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Available in 21 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-21" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">21 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85" title="قاعدة الإبهام – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="قاعدة الإبهام" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommelfingerregel" title="Tommelfingerregel – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Tommelfingerregel" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustregel" title="Faustregel – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Faustregel" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb" title="Rule of thumb – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Rule of thumb" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%87_%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DA%AF%D8%B4%D8%AA%DB%8C" title="قاعده سرانگشتی – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="قاعده سرانگشتی" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb" title="Rule of thumb – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Rule of thumb" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EA%B2%BD%ED%97%98%EC%B9%99" title="경험칙 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="경험칙" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regola_del_pollice" title="Regola del pollice – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Regola del pollice" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%9C_%D7%90%D7%A6%D7%91%D7%A2" title="כלל אצבע – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="כלל אצבע" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petua" title="Petua – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Petua" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vuistregel" title="Vuistregel – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Vuistregel" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B5%8C%E9%A8%93%E5%89%87" title="経験則 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="経験則" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommelfingerregel" title="Tommelfingerregel – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Tommelfingerregel" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thumb" title="Rule of thumb – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Rule of thumb" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%AD%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C" title="Эмпирическая закономерность – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Эмпирическая закономерность" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sq mw-list-item"><a href="https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rregulli_i_madh" title="Rregulli i madh – Albanian" lang="sq" hreflang="sq" data-title="Rregulli i madh" data-language-autonym="Shqip" data-language-local-name="Albanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Shqip</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyrkkis%C3%A4%C3%A4nt%C3%B6" title="Nyrkkisääntö – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Nyrkkisääntö" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumregel" title="Tumregel – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Tumregel" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%95%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BD%D1%96_%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%BB%D0%B8" title="Евристичні формули – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Евристичні формули" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nguy%C3%AAn_t%E1%BA%AFc_ng%C3%B3n_tay_c%C3%A1i" title="Nguyên tắc ngón tay cái – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Nguyên tắc ngón tay cái" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B6%93%E9%A9%97%E6%B3%95%E5%89%87" title="經驗法則 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="經驗法則" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit 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searchaux" style="display:none">Approximate method for doing something</div> <p> In <a href="/wiki/English_language" title="English language">English</a>, the phrase <i><b>rule of thumb</b></i> refers to an approximate method for doing something, based on practical experience rather than theory.<sup id="cite_ref-OED_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-OED-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wordsworth_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wordsworth-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This usage of the phrase can be traced back to the 17th century and has been associated with various <a href="/wiki/Trade_(occupation)" class="mw-redirect" title="Trade (occupation)">trades</a> where quantities were measured by comparison to the width or length of a <a href="/wiki/Thumb" title="Thumb">thumb</a>. </p><p>An erroneous <a href="/wiki/Folk_etymology" title="Folk etymology">folk etymology</a> began circulating in the 1970s falsely connecting the origins of the phrase "rule of thumb" to legal doctrine on <a href="/wiki/Domestic_violence" title="Domestic violence">domestic abuse</a>. The error appeared in a number of law journals, and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Commission_on_Civil_Rights" title="United States Commission on Civil Rights">United States Commission on Civil Rights</a> published a report on domestic abuse titled "Under the Rule of Thumb" in 1982. Some efforts were made to discourage the phrase, which was seen as taboo owing to this false origin. During the 1990s, several authors correctly identified the spurious <a href="/wiki/Folk_etymology" title="Folk etymology">folk etymology</a>;<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> however, the connection to domestic violence was still being cited in some legal sources into the early 2000s. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origin_and_usage">Origin and usage</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Origin and usage"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The exact origin of the phrase is uncertain.<sup id="cite_ref-Martin_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Martin-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Its earliest (1685) appearance in print comes from a posthumously published collection of sermons by Scottish preacher <a href="/wiki/James_Durham_(minister)" title="James Durham (minister)">James Durham</a>: "Many profest Christians are like to foolish builders, who build by guess, and by rule of thumb (as we use to speak), and not by <a href="/wiki/Square_(tool)" title="Square (tool)">Square</a> and <a href="/wiki/Ruler" title="Ruler">Rule</a>."