2006-07-14 08:27:11 · 4 answers · asked by robert g 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
"The real explanation of 'rule-of-thumb' is that is derives from wood workers (or other constructors) who knew their trade so well they rarely or never fell back on the use of such things as rulers. Instead they'd measure things by, for example, the length of their thumb; they measured, not by a rule(r) of wood, but by rule of thumb. The term was already in metaphorical use by the late 17th century."
Measure your thumb from the first knuckle to the tip. I'll bet it's very close to an inch. The wife-beating thing is an old wives' tale - no pun intended.
2006-07-14 12:02:55 · answer #1 · answered by pasoftballmom 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been told it comes from when a man wasn't allowed to hit his wife with anything thicker than his thumb. Not sure if that's right, though.
2006-07-14 08:30:23 · answer #2 · answered by caitlinerika 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was the width of the stick which men in England were allowed to use to beat their wife.
2006-07-14 08:30:34 · answer #3 · answered by satyr9one 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
someones asked this before
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060613115422AAGtRD2
2006-07-14 08:29:59 · answer #4 · answered by greenprincess 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