Word Study
ruling
CIDE DICTIONARY
ruling, a.
- Predominant; chief; reigning; controlling; as, a ruling passion; a ruling sovereign. [1913 Webster]
- Used in marking or engraving lines; as, a ruling machine or pen. [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Predominant; chief; controlling; directing; guiding; governing; prevailing; prevalent.
ruling, n.
- The act of one who rules; ruled lines. [1913 Webster]
- A decision or rule of a judge or a court, especially an oral decision, as in excluding evidence. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
ruling, n. & adj.
--n. an authoritative decision or announcement.
--adj. prevailing; currently in force (ruling prices).
--n. an authoritative decision or announcement.
--adj. prevailing; currently in force (ruling prices).
Idiom
ruling passion a motive that habitually directs one's actions.
THESAURUS
ruling
absolute, act, action, appointment, arch, armipotent, ascendant, at the head, authoritarian, authoritative, authorized, autocratic, average, award, banner, besetting, bill, boss, brevet, bull, bylaw, canon, capital, cardinal, central, champion, chief, clothed with authority, cogent, commanding, common, competent, condemnation, consequential, considerable, consideration, controlling, crowning, current, decision, declaration, decree, decree-law, decreement, decretal, decretum, deliverance, determination, diagnosis, dictate, dictation, dictum, diktat, directive, dominant, doom, duly constituted, dynamic, edict, edictum, effective, eminent, empowered, enactment, energetic, epidemic, ex officio, fiat, finding, first, focal, forceful, forcible, foremost, form, formality, formula, formulary, general, governing, great, head, headmost, hegemonic, hegemonistic, high-potency, high-powered, high-pressure, high-tension, imperative, important, in ascendancy, in charge, in chief, in force, in power, in the ascendant, influential, institution, ipse dixit, irresistible, jus, law, leading, legislation, lex, magisterial, main, master, measure, mighty, mighty in battle, momentous, monocratic, normal, official, on the throne, operative, order, ordinance, ordinary, ordonnance, overriding, overruling, pandemic, paramount, pivotal, popular, potent, powerful, precedent, predominant, predominate, predominating, preeminent, prepollent, preponderant, preponderate, prepotent, prescript, prescription, prestigious, prevailing, prevalent, primal, primary, prime, principal, proclamation, prognosis, prominent, pronouncement, pronunciamento, puissant, rampant, ranking, regnant, regulating, regulation, regulative, regulatory, reigning, rescript, resolution, rife, routine, rubric, rule, running, senatus consult, senatus consultum, senior, sentence, sovereign, standard, standing order, star, statute, stellar, stereotyped, striking, strong, substantial, supereminent, superior, supreme, swaying, telling, topflight, totalitarian, ukase, usual, valid, verdict, vigorous, vital, weighty, widespreadROGET THESAURUS
ruling
Government
N government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority, authority, master, direction, national government, nation, state, country, nation- state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic, kingdom, principality, state government, state, shire, province, county, canton, territory, duchy, archduchy, archdukedom, woiwodshaft, commonwealth, region, property, county, parish city, domain, tract, arrondissement, mofussil, commune, wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth, soke, tithing, ward, precinct, bailiwick, command, empire, sway, rule, dominion, domination, sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty, lordship, headship, chiefdom, seigniory, seigniority, rule, sway, command, control, administer, govern, lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne, sway the scepter, wield the scepter, wear the crown, state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus, judicature, cabinet, seat of government, seat of authority, headquarters, accession, installation, politics, reign, regime, dynasty, directorship, dictatorship, protectorate, protectorship, caliphate, pashalic, electorate, presidency, presidentship, administration, proconsul, consulship, prefecture, seneschalship, magistrature, magistracy, monarchy, kinghood, kingship, royalty, regality, aristarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy, commonwealth, dominion, heteronomy, republic, republicanism, socialism, collectivism, mob law, mobocracy, ochlocracy, vox populi, imperium in imperio, bureaucracy, beadledom, bumbledom, stratocracy, military power, military government, junta, feodality, feudal system, feudalism, thearchy, theocracy, dinarchy, duarchy, triarchy, heterarchy, duumvirate, triumvirate, autocracy, autonomy, limited monarchy, constitutional government, constitutional monarchy, home rule, representative government, monocracy, pantisocracy, gynarchy, gynocracy, gynaeocracy, petticoat government, legislature, judiciary, administration, office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet, senate, house of representatives, parliament, council, courts, supreme court, state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Postal Service, Post Office, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister, senator, representatative, president pro tem, speaker of the house, department head, section head, section chief, federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice, treasurer, secretary of the treasury, director of the FBI, governor, state cabinet member, state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman, regal, sovereign, governing, royal, royalist, monarchical, kingly, imperial, imperiatorial, princely, feudal, aristocratic, autocratic, oligarchic, republican, dynastic, ruling, regnant, gubernatorial, imperious, authoritative, executive, administrative, clothed with authority, official, departmental, ex officio, imperative, peremptory, overruling, absolute, hegemonic, hegemonical, authorized, government, public, national, federal, his majesty's, her majesty's, state, county, city, N, a dog's obeyed in office, cada uno tiene su alguazil, le Roi le veut, regibus esse manus en nescio longas, regnant populi, the demigod Authority, the right divine of kings to govern wrong, uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.For further exploring for "ruling" in Webster Dictionary Online