Meaning
A means of estimation made according to a rough and ready practical rule, not based on science or exact measurement.
Origin
This
has been said to derive from the belief that English law allowed a man
to beat his wife with a stick so long as it is was no thicker than his
thumb.
Meaning里面已經(jīng)寫得很清楚，表示一個粗略的原則，畢竟打老婆的時候不會仔細(xì)丈量自己用的棍子的粗細(xì)到底有沒有超過自己的拇指。
在書中它是這么用的：
The rule of thumb is that...
我想應(yīng)該翻譯成：大體的原則是...