Rules

British

/ ruːlz /

plural noun

short for Australian Rules
English history the neighbourhood around certain prisons (esp the Fleet and King's Bench prison) in which trusted prisoners were allowed to live under specified restrictions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention,” the 2020 book Hastings wrote with journalist Erin Meyer, describes how he initially opposed allowing users to download films and television programs to watch later.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

The concept was a central theme of his 2020 book “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention,” written with business professor Erin Meyer.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Rules for university admissions can vary by province; in one model used in Shanghai, a student can apply for up to 96 majors.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Rules of engagement are typically in place to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties, abide by international law, and prevent friendly-fire incidents.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

What he’d just said is another one of Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023