<sup id="cite_ref-OED_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-OED-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The phrase is also found in Sir William Hope's <i>The Compleat Fencing Master</i> (1692): "What he doth, he doth by rule of Thumb, and not by <a href="/wiki/Art_(skill)" class="mw-redirect" title="Art (skill)">Art</a>."<sup id="cite_ref-Safire_2003_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Safire_2003-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> James Kelly's <i>The Complete Collection of Scottish Proverbs</i>, 1721, includes: "No Rule so good as Rule of Thumb, if it hit",<sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-James_Kelly_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-James_Kelly-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> meaning a practical approximation.<sup id="cite_ref-Safire_2003_7-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Safire_2003-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Man's thumb on a wooden ruler that is marked in inches" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png/250px-Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="124" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png/330px-Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png/500px-Width_of_man%27s_thumb_one_inch_ruler.png 2x" data-file-width="2194" data-file-height="1234" /></a><figcaption>An adult's thumb is about one inch wide, so it can be used to estimate the size of an object.</figcaption></figure> <p>Historically, the width of the thumb, or "thumb's breadth", was used as the equivalent of an <a href="/wiki/Inch" title="Inch">inch</a> in the cloth trade; similar expressions existed in Latin and French as well.<sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The thumb has also been used in <a href="/wiki/Brewing" title="Brewing">brewing</a> beer, to gauge the heat of the brewing vat.<sup id="cite_ref-Wordsworth_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wordsworth-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Ebenezer_Cobham_Brewer" class="mw-redirect" title="Ebenezer Cobham Brewer">Ebenezer Cobham Brewer</a> writes that <i>rule of thumb</i> means a "rough measurement". He says that "Ladies often measure <a href="/wiki/Yard" title="Yard">yard</a> lengths by their thumb. Indeed, the expression 'sixteen nails make a yard' seems to point to the thumb-nail as a standard" and that "Countrymen always measure by their thumb."<sup id="cite_ref-Brewer_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Brewer-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to <i>Phrasefinder</i>, "The phrase joins <a href="/wiki/The_whole_nine_yards" title="The whole nine yards">the whole nine yards</a> as one that probably derives from some form of measurement but which is unlikely ever to be definitively pinned down."<sup id="cite_ref-Martin_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Martin-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Folk_etymology">Folk etymology</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Folk etymology"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A modern <a href="/wiki/Folk_etymology" title="Folk etymology">folk etymology</a> holds that the phrase is derived from the maximum width of a stick allowed for <a href="/wiki/Wife-beating" class="mw-redirect" title="Wife-beating">wife-beating</a> under English common law, but no such law has ever existed. This belief may have originated in a rumored statement by 18th-century judge <a href="/wiki/Sir_Francis_Buller" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Francis Buller">Sir Francis Buller</a> that a man may beat his wife with a stick no wider than his thumb. Despite there being no record that Buller ever said this, the rumor produced numerous jokes and satirical cartoons at his expense, with Buller being ridiculed as "Judge Thumb". </p><p>English jurist <a href="/wiki/Sir_William_Blackstone" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir William Blackstone">Sir William Blackstone</a> wrote in his <i><a href="/wiki/Commentaries_on_the_Laws_of_England" title="Commentaries on the Laws of England">Commentaries on the Laws of England</a></i> of an "old law" that once allowed "moderate" beatings by husbands, but he did not mention thumbs or any specific implements. Wife-beating has been officially outlawed for centuries in England and the United States, but continued in practice; several 19th-century American court rulings referred to an "ancient doctrine" that the judges believed had allowed husbands to physically punish their wives using implements no thicker than their thumbs. However, this belief was not connected with the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i> until the 1970s.<sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Pages: 43–44">: 43–44 </span></sup> </p><p>In the 1970s, through a misunderstanding of a figure of speech, <a href="/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions#English_language" title="List of common misconceptions">a common misconception arose</a> that the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i> was related to legally condoned wife beating.<sup id="cite_ref-:22_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:22-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:17_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:17-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-:222_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:222-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="English_common_law">English common law</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: English common law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Judge_Thumb.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="Cartoon of Sir Francis Buller in judges' robes and powdered wig, carrying bundles of rods whose ends resemble thumbs; in the background, a man with a rod raised over his head is about to strike a woman who is running away from him" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Judge_Thumb.jpg/250px-Judge_Thumb.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="310" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Judge_Thumb.jpg/330px-Judge_Thumb.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Judge_Thumb.jpg/500px-Judge_Thumb.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2110" data-file-height="2976" /></a><figcaption>Cartoon by <a href="/wiki/James_Gillray" title="James Gillray">James Gillray</a> satirizing <a href="/wiki/Sir_Francis_Buller" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Francis Buller">Sir Francis Buller</a>, 1782: "Judge Thumb; or, Patent Sticks for Family Correction: Warranted Lawful!"