Rule Of Thumb Edit Meaning

1.

Commonly used term orginating in the early 1900s, when it was legal for men to beat their wives, as long as they used a stick no wider than their thumb.

Rule of thumb? Can't do too much damage with that thing, can we? Perhaps it should have been the Rule of Wrist. - The Boondock Saints

See rule, of, thumb, old

2.

one of the most commonly misconstrued sayings, an example used in Boondock Saints "a man is allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb." A claim made by a satirical caricaturist by the name of James Gillray against a judge. The first and original use of the saying is as simple as the words. The thumb was used as a readily available tool of measuring. Such as the Tailor's rule of thumb "the circumference of the thumb twice, is the circumference of the wrist, twice the circumference of the wrist is the circumference of the neck, and then twice the circumference of the neck is the waist's circumference." Then there is the Brewer's rule of thumb where if the temperature of the wort wasn't insufferable by the thumb it was cool enough to pitch the yeast. It has now been used as a term of commonplace knowledge in a field.

"The rule of thumb in making a sale is confidence, without confidence you don't make a sale"

See rule of thumb, rule, thumb, old, satire, domestic

3.

This is the highest acceptable level to wear your pants. place your hand sideways across your lower stomach with the top of your thumb even with the bottom of your belly button. the top of your pants should be LOWER than the bottom of your hand.

look at that guy he needs to loosen that braided belt and use the rule of thumb.

See belt, pants, up tight

4.

Originating from the Middle East, this refers to a father trying to penetrate his daughter with his thumb in order to assess whether she is ready to be married off. If penetration is impossible then she is not ready for marriage.

As a rule of thumb, Samira thought her father was somewhat unpredictable.

See thumb, rule, rules, penetration, marriage, muslim, arab, middle east

5.

A rule from the old days, in which a man could beat a woman with something no bigger than his thumb. It is now used in common language, and most people don't even realise the origin.

According to rule of thumb, you must be this tall...

See sexism, rule of thumb, pre-war