Meaning of “as a rule”?

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The expression “as a rule” means “usually” or “for the most part”. Other synonyms include ‘normally’, ‘in general’, ‘most often’, ‘mostly’ and ‘as a common practice’. This expression is often used to express routine or habit. It can describe habits, customs, a code of conduct, ways of being or ways of behaving. This phrase is used in both spoken and written English.

“As a rule” often expresses an instance or instance of a rule as it pertains to a particular action or state of affairs. Like other English idiomatic expressions, it can be confusing. The main confusion with this phrase is that it doesn’t have the same sense of absolute that exists when the word “rule” is used by itself. Instead, statements qualified by “as a rule” can show examples of violation of the rule in question. For example, you might say, “I don’t normally make pasta, but I decided to try my sister’s spaghetti last night.”

While it often introduces an exception to a rule, or at least implies one, this idiom also works less actively to describe a specific example of conforming to a rule, such as an example of a matter of habit. These habit rules can be personal rules, rules by definition, or social rules. For example, “as a rule he drinks milk before going to bed” expresses a personal rule, and “as a rule vegetarians do not eat meat” expresses a rule by definition.

This sentence is a bit expendable grammatically. Unless it makes an exception to a rule or implies that exceptions exist, it rarely adds meaning. It is often used to add flow or an air of authority to an utterance. In some cases, it could be used rhetorically to legitimize or disguise something objectionable. It can cover up ignorance, add credibility to a weak argument, lend authority to a falsehood or stereotype, or be used strategically for persuasive effect.

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