</figcaption></figure> <p>A modern <a href="/wiki/Folk_etymology" title="Folk etymology">folk etymology</a><sup id="cite_ref-Brunvand_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Brunvand-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> relates the phrase to domestic violence via an alleged rule under English common law which permitted <a href="/wiki/Wife-beating" class="mw-redirect" title="Wife-beating">wife-beating</a> provided that the implement used was a rod or stick no thicker than a man's thumb.<sup id="cite_ref-Safire_2003_7-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Safire_2003-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Wife-beating has been officially outlawed in England and the United States for centuries, but enforcement of the law was inconsistent, and wife-beating did continue. However, a rule of thumb permitting wife-beating was never codified in law.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wallace_&_Roberson-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>English jurist <a href="/wiki/William_Blackstone" title="William Blackstone">William Blackstone</a> wrote in the late 1700s in his <i><a href="/wiki/Commentaries_on_the_Laws_of_England" title="Commentaries on the Laws of England">Commentaries on the Laws of England</a></i> that, by an "old law", a husband had formerly been justified in using "moderate correction" against his wife but was barred from inflicting serious violence; Blackstone did not mention either thumbs or sticks.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> According to Blackstone, this custom was in doubt by the late 1600s, and a woman was allowed "security of the peace" against an abusive husband.<sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Twentieth-century legal scholar <a href="/wiki/William_L._Prosser" class="mw-redirect" title="William L. Prosser">William L. Prosser</a> wrote that there was "probably no truth to the legend" that a husband was allowed to beat his wife "with a stick no thicker than his thumb".<sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wallace_&_Roberson-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The association between the thumb and implements of domestic violence can be traced to 1782, when English judge <a href="/wiki/Sir_Francis_Buller" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Francis Buller">Sir Francis Buller</a> was ridiculed for purportedly stating that a husband could beat his wife, provided that he used a stick no wider than his thumb.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>b<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There is no record of Buller making such a statement, but the rumor generated much satirical press, with Buller being mocked as "Judge Thumb" in published jokes and cartoons.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Foyster_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Foyster-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the following century, several court rulings in the United States referred to a supposed common-law doctrine which the judges believed had once allowed wife-beating with an implement smaller than a thumb.<sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Pages: 41–42">: 41–42 </span></sup> None of these courts referred to such a doctrine as a rule of thumb or endorsed such a rule, but all permitted some degree of wife-beating so long as it did not result in serious injury.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="19th-century_United_States">19th-century United States</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: 19th-century United States"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>An 1824 court ruling in <a href="/wiki/Mississippi" title="Mississippi">Mississippi</a> stated that a man was entitled to enforce "domestic discipline" by striking his wife with a whip or stick no wider than the judge's thumb. In a later case in <a href="/wiki/North_Carolina" title="North Carolina">North Carolina</a> (<i>State v. Rhodes</i>, 1868), the defendant was found to have struck his wife "with a switch about the size of this fingers"; the judge found the man not guilty due to the switch being smaller than a thumb.<sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page: 41">: 41 </span></sup> The judgment was upheld by the state supreme court, although the later judge stated: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>Nor is it true that a husband has a right to whip his wife. And if he had, it is not easily seen how <em>the thumb</em> is the standard of size for the instrument which he may use, as some of the old authorities have said [...] The standard is the <em>effect produced</em>, and not the manner of producing it, or the instrument used.<sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Pages: 41–42">: 41–42 </span></sup></p></blockquote> <p>In 1873, also in North Carolina, the judge in <i>State v. Oliver</i> ruled, "We assume that the old doctrine that a husband had the right to whip his wife, provided that he used a switch no larger than his thumb, is not the law in North Carolina".<sup id="cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wallace_&_Roberson-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page: 42">: 42 </span></sup> These latter two cases were cited by the legal scholar <a href="/w/index.php?title=Beirne_Stedman&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Beirne Stedman (page does not exist)">Beirne Stedman</a> when he wrote in a 1917 law review article that an "old common law rule" had permitted a husband to use "moderate personal chastisement on his wife" so long as he used "a switch no larger than his thumb".<sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wallace_&_Roberson-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>By the late 19th century, most American states had outlawed wife-beating; some had severe penalties such as <a href="/wiki/Flagellation" title="Flagellation">forty lashes</a> or imprisonment for offenders.<sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page: 40">: 40 </span></sup> Although it was commonly believed in parts of the United States that a man was legally permitted to beat his wife with a stick no wider than his thumb, that belief did not have any connection with the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i> until a misunderstanding arose in the 1970s.<sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Pages: 43–44">: 43–44 </span></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="20th-century_feminist_revival">20th-century feminist revival</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: 20th-century feminist revival"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div><p> In the 20th century, public concern with the problem of domestic violence declined at first, and then re-emerged along with the resurgent <a href="/wiki/Feminist_movement" title="Feminist movement">feminist movement</a> in the 1970s.