“My thumb is the rule.”
Idioms Entry 310 / 1011 60-second read
Rule of thumb
A broadly accurate guide or principle, based on experience rather than theory.
The comparisoni
“As a rule of thumb, always commit your code before lunch.”
The ruleii
¶
RULE OF THUMB = a rough guide.
There are folk etymologies regarding its origin (some dark, some practical), but today it's just a common phrase for a 'rough guide'.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
A rough measurement.