house rule: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal
Quick answer
What does “house rule” mean?
A rule specific to a particular household, organization, or establishment, established by those in authority there.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rule specific to a particular household, organization, or establishment, established by those in authority there.
Any informal, custom, or localized regulation that modifies or overrides standard rules or procedures, commonly used in contexts like games, shared living spaces, offices, and online communities.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling follows respective norms (e.g., 'behaviour' vs 'behavior' in example contexts).
Connotations
Neutral in both; simply denotes localized authority.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “house rule” in a Sentence
[Establish/Set] a house rule [for + NP][NP] is a house rule [in + LOCATION][Follow/Obey] the house rules [of + NP]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In a company, a 'house rule' might refer to an internal policy not found in the official handbook, e.g., 'No meetings after 4 PM on Fridays is a house rule here.'
Academic
Rare in formal academic writing; may appear in sociological studies of group behavior or institutional ethnography.
Everyday
Very common for families ('Our house rule is shoes off at the door.') and social games ('We have a house rule in Monopoly: Free Parking gets all the fines.').
Technical
Used in game design to describe optional rules created by players, and in IT/online community management for forum-specific guidelines.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “house rule”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “house rule”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “house rule”
- Using 'home rule' (which refers to political self-government).
- Treating it as a verb (*'We house rule that...').
- Confusing it with a universally accepted standard.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is written as two separate words: 'house rule'. It is a compound noun.
Yes, it is commonly used to refer to informal, internal policies or practices within a company that aren't part of the formal corporate policy.
A law is a formal, legally binding rule established by a government for a whole jurisdiction. A 'house rule' is informal, applies only to a specific, limited domain (like a home or club), and carries social, not legal, consequences for breaking it.
While you might hear it in very informal gaming contexts ('Let's house-rule that'), it is non-standard. In formal writing, use phrases like 'establish a house rule' or 'play with house rules'.
A rule specific to a particular household, organization, or establishment, established by those in authority there.
House rule is usually informal in register.
House rule: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊs ˌruːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaʊs ˌruːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “'My house, my rules.' (asserting authority)”
- “'That's a house rule.' (explaining a local exception)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a literal HOUSE. Inside that house, the owner makes the RULES. Combine them: HOUSE RULE = the rule of that specific house.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SPACE/HOUSE AS A KINGDOM (The owner is the ruler, the rules are the laws of that land).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'house rule' be LEAST appropriate?