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The first recorded link between wife-beating and the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i> appeared in 1976, in a report on domestic violence by women's-rights advocate <a href="/wiki/Del_Martin" class="mw-redirect" title="Del Martin">Del Martin</a>: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712" /></p><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>For instance, the common-law doctrine had been modified to allow the husband 'the right to whip his wife, provided that he used a switch no bigger than his thumb'—a rule of thumb, so to speak.<sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote><p> While Martin appears to have meant the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i> only as a <a href="/wiki/Figure_of_speech" title="Figure of speech">figure of speech</a>, some feminist writers treated it as a literal reference to an earlier law.<sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Wilton_11-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page: 43">: 43 </span></sup> The following year, a book on battered women stated: <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1244412712" /></p><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>One of the reasons nineteenth century British wives were dealt with so harshly by their husbands and by their legal system was the 'rule of thumb'. Included in the British Common Law was a section regulating wifebeating [...] The new law stipulated that the reasonable instrument be only 'a rod not thicker than his thumb.' In other words, wifebeating was legal.<sup id="cite_ref-Davidson_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Davidson-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>Despite this erroneous reading of the common law (which is a set of judicial principles rather than a written law with individual sections) the spurious legal doctrine of the "rule of thumb" was soon mentioned in a number of law journals.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The myth was repeated in a 1982 report by the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Commission_on_Civil_Rights" title="United States Commission on Civil Rights">United States Commission on Civil Rights</a> on domestic abuse titled "Under the Rule of Thumb", as well as a later United States Senate report on the <a href="/wiki/Violence_Against_Women_Act" title="Violence Against Women Act">Violence Against Women Act</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the late 20th century, some efforts were made to discourage the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i>,<sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which was seen as <a href="/wiki/Taboo" title="Taboo">taboo</a> owing to this false origin.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Patricia_T._O%27Conner" title="Patricia T. O'Conner">Patricia T. O'Conner</a>, former editor of the <i>New York Times Book Review</i>, described it as "one of the most persistent myths of political correctness".<sup id="cite_ref-O'Conner_6-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> During the 1990s, several authors wrote about the false etymology of <i>rule of thumb</i>, including English professor <a href="/wiki/Henry_Ansgar_Kelly" class="mw-redirect" title="Henry Ansgar Kelly">Henry Ansgar Kelly</a> and conservative social critic <a href="/wiki/Christina_Hoff_Sommers" title="Christina Hoff Sommers">Christina Hoff Sommers</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> who described its origin in a misunderstanding of Blackstone's commentary.<sup id="cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Wallace_&_Roberson-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Nonetheless, the myth persisted in some legal sources into the early 2000s.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Coverture" title="Coverture">Coverture</a> – Status of wife's legal personality subsumed into husband's</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Heuristic" title="Heuristic">Heuristic</a> – Problem-solving method</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nail_(unit)" title="Nail (unit)">Nail (unit)</a> – Unit of cloth measurement</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Thumb_signal" title="Thumb signal">Thumb signal</a> – Hand gesture indicating approval</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">One of Blackstone's sources was jurist <a href="/wiki/Sir_Matthew_Hale" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Matthew Hale">Sir Matthew Hale</a> who ruled in 1674 that a husband may admonish his wife and confine her to the house but not beat her.<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Whether Buller was supposed to have meant his own thumb or the husband's is unknown. One history states, "A witty countess is said to have sent the next day to require the measurements of his thumb, that she might know the extent of her husband's right".<sup id="cite_ref-Clapp_3-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Kelly_8-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626" /><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-OED-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-OED_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-OED_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFReference-OED-rule_of_thumb,_n._and_adj." class="citation encyclopaedia cs1"><span class="id-lock-subscription" title="Paid subscription required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.oed.com/view/Entry/168726">"rule of thumb, <i>n</i>. and <i>adj</i>."</a></span>. <i><a href="/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary" title="Oxford English Dictionary">Oxford English Dictionary</a></i> (3rd ed.). <a href="/wiki/Oxford_University_Press" title="Oxford University Press">Oxford University Press</a>. September 2019.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=rule+of+thumb%2C+n.+and+adj.&rft.btitle=Oxford+English+Dictionary&rft.edition=3rd&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2019-09&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oed.com%2Fview%2FEntry%2F168726&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span> <span style="font-size:0.95em; font-size:95%; color: var( --color-subtle, #555 )">(Subscription or <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.oed.com/public/login/loggingin#withyourlibrary">participating institution membership</a> required.)</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Wordsworth-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Wordsworth_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wordsworth_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation book cs1"><span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/wordsworthdictio0000unse_r6r3/page/1076/mode/1up?view=theater"><i>The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable</i></a></span>. Ware, UK: Wordsworth Editions. 