Rule Of Thumb

Pronunciation: /ruːl əv θʌm/

Definitions of rule of thumb

noun a practical and approximate way of doing or measuring something

Example Sentences

A1 A rule of thumb is to drink eight glasses of water a day.

A2 As a rule of thumb, it's best to arrive 15 minutes early for appointments.

B1 A good rule of thumb for saving money is to set aside 10% of your income each month.

B2 One rule of thumb in cooking is to season to taste.

C1 The rule of thumb in business is to underpromise and overdeliver.

C2 Experienced gardeners often rely on the rule of thumb when deciding when to water their plants.

Examples of rule of thumb in a Sentence

formal In engineering, a common rule of thumb is to use a safety factor of at least 2.

informal A good rule of thumb for cooking pasta is to use 1 liter of water for every 100 grams of pasta.

slang The rule of thumb for picking the best produce is to go for the ones that look the freshest.

figurative When it comes to relationships, a good rule of thumb is to always communicate openly and honestly.

Grammatical Forms of rule of thumb

• past tense: ruled
• plural: rules of thumb
• comparative: more of a rule of thumb
• superlative: most of a rule of thumb
• present tense: rules of thumb
• future tense: will be a rule of thumb
• perfect tense: has been a rule of thumb
• continuous tense: is being a rule of thumb
• singular: rule of thumb
• positive degree: rule of thumb
• infinitive: to rule of thumb
• gerund: ruling of thumb
• participle: ruled of thumb

Origin and Evolution of rule of thumb

First Known Use: 1692 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The origin of the phrase 'rule of thumb' is believed to come from the practice of using one's thumb as a rough measurement tool, as the length of a thumb was commonly used for estimation in various situations.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the phrase 'rule of thumb' has evolved to mean a general principle or guideline based on experience rather than strict rules or laws.