A general guideline, rather than a strict rule; an approximate measure or means of reckoning based on experience or common knowledge. / (attributive, usually hyphenated) Approximated, guesstimated.

Rule of a group of people by their own leaders as opposed to rule imposed by a foreign government or people.

(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.