2001. p. 1076. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84022-310-3" title="Special:BookSources/1-84022-310-3"><bdi>1-84022-310-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Wordsworth+Dictionary+of+Phrase+and+Fable&rft.place=Ware%2C+UK&rft.pages=1076&rft.pub=Wordsworth+Editions&rft.date=2001&rft.isbn=1-84022-310-3&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fwordsworthdictio0000unse_r6r3%2Fpage%2F1076%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Clapp-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-10"><sup><i><b>k</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-11"><sup><i><b>l</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Clapp_3-12"><sup><i><b>m</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFClapp2011" class="citation book cs1">Clapp, James E.; et al. (2011). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/lawtalkunknownst0000unse/page/219/mode/1up?view=theater"><i>Lawtalk: The Unknown Stories Behind Familiar Legal Expressions</i></a></span>. Yale University Press. pp. <span class="nowrap">219–</span>225. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-30-017817-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-30-017817-3"><bdi>978-0-30-017817-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Lawtalk%3A+The+Unknown+Stories+Behind+Familiar+Legal+Expressions&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E219-%3C%2Fspan%3E225&rft.pub=Yale+University+Press&rft.date=2011&rft.isbn=978-0-30-017817-3&rft.aulast=Clapp&rft.aufirst=James+E.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Flawtalkunknownst0000unse%2Fpage%2F219%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKelly1994" class="citation journal cs1">Kelly, Henry Ansgar (1994). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42893341">"<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>"Rule of Thumb" and the Folklaw of the Husband's Stick"</a>. <i>Journal of Legal Education</i>. <b>44</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">341–</span>365. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-2208">0022-2208</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42893341">42893341</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Legal+Education&rft.atitle=%22Rule+of+Thumb%22+and+the+Folklaw+of+the+Husband%27s+Stick&rft.volume=44&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E341-%3C%2Fspan%3E365&rft.date=1994&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F42893341%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.issn=0022-2208&rft.aulast=Kelly&rft.aufirst=Henry+Ansgar&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F42893341&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Martin-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Martin_5-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Martin_5-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFMartinn.d." class="citation web cs1">Martin, Gary (n.d.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/rule-of-thumb.html">"Rule of thumb"</a>. <i>Phrase Finder</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 June</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Phrase+Finder&rft.atitle=Rule+of+thumb&rft.aulast=Martin&rft.aufirst=Gary&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.phrases.org.uk%2Fmeanings%2Frule-of-thumb.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-O'Conner-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-O'Conner_6-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFO'ConnerKellerman2009" class="citation book cs1">O'Conner, Patricia T.; Kellerman, Stewart (2009). <i>Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language</i>. Random House. pp. <span class="nowrap">123–</span>126. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-58-836856-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-58-836856-0"><bdi>978-1-58-836856-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Origins+of+the+Specious%3A+Myths+and+Misconceptions+of+the+English+Language&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E123-%3C%2Fspan%3E126&rft.pub=Random+House&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-1-58-836856-0&rft.aulast=O%27Conner&rft.aufirst=Patricia+T.&rft.au=Kellerman%2C+Stewart&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Safire_2003-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Safire_2003_7-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Safire_2003_7-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Safire_2003_7-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFSafire2003" class="citation book cs1">Safire, William (2003). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/nouncertainterms00safi/page/188/mode/1up?view=theater">"Misrule of Thumb"</a></span>. <i>No Uncertain Terms: More Writing from the Popular "On Language" Column in The New York Times Magazine</i>. Simon and Schuster. pp. <span class="nowrap">188–</span>190. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-74-324955-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-74-324955-3"><bdi>978-0-74-324955-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Misrule+of+Thumb&rft.btitle=No+Uncertain+Terms%3A+More+Writing+from+the+Popular+%22On+Language%22+Column+in+The+New+York+Times+Magazine&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E188-%3C%2Fspan%3E190&rft.pub=Simon+and+Schuster&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-74-324955-3&rft.aulast=Safire&rft.aufirst=William&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fnouncertainterms00safi%2Fpage%2F188%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Kelly-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Kelly_8-9"><sup><i><b>j</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKelly1994" class="citation journal cs1">Kelly, Henry Ansgar (September 1994). "<i>Rule of Thumb</i> and the Folklaw of the Husband's Stick". <i>Journal of Legal Education</i>. <b>44</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">341–</span>365. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0022-2208">0022-2208</a>. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42893341">42893341</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Legal+Education&rft.atitle=Rule+of+Thumb+and+the+Folklaw+of+the+Husband%27s+Stick&rft.volume=44&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E341-%3C%2Fspan%3E365&rft.date=1994-09&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F42893341%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.issn=0022-2208&rft.aulast=Kelly&rft.aufirst=Henry+Ansgar&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-James_Kelly-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-James_Kelly_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKelly1977" class="citation book cs1">Kelly, James (1977) [first published 1721]. <i>A Complete Collection of Scotish Proverbs Explained and Made Intelligible to the English Reader</i>. Norwood, Penn.: Norwood Editions. p. 257. