Dictionary

rule of thumb en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Attested since 1658. Of uncertain origin, but probably based on the use of the thumb as reference for various measurements. For instance, one theory notes that the inch originated as the distance between the base of the thumbnail and the first joint, another notes the practice of approximating the general direction of the wind by wetting the thumb then raising it in the air. A third theory notes that English royal banquet plate setters used the distance of their thumbs to equally space each plate from the table edge. The erroneous claim that the term referred to the maximum thickness of a stick with which it was permissible for a man to beat his wife has appeared in The Washington Post and Time; it may originate from Del Martin's 1976 book Battered Wives.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge.
   • At the risk of making a broad generaliation, you can say that the general rule of thumb is that Ghoti dishes are a bit sweet, while Bangal dishes are spicy, have a strong chilli element and are savoury. 2016, Kalyan Karmakar, “Sweet Home Kolkata”, in The Travelling Belly: Eating Through India’s By-Lanes, Gurgaon, Haryana: Hachette India, →ISBN, page 29:
   • Here's a good rule of thumb: Too clever is dumb. c. 1935, Ogden Nash, “Reflection on Ingenuity”, in Verses from 1929 On, published 1959:
   • The usual rule of thumb says that to calculate when an investment will double, divide 70 by the interest rate.
   • Since it is impossible to second-guess what a user will want to look up, there is a general lexicographical rule of thumb to err on the side of inclusion. 2016, James Lambert, “Ornithonymy and Lexicographical Selection Criteria”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 30, number 1, pages 39–62:
2. (attributive, qualifier:usually hyphenated) Approximated, guesstimated.
   • I made a quick, rule-of-thumb estimate of the manhours required for the job.

Forms

Descendants

пра́вило большо́го па́льца · Daumenregel

Translations (35)

pt heurística (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · el βασικός κανόνας (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · da tommelfingerregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ru практи́ческое пра́вило (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · fr au pif (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · mk општо начело (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · cmn 拇指規則 /拇指规则 (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · pt manha (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · fr règle générale (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · pt macete (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ja 目の子算 (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · is þumalputtaregla (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ca regla general (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · it a lume di naso (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · sv tumregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · nb tommelfingerregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · de Faustregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · nn tommelfingerregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · hu ökölszabály (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · cmn 一般規則 /一般规则 (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · fi peukalosääntö (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · de Daumenregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ru эмпири́ческий приём (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · fi nyrkkisääntö (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ar قَاعِدَة عَامَّة (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · tr pratik kural (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · nl vuistregel (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · he כְּלַל אֶצְבַּע (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ja 大体の目安 (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · es regla / pauta general (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · ru пра́вило большо́го па́льца (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · cmn 概測法 /概测法 (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · fr au doigt mouillé (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · cmn 經驗法則 /经验法则 (general guideline rather than a strict rule) · el πρακτικός κανόνας (general guideline rather than a strict rule)