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Principle vs. Rule

Principle and Rule Definitions

Principle

A basic truth, law, or assumption
The principles of democracy.

Rule

Governing power or its possession or use; authority.

Principle

A rule or standard, especially of good behavior
A man of principle.

Rule

The duration of such power.

Principle

The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments
A decision based on principle rather than expediency.

Rule

An authoritative, prescribed direction for conduct, especially one of the regulations governing procedure in a legislative body or a regulation observed by the players in a game, sport, or contest.
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Principle

A fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.

Rule

The body of regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for governing the conduct of its members.

Principle

A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior
The principle of self-preservation.

Rule

A usual, customary, or generalized course of action or behavior
"The rule of life in the defense bar ordinarily is to go along and get along" (Scott Turow).

Principle

A rule or law concerning the functioning of natural phenomena or mechanical processes
The principle of jet propulsion.

Rule

A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases
In this office, hard work is the rule, not the exception.
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Principle

(Chemistry) One of the elements that compose a substance, especially one that gives some special quality or effect.

Rule

(Mathematics) A standard method or procedure for solving a class of problems.

Principle

A basic source. See Usage Note at principal.

Rule

A court decision serving as a precedent for subsequent cases
The Miranda rule.

Principle

A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
We need some sort of principles to reason from.

Rule

A legal doctrine or principle.
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Principle

A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.

Rule

A court order.

Principle

Moral rule or aspect.
I don't doubt your principles.
You are clearly a person of principle.
It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.

Rule

A minor regulation or law.

Principle

(physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
Bernoulli's Principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.
The principle of the internal combustion engine

Rule

A statute or regulation governing the court process
Rule of procedure.
Rule of evidence.

Principle

A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.

Rule

See ruler.

Principle

A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.

Rule

(Printing) A thin metal strip of various widths and designs, used to print borders or lines, as between columns.

Principle

An original faculty or endowment.

Rule

To exercise control, dominion, or direction over; govern
Rule a kingdom.

Principle

Misspelling of principal

Rule

To have a powerful influence over; dominate
"Many found the lanky westerner naive, and supposed that he would be ruled by one of his more commanding cabinet officers" (William Marvel).

Principle

(obsolete) A beginning.

Rule

To be a preeminent or dominant factor in
"It was a place where ... middle-class life was ruled by a hankering for all things foreign" (Amitav Ghosh).

Principle

(transitive) To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.

Rule

To decide or declare authoritatively or judicially; decree
The judges ruled that the answer was acceptable. The police ruled the death a homicide. The law was ruled unconstitutional.

Principle

Beginning; commencement.
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.

Rule

To mark with straight parallel lines.

Principle

A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
The soul of man is an active principle.

Rule

To mark (a straight line), as with a ruler.

Principle

An original faculty or endowment.
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.

Rule

To be in total control or command; exercise supreme authority.

Principle

A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad.

Rule

To formulate and issue a decree or decision.

Principle

A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle.
All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.

Rule

To prevail at a particular level or rate
Prices ruled low.

Principle

Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; - applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.
Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.

Rule

(Slang) To be excellent or superior
That new video game rules!.

Principle

To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or ill.
Governors should be well principled.
Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.

Rule

A regulation, law, guideline.
All participants must adhere to the rules.

Principle

A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;
Their principles of composition characterized all their works

Rule

A regulating principle.

Principle

A rule or standard especially of good behavior;
A man of principle
He will not violate his principles

Rule

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.

Principle

A basic truth or law or assumption;
The principles of democracy

Rule

A normal condition or state of affairs.
My rule is to rise at six o'clock.
As a rule, our senior editors are serious-minded.

Principle

A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;
The principle of the conservation of mass
The principle of jet propulsion
The right-hand rule for inductive fields

Rule

(obsolete) Conduct; behaviour.

Principle

Rule of personal conduct

Rule

(legal) An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.

Principle

(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature);
The rationale for capital punishment
The principles of internal-combustion engines

Rule

(math) A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result.
A rule for extracting the cube root

Rule

A ruler; device for measuring, a straightedge, a measure.

Rule

A straight line continuous mark, as made by a pen or the like, especially one lying across a paper as a guide for writing.

Rule

A thin plate of brass or other metal, of the same height as the type, and used for printing lines, as between columns on the same page, or in tabular work.

Rule

(obsolete) Revelry.

Rule

To regulate, be in charge of, make decisions for, reign over.

Rule

To excel.
This game rules!

Rule

(intransitive) To decide judicially.

Rule

(transitive) To establish or settle by, or as by, a rule; to fix by universal or general consent, or by common practice.

Rule

(transitive) To mark (paper or the like) with rules lines.

Rule

To revel.

Rule

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.

Rule

Uniform or established course of things.
'T is against the rule of nature.

Rule

Systematic method or practice; as, my ule is to rise at six o'clock.
This uncivil rule; she shall know of it.

Rule

The act of ruling; administration of law; government; empire; authority; control.
Obey them that have the rule over you.
His stern rule the groaning land obeyed.

Rule

An order regulating the practice of the courts, or an order made between parties to an action or a suit.

Rule

A determinate method prescribed for performing any operation and producing a certain result; as, a rule for extracting the cube root.

Rule

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.

Rule

A straight strip of wood, metal, or the like, which serves as a guide in drawing a straight line; a ruler.
A judicious artist will use his eye, but he will trust only to his rule.

Rule

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.

Rule

To control the will and actions of; to exercise authority or dominion over; to govern; to manage.
A bishop then must be blameless; . . . one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection.

Rule

To control or direct by influence, counsel, or persuasion; to guide; - used chiefly in the passive.
I think she will be ruledIn all respects by me.

Rule

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.

Rule

To require or command by rule; to give as a direction or order of court.

Rule

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.

Rule

To have power or command; to exercise supreme authority; - often followed by over.
By me princes rule, and nobles.
We subdue and rule over all other creatures.

Rule

To lay down and settle a rule or order of court; to decide an incidental point; to enter a rule.

Rule

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.

Rule

A principle or condition that customarily governs behavior;
It was his rule to take a walk before breakfast
Short haircuts were the regulation

Rule

Something regarded as a normative example;
The convention of not naming the main character
Violence is the rule not the exception
His formula for impressing visitors

Rule

Prescribed guide for conduct or action

Rule

(linguistics) a rule describing (or prescribing) a linguistic practice

Rule

A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;
Their principles of composition characterized all their works

Rule

A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;
The principle of the conservation of mass
The principle of jet propulsion
The right-hand rule for inductive fields

Rule

The duration of a monarch's or government's power;
During the rule of Elizabeth

Rule

Dominance or power through legal authority;
France held undisputed dominion over vast areas of Africa
The rule of Caesar

Rule

Directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted;
He knew the rules of chess

Rule

Any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order;
The rule of St. Dominic

Rule

(mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems;
He determined the upper bound with Descartes' rule of signs
He gave us a general formula for attacking polynomials

Rule

Measuring stick consisting of a strip of wood or metal or plastic with a straight edge that is used for drawing straight lines and measuring lengths

Rule

Exercise authority over; as of nations;
Who is governing the country now?

Rule

Decide with authority;
The King decreed that all first-born males should be killed

Rule

Be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance;
Money reigns supreme here
Hispanics predominate in this neighborhood

Rule

Decide on and make a declaration about;
Find someone guilty

Rule

Have an affinity with; of signs of the zodiac

Rule

Mark or draw with a ruler;
Rule the margins

Rule

Keep in check;
Rule one's temper

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