1. A law, instruction, or regulation: There were many rules in school that the students had to follow, like not smoking on the school grounds.
2. A normal condition. As a rule, the Rawsons always eat a late breakfast on Sundays.
3. An advisory or notice informing people what they ought to do so that they can achieve succes of some kind: Dr. Good told Inge that, as a rule, she should drink plenty of water on hot days.

1. To make decisions; to reign over; to regulate: In the story, the good fairy ruled or governed the fairy land until her death.
2. To influence or to restrict someone's actions in a negative way: Ever since she was a child, a dread of being alone in the house ruled Sally's life and caused her parents much concern.
3. To state that something is true or must happen: The court ruled that the case was closed.

Computer software which determines whether circuit connections shown on a schematic are logical.

A level made up of a piece of hardwood or metal fitted with curved glass vials which are oriented horizontally and vertically in order to the frame.

The vials are filled with liquid, and an air bubble is left to aid in the determination of the horizontal plane and highest vertical point.

A standard, doctrine, theory, or rule that is enforced uniformly without regard to individual differences by violently eliminating all other alternative viewpoints: "When Brock hired new employees for his company, he presented his procrustean rules or procrustean standards which he expected them to follow."

"Syria is just one example of a regime's procrustean tactics designed to completely eliminate any political dissent."

A set of regulations set down by the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board, operating within Civil Air Regulations, to govern the operational control of aircraft during visual flight, including minimum visibility standards relating to cloud separation, haze, precipitation, etc. which are more stringent than those for instrument flight.

The abbreviation VFR is seldom used to indicate the regulations themselves; however, it is often utilized to describe the weather and flight conditions to which such rules are applicable.