Q
Why do we say 'rule of thumb'?
A
Expert Answer
Popular myth claims it referred to an old law allowing wife-beating with a stick no thicker than a thumb—this is false. The phrase likely originates from carpenters using their thumb (about an inch) as a rough measuring tool. It means a practical approximation.
Key Insight
Popular myth claims it referred to an old law allowing wife-beating with a stick no thicker than a thumb—this is false.
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