bend the rules en · VERB
Etymology
A metaphor where, instead of breaking the rules, the rules are only being "bent", lessening the effect.
Meanings
-
To do something that is not normally allowed but is also not explicitly prohibited.
Such a mechanism could preserve individuals with mainly prosocial inclinations by enabling them to bend the rules in minor ways without suffering from guilt and without losing out in competition with free-riders.
2008, Robert A. Hinde, Bending the Rules: The Flexibility of Absolutes in Modern Life, →ISBN:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| bent the rules | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| bent the rules | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| bending the rules | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| bends the rules | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |