<OL TYPE="1"><LI>a rod or straight piece of rounded wood to which any thing is fastened to keep it straight<OL TYPE="a"><LI>used for various purposes<OL TYPE="1"><LI>a measuring rod, rule<LI>a carpenter's line or measuring tape<LI>the measure of a leap, as in the Olympic games</OL></OL><LI>a definitely bounded or fixed space within the limits of which one's power of influence is confined<OL TYPE="a"><LI>the province assigned one<LI>one's sphere of activity</OL><LI>metaph. any rule or standard, a principle or law of investigating, judging, living, acting</OL>