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-84-821450-0" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-84-821450-0"><bdi>978-0-84-821450-0</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=A+Complete+Collection+of+Scotish+Proverbs+Explained+and+Made+Intelligible+to+the+English+Reader&rft.place=Norwood%2C+Penn.&rft.pages=257&rft.pub=Norwood+Editions&rft.date=1977&rft.isbn=978-0-84-821450-0&rft.aulast=Kelly&rft.aufirst=James&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Brewer-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Brewer_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBrewer1905" class="citation book cs1">Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham (1905). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofphra00brew/page/1226/mode/1up?view=theater"><i>Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Giving the Derivation, Source, or Origin of Common Phrases, Allusions, and Words That Have a Tale to Tell</i></a> (revised and enlarged ed.). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott. p. 1226. <a href="/wiki/LCCN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="LCCN (identifier)">LCCN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://lccn.loc.gov/07018822">07018822</a>. <a href="/wiki/OCLC_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OCLC (identifier)">OCLC</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/1042984414">1042984414</a>. <a href="/wiki/OL_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="OL (identifier)">OL</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://openlibrary.org/books/OL13521152M">13521152M</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Dictionary+of+Phrase+and+Fable%3A+Giving+the+Derivation%2C+Source%2C+or+Origin+of+Common+Phrases%2C+Allusions%2C+and+Words+That+Have+a+Tale+to+Tell&rft.place=Philadelphia&rft.pages=1226&rft.edition=revised+and+enlarged&rft.pub=J.B.+Lippincott&rft.date=1905&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fopenlibrary.org%2Fbooks%2FOL13521152M%23id-name%3DOL&rft_id=info%3Alccn%2F07018822&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F1042984414&rft.aulast=Brewer&rft.aufirst=Ebenezer+Cobham&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fdictionaryofphra00brew%2Fpage%2F1226%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Wilton-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-5"><sup><i><b>f</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-6"><sup><i><b>g</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-7"><sup><i><b>h</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wilton_11-8"><sup><i><b>i</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFWilton2004" class="citation book cs1">Wilton, David (2004). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/wordmythsdebunki00wilt_0/page/15/mode/1up?view=theater"><i>Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legends</i></a></span>. Oxford University Press. p. 15. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-517284-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-19-517284-1"><bdi>0-19-517284-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Word+Myths%3A+Debunking+Linguistic+Urban+Legends&rft.pages=15&rft.pub=Oxford+University+Press&rft.date=2004&rft.isbn=0-19-517284-1&rft.aulast=Wilton&rft.aufirst=David&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fwordmythsdebunki00wilt_0%2Fpage%2F15%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:22-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-:22_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKelly1994" class="citation journal cs1">Kelly, Henry Ansgar (September 1994). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://csswashtenaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rule_of_Thumb.pdf">"<i>Rule of Thumb</i> and the Folklaw of the Husband's Stick"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Journal of Legal Education</i>. <b>44</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">341–</span>65. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42893341">42893341</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122340/http://csswashtenaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rule_of_Thumb.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on September 24, 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 23,</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Legal+Education&rft.atitle=Rule+of+Thumb+and+the+Folklaw+of+the+Husband%27s+Stick&rft.volume=44&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E341-%3C%2Fspan%3E65&rft.date=1994-09&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F42893341%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Kelly&rft.aufirst=Henry+Ansgar&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fcsswashtenaw.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F07%2FRule_of_Thumb.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:17-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-:17_13-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFSommers1995" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Christina_Hoff_Sommers" title="Christina Hoff Sommers">Sommers, Christina Hoff</a> (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=EIUtJziqIqAC&pg=PA203"><i>Who Stole Feminism? How Women Have Betrayed Women</i></a>. Simon and Schuster. pp. <span class="nowrap">203–</span>07, <span class="nowrap">296–</span>97. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-684-80156-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-684-80156-8"><bdi>978-0-684-80156-8</bdi></a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230121033602/https://books.google.com/books?id=EIUtJziqIqAC&pg=PA203">Archived</a> from the original on January 21, 2023<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 21,</span> 2016</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Who+Stole+Feminism%3F+How+Women+Have+Betrayed+Women&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E203-%3C%2Fspan%3E07%2C+%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E296-%3C%2Fspan%3E97&rft.pub=Simon+and+Schuster&rft.date=1995&rft.isbn=978-0-684-80156-8&rft.aulast=Sommers&rft.aufirst=Christina+Hoff&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DEIUtJziqIqAC%26pg%3DPA203&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-:222-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-:222_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKelly1994" class="citation journal cs1">Kelly, Henry Ansgar (September 1994). