(idiomatic) To work slowly by strictly following all work rules, usually in a work-to-rule job action, as part of unionized labor protest.

Alternative spelling of work-to-rule

Of or pertaining to such a protest.

A labor protest in which employees do only the minimum work required by the rules of a workplace, following safety or other regulations to the letter in order to cause a slowdown.

(law) The method of strictly interpreting a statute according to the meaning, established by convention, of the words used therein.

(chemistry) A rule stating that atoms lose, gain, or share electrons in order to have a full valence shell of 8 electrons. (Hydrogen is excluded because it can hold a maximum of 2 electrons in its valence shell.)

Australian rules football.

Government by violent gangs, or by the masses.

An analog calculator consisting of three interlocking strips marked with logarithmic scales, such that multiplication, division etc. can be performed by the equivalent of addition and subtraction.

(transitive) To cross an item out by drawing a straight line through it, as with a ruler. / (idiomatic, transitive) To reject an option from a list of possibilities.