golden rule

noun

|Updated on: 4 Aug 2018

Examples: golden rule in a Sentence

Definition of golden rule

1 capitalized G&R : a rule of ethical conduct referring to Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31: do to others as you would have them do to you

2 : a guiding principle

See golden rule defined for English-language learners

See golden rule defined for kids

Examples of golden rule in a Sentence

I try to live by the Golden Rule.
The golden rule in sales is to know your customer.

Recent Examples of golden rule from the Web

Remember the golden rule: Whoever has the gold, rules.

— priya rao, Vogue, "Who Pays For The Wedding? A Guide To Deciding Who Pays For What," 20 June 2018
Image His lawyers said that saving people in distress was the golden rule of anyone out at sea, and that governments were using charities’ work as a political statement to press for closed borders at the European Union level.

— gaia pianigiani, New York Times, "Malta Cracks Down on a Humanitarian Ship That Carried Migrants," 2 July 2018
Use the below steps as your DIY formula (rather than a hard and fast recipe) and remember the golden rule: anything goes!

— molly marquand, Good Housekeeping, "A Step-By-Step Guide To Creating Your Own Foraged Evergreen Wreath," 8 Dec. 2017
Whoever gets the golden rake brings it to the next game — that's sort of the golden rule — and there have been a lot of rakes awarded this season.

— walter villa, miamiherald, "UM had the 'turnover chain.' St. Thomas is sweeping competition with the 'golden rake' | Miami Herald," 18 May 2018
My plan is to follow the Test Kitchen’s golden rules (buy great meat, season it with LOTS of salt, bring it to room temperature before cooking) and hope for the best.

— christina chaey, Bon Appetit, "The Mother’s Day Steak I’m Making My Mom, the Only Gift That Matters," 11 May 2018
The watchful eyes of the beat writers tend to do the same thing during their pregame time in the clubhouse, though usually the golden rule of Las Vegas is strictly followed.

— jeff wilson, star-telegram, "What is Rangers' DeShields writing in those notebooks? | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 5 May 2018
For a simple, clean design, stick to the golden rule: One bed + two nightstands + dresser + mirror = success.

— kelsey kloss, ELLE Decor, "4 Bedroom Design Ideas From A Professional Stager," 22 July 2016
Even vacationers who wouldn’t dream of pelting a service worker with coins sometimes seem to forget the golden rule.

— maddie mortell, BostonGlobe.com, "Don’t be ‘that’ tourist. Some vacation advice from a local," 2 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'golden rule.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of golden rule

1753

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Financial Definition of GOLDEN RULE

golden rule

noun

What It Is

The golden rule is very simple: treat people the way you want to be treated. In the business world, it also refers to fundamental principles of government spending: cover current spending with existing taxes and borrow only to fund investments that benefit more than on generation of citizens.

How It Works

A common principle in all of the world's great religions, the golden rule shows itself in every facet of the business world. It is the essence of what many call square dealing.

From a fiscal policy perspective, a government follows the golden rule when its tax revenues for the current year equal or exceed its day-to-day spending for the current year. Borrowing is allowed, but only for investments such as infrastructure projects, research projects, or other projects that benefit future generations.

Why It Matters

The golden rule is the fundamental policy behind many balanced budget amendment plans in the United States. Though the nation's history contains several attempts at implementing the golden rule, some critics argue that the idea also means that during recessions, when tax revenues are down, the government must cut public services when citizens might need them most.

Source: Investing Answers

GOLDEN RULE Defined for English Language Learners

golden rule

noun

Definition of golden rule for English Language Learners

the Golden Rule : a general rule for how to behave that says that you should treat people the way you would like other people to treat you
: an important rule to follow when you do something