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://csswashtenaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rule_of_Thumb.pdf">"<i>Rule of Thumb</i> and the Folklaw of the Husband's Stick"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Journal of Legal Education</i>. <b>44</b> (3): <span class="nowrap">341–</span>65. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/42893341">42893341</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122340/http://csswashtenaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Rule_of_Thumb.pdf">Archived</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> from the original on September 24, 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">May 23,</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Journal+of+Legal+Education&rft.atitle=Rule+of+Thumb+and+the+Folklaw+of+the+Husband%27s+Stick&rft.volume=44&rft.issue=3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E341-%3C%2Fspan%3E65&rft.date=1994-09&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F42893341%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Kelly&rft.aufirst=Henry+Ansgar&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fcsswashtenaw.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F07%2FRule_of_Thumb.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Brunvand-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Brunvand_15-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFBrunvand2012" class="citation book cs1">Brunvand, Jan Harold (2012). <i>Encyclopedia of Urban Legends</i>. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 243. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-59-884720-8" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-59-884720-8"><bdi>978-1-59-884720-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Encyclopedia+of+Urban+Legends&rft.place=Santa+Barbara%2C+Calif.&rft.pages=243&rft.pub=ABC-CLIO&rft.date=2012&rft.isbn=978-1-59-884720-8&rft.aulast=Brunvand&rft.aufirst=Jan+Harold&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Wallace_&_Roberson-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Wallace_&_Roberson_16-4"><sup><i><b>e</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFWallaceRoberson2016" class="citation book cs1">Wallace, Paul Harvey; Roberson, Cliff (2016). <i>Family Violence: Legal, Medical, and Social Perspectives</i> (8th ed.). New York: Routledge. pp. <span class="nowrap">50–</span>51. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-1386-4233-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-1386-4233-1"><bdi>978-1-1386-4233-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Family+Violence%3A+Legal%2C+Medical%2C+and+Social+Perspectives&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E50-%3C%2Fspan%3E51&rft.edition=8th&rft.pub=Routledge&rft.date=2016&rft.isbn=978-1-1386-4233-1&rft.aulast=Wallace&rft.aufirst=Paul+Harvey&rft.au=Roberson%2C+Cliff&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Foyster-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Foyster_19-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFFoyster2005" class="citation book cs1">Foyster, Elizabeth (2005). <i>Marital Violence: An English Family History, 1660-1857</i> (1st ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 12. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-83451-1" title="Special:BookSources/0-521-83451-1"><bdi>0-521-83451-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Marital+Violence%3A+An+English+Family+History%2C+1660-1857&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=12&rft.edition=1st&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=2005&rft.isbn=0-521-83451-1&rft.aulast=Foyster&rft.aufirst=Elizabeth&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Davidson-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Davidson_20-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFDavidson,_Terry1977" class="citation book cs1">Davidson, Terry (1977). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/batteredwomenpsy00roym/page/18/mode/1up?view=theater">"Wifebeating: A Recurring Phenomenon Throughout History"</a></span>. In Roy, Maria (ed.). <i>Battered Women: A Psychosociological Study of Domestic Violence</i>. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. p. 18. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-44-225645-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-44-225645-6"><bdi>978-0-44-225645-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Wifebeating%3A+A+Recurring+Phenomenon+Throughout+History&rft.btitle=Battered+Women%3A+A+Psychosociological+Study+of+Domestic+Violence&rft.place=New+York&rft.pages=18&rft.pub=Van+Nostrand+Reinhold&rft.date=1977&rft.isbn=978-0-44-225645-6&rft.au=Davidson%2C+Terry&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fbatteredwomenpsy00roym%2Fpage%2F18%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFAdams2000" class="citation web cs1">Adams, Cecil (12 May 2000). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.straightdope.com/21343678/does-rule-of-thumb-refer-to-an-old-law-permitting-wife-beating">"Does 'rule of thumb' refer to an old law permitting wife beating?"</a>. <i>The Straight Dope</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=The+Straight+Dope&rft.atitle=Does+%27rule+of+thumb%27+refer+to+an+old+law+permitting+wife+beating%3F&rft.date=2000-05-12&rft.aulast=Adams&rft.aufirst=Cecil&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.straightdope.com%2F21343678%2Fdoes-rule-of-thumb-refer-to-an-old-law-permitting-wife-beating&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFClements2003" class="citation news cs1">Clements, Warren (30 July 2003). <span class="id-lock-limited" title="Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/no-clear-rule-of-thumb/article752047/">"No clear rule of thumb"</a></span>. <i>The Globe and Mail</i>. Toronto. p. R2. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0319-0714">0319-0714</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Globe+and+Mail&rft.atitle=No+clear+rule+of+thumb&rft.pages=R2&rft.date=2003-07-30&rft.issn=0319-0714&rft.aulast=Clements&rft.aufirst=Warren&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theglobeandmail.com%2Farts%2Fno-clear-rule-of-thumb%2Farticle752047%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFFreyd,_JenniferJohnson,_JQ1998" class="citation web cs1">Freyd, Jennifer; Johnson, JQ (1998). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://dynamic.uoregon.edu/jjf/essays/ruleofthumb.html">"Commentary: Domestic Violence, Folk Etymologies, & 'Rule of Thumb'<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>"</a>. Department of Psychology, University of Oregon.