1838: rule of thumb (myths) Dec 27, 2019

There is a myth that the phrase "rule of thumb" originates from a law concerning the width of stick one could beat his wife with. However, there is no evidence for any such law existing, and indeed, the first connection to a court—via unsubstantiated personal comments from a judge—follows the first recorded use of the phrase as we still use it today by about a century. In that quote, it is also contrasted with "square and rule", which is definitely just a term relating to precise measurements.

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