rise
       at six o'clock.
   (c) Ordibary course of procedure; usual way; comon state
       or condition of things; as, it is a rule to which
       there are many exeptions.
   (d) Conduct in general; behavior. [Obs.]
             This uncivil rule; she shall know of it. --Shak.
3. The act of ruling; administration of law; government;
   empire; authority; control.
         Obey them that have the rule over you. --Heb. xiii.
                                               17.
         His stern rule the groaning land obeyed. --Pope.
4. (Law) An order regulating the practice of the courts, or
   an order made between parties to an action or a suit.
   --Wharton.
5. (Math.) A determinate method prescribed for performing any
   operation and producing a certain result; as, a rule for
   extracting the cube root.
6. (Gram.) A general principle concerning the formation or
   use of words, or a concise statement thereof; thus, it is
   a rule in England, that s or es, added to a noun in the
   singular number, forms the plural of that noun; but
   ``man'' forms its plural ``men'', and is an exception to
   the rule.
7.
   (a) A straight strip of wood, metal, or the like, which
       serves as a guide in drawing a straight line; a ruler.
   (b) A measuring instrument consisting of a graduated bar
       of wood, ivory, metal, or the like, which is usually
       marked so as to show inches and fractions of an inch,
       and jointed so that it may be folded compactly.
             A judicious artist will use his eye, but he will
             trust only to his rule.           --South.
8. (Print.)
   (a) A thin plate of metal (usually brass) of the same
       height as the type, and used for printing lines, as
       between columns on the same page, or in tabular work.
   (b) A composing rule. See under {Conposing}.
{As a rule}, as a general thing; in the main; usually; as, he
   behaves well, as a rule.
{Board rule}, {Caliber rule}, etc. See under {Board},
   {Caliber}, etc.
{Rule joint}, a knuckle joint having shoulders that abut when
   the connected pieces come in line with each other, and
   thus permit folding in one direction only.
{Rule of three} (Arith.), that rule which directs, when three
   terms are given, how to find a fourth, which shall have
   the same ratio to the third term as the second has to the
   first; proportion. See {Proportion}, 5
   (b) .
{Rule of thumb}, any rude process or operation, like that of
   using the thumb as a rule in measuring; hence, judgment
   and practical experience as distinguished from scientific
   knowledge.
Syn: regulation; law; precept; maxim; guide; canon; order;
     method; direction; control; government; sway; empire.

\Rule\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ruled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Ruling}.] [Cf. OF. riuler, ruiler, L. regulare. See {Rule},
n., and cf. {Regulate}.]
1. To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority
   or dominion over; to govern; to manage. --Chaucer.
         A bishop then must be blameless; . . . one that
         ruleth well his own house, having his children in
         subjection.                           --1 Tim. iii.
                                               2, 4.
2. To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion;
   to guide; -- used chiefly in the passive.
         I think she will be ruled In all respects by me.
                                               --Shak.
3. To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by
   universal or general consent, or by common practice.
         That's are ruled case with the schoolmen.
                                               --Atterbury.
4. (Law) To require or command by rule; to give as a
   direction or order of court.
5. To mark with lines made with a pen, pencil, etc., guided
   by a rule or ruler; to print or mark with lines by means
   of a rule or other contrivance effecting a similar result;
   as, to rule a sheet of paper of a blank book.
{Ruled surface} (Geom.), any surface that may be described by
   a straight line moving according to a given law; -- called
   also a {scroll}.

\Rule\, v. i.
1. To have power or command; to exercise supreme authority;
   -- often followed by over.
         By me princes rule, and nobles.       --Prov. viii.
                                               16.
         We subdue and rule over all other creatures. --Ray.
2. (Law) To lay down and settle a rule or order of court; to
   decide an incidental point; to enter a rule. --Burril.
   Bouvier.
3. (Com.) To keep within a (certain) range for a time; to be
   in general, or as a rule; as, prices ruled lower yesterday
   than the day before.