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Commentary%3A+Domestic+Violence%2C+Folk+Etymologies%2C+%26+%27Rule+of+Thumb%27&rft.pub=Department+of+Psychology%2C+University+of+Oregon&rft.date=1998&rft.au=Freyd%2C+Jennifer&rft.au=Johnson%2C+JQ&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fdynamic.uoregon.edu%2Fjjf%2Fessays%2Fruleofthumb.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFQuinion1999" class="citation web cs1">Quinion, Michael (13 November 1999). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-rul1.htm">"Rule of thumb"</a>. <i>World Wide Words</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=World+Wide+Words&rft.atitle=Rule+of+thumb&rft.date=1999-11-13&rft.aulast=Quinion&rft.aufirst=Michael&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldwidewords.org%2Fqa%2Fqa-rul1.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFSafire1998" class="citation news cs1">Safire, William (25 January 1998). <span class="id-lock-limited" title="Free access subject to limited trial, subscription normally required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/25/magazine/on-language-misrule-of-thumb.html">"On Language; Misrule of Thumb"</a></span>. <i>The New York Times Magazine</i>. Section 6, pp. 12 ff. <a href="/wiki/ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0028-7822">0028-7822</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+New+York+Times+Magazine&rft.atitle=On+Language%3B+Misrule+of+Thumb&rft.pages=Section+6%2C+pp.+12+ff&rft.date=1998-01-25&rft.issn=0028-7822&rft.aulast=Safire&rft.aufirst=William&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F1998%2F01%2F25%2Fmagazine%2Fon-language-misrule-of-thumb.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFStratonn.d." class="citation web cs1">Straton, Jack C. (n.d.). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.europrofem.org/contri/2_04_en/en-viol/28en_vio.htm">"North Carolina - Violence women"</a> – via European Men Profeminist Network.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=North+Carolina+-+Violence+women&rft.aulast=Straton&rft.aufirst=Jack+C.&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.europrofem.org%2Fcontri%2F2_04_en%2Fen-viol%2F28en_vio.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span> Analysis of the phrase <i>rule of thumb</i>.</li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFGerebenicsOthers1982" class="citation report cs1">Gerebenics, Gail; Others, And (January 1982). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED213812">Under the Rule of Thumb: Battered Women and the Administration of Justice</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> (Report). Washington, D.C.: United States Commission on Civil Rights. ED213812 – via <a href="/wiki/ERIC" class="mw-redirect" title="ERIC">ERIC</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=report&rft.btitle=Under+the+Rule+of+Thumb%3A+Battered+Women+and+the+Administration+of+Justice&rft.place=Washington%2C+D.C.&rft.pub=United+States+Commission+on+Civil+Rights&rft.date=1982-01&rft.aulast=Gerebenics&rft.aufirst=Gail&rft.au=Others%2C+And&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Feric.ed.gov%2F%3Fid%3DED213812&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFWallaceRoberson2014" class="citation book cs1">Wallace, Harvey; Roberson, Cliff (2014). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/familyviolencele0000wall/page/221/mode/1up?view=theater"><i>Family Violence: Legal, Medical, and Social Perspectives</i></a></span> (7th ed.). Boston, Mass.: Pearson Education. pp. <span class="nowrap">221–</span>222. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-205-91392-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-205-91392-3"><bdi>978-0-205-91392-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Family+Violence%3A+Legal%2C+Medical%2C+and+Social+Perspectives&rft.place=Boston%2C+Mass.&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E221-%3C%2Fspan%3E222&rft.edition=7th&rft.pub=Pearson+Education&rft.date=2014&rft.isbn=978-0-205-91392-3&rft.aulast=Wallace&rft.aufirst=Harvey&rft.au=Roberson%2C+Cliff&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Ffamilyviolencele0000wall%2Fpage%2F221%2Fmode%2F1up%3Fview%3Dtheater&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ARule+of+thumb" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/20px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 1.5x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></a></span> The dictionary definition of <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Special:Search/rule_of_thumb" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:Special:Search/rule of thumb"><i>rule of thumb</i></a> at Wiktionary </p>    </div><noscript><img src="https://auth.wikimedia.org/loginwiki/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&oldid=1279123194">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rule_of_thumb&oldid=1279123194</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:English_phrases" title="Category:English phrases">English phrases</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Rules_of_thumb" title="Category:Rules of thumb">Rules of thumb</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_with_short_description" title="Category:Articles with short description">Articles with short description</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Short_description_is_different_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Short description is different from Wikidata">Short description is different from Wikidata</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Use_American_English_from_December_2022" title="Category:Use American English from December 2022">Use American English from December 2022</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_Wikipedia_articles_written_in_American_English" title="Category:All Wikipedia articles written in American English">All Wikipedia articles written in American English</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 6 March 2025, at 18:02<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. 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cdx-button--action-progressive" id="ca-addsection-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="addsection-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-speechBubbleAdd-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-speechBubbleAdd-progressive"></span> <span>Add topic</span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-header-icon-end"> <div class="vector-user-links"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mw-portlet mw-portlet-dock-bottom emptyPortlet" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul> </ul> </div> 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