"By rule of thumb", is certainly used in the UK but do any other countries use the quote. What is its origin?
925392
A means of estimation made according to a rough and ready practical rule, not based on science or exact measurement. \n\nOrigin\n\nThis 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. In 1782 Judge Sir Francis Buller is reported as having made this legal ruling. The following year James Gillray published a satirical cartoon attacking Buller and caricaturing him as 'Judge Thumb'. The cartoon shows Buller carrying two bundles of sticks and the caption reads "thumbsticks - for family correction: warranted lawful!"
722343
Britain sort of use Fahrenheit but not as frequentily as the USA. they said that it will be (25°C) which is about .... fahrenheit
598770
The quote, in slightly different form, appears on the tomb of Cheops IV and was borrowed by Machiavelli.  The latter is the correct philosophy.  However, as we learn from Michael and Vito Corleone (both of whom have popularized the expression so that the hoi poloi now use it) have taught us, it is good to keep everyone within range of a good .38 Special.
24121
The phrase "The Empire on which the sun never sets" (el imperio en el que no se ponía el sol) was first used of the Spanish Empire, and originates with a remark of Charles V, who declared "in my realm the sun never sets."\n\nHowever, in the 19th century it became very popular to apply the phrase to the British Empire. For example, the 19th century politician Lord Salisbury complained that the £1.5 million spent on colonial defence by Britain in 1861 merely enabled her "to furnish an agreeable variety of stations to our soldiers, and to indulge in the sentiment that the sun never sets on our Empire".
765378
... hhmmmm.... have no idea...  it´s just a good phrase...\n\n=)
46153
NO, it is not in the rule book and it is not a legitimate rule.  At best it can be called a rule of thumb.
957504
The "which" refers back to the "progressive model of British history."\n\nBecause "which" represents this model, that portion of the sentence could be re-written...\n\n"...according to THE PROGRESSIVE MODEL OF BRITISH HISTORY, the country threw off superstition..."\n\nBut since that would be repetitive, we just substitute the word "which."\n\nHope this helps.
727480
It is used in the sense of "There you have it", for example, when you plug something in and it works, or you show somebody how to do something, you would say "Bob's your uncle".\n\nI've been using it for over 40 years, and have absolutely no idea why.  It is just a saying.\n\nI found this at www.phrase.org.uk\nEric Partridge lists it in his 'Dictionary of Slang', 1937. He gives it the meaning 'all will be well', which is not quite how it is used now. Partridge states it as dating from circa 1890, although he presents no evidence for that. Also he suggests that it may be derived from the phrase 'all is bob', which meant 'all is well'.\n\nAnother interpretation is that it derives from the supposed nepotism of Lord Salisbury. Piers Brendon, in Eminent Edwardians, 1979, writes:\n\n"... in 1887, Balfour was unexpectedly promoted to the vital front line post of Chief Secretary for Ireland by his uncle Robert, Lord Salisbury."\nVarious authors have surmised that having an uncle Bob who was Prime Minister became synonymous with having a passport to an easy life.
853721
First Rule:  If it sounds too good to be than it is (too good to be true)\nSecond Rule:  Refer to First Rule.
975050
"There is not to be discussion regarding tastes" Less literally "In matters of taste there is no dispute" or simply "There's no arguing taste". A similar expression in English is "There's no accounting for taste". Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, without attribution, renders the phrase as de gustibus non disputandum; the verb "to be" is often assumed in Latin, and is rarely required.
1095989
I'm not sure if you're referring to significant values, but basically it can tell you correct a value is to its true value. This plays an important role in economics and trade... its like how do we know what is 1Kg or 1 second, is the American 1Kg the same as the european 1Kg...that kind of stuff... They usually express those figures in terms of uncertainty, how uncertain can we be that the scientific measured value is the true value. \n\nIn problem solving, if we round of values early in a problem those errors accumulate in the final value... its best to round off at the end. Rule of thumb is to work to one more decimal place than you would eventually require.\n\nHope that helps.
572277
What I love most about Germany is its people and its very strong ethical standards in every walk of life. I can't 'hate' any country if I don't find a big Mac or Coke tin rolled out to me through the vending machines. I love my way of life, that wouldn't make me think otherwise of another. Not a bad idea if we stop hating in bulk:) Can we use 'dislike' or 'not to my own satisfaction' instead. Just thinking.
1142206
Eric Partridge lists it in his 'Dictionary of Slang', 1937. He gives it the meaning 'all will be well', which is not quite how it is used now. Partridge states it as dating from circa 1890, although he presents no evidence for that. Also he suggests that it may be derived from the phrase 'all is bob', which meant 'all is well'.\n\nAnother interpretation is that it derives from the supposed nepotism of Lord Salisbury. Piers Brendon, in Eminent Edwardians, 1979, writes:\n\n"... in 1887, Balfour was unexpectedly promoted to the vital front line post of Chief Secretary for Ireland by his uncle Robert, Lord Salisbury."\n\nVarious authors have surmised that having an uncle Bob who was Prime Minister became synonymous with having a passport to an easy life.
965767
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/59100.html
679671
i believe the expression was 1st used by a writer in a novel, one of the spy writers,(le Carre or Shute or someone of that genre) but i can't think of his name at the moment.\n\nAnd i belive it is both because relations between East and West became cold after WW2 and also becasue no actually fighting took place, it was more a battle of the minds as opposed to a typical war.
706055
Hello Cordelia, so many to choose from, this is my favourite.\n\n“Give a child a hammer and everything becomes a nail."\n\nThis quotation comes from Abraham Kaplan's Law of the Instrument and it is often mistakenly attributed to Mark Twain. It is mentioned in Donne Colton et. al vs. New York Hospital in 1976.\n\n\nIdioms, Quotes and Sayings.\n\nGOOD SITES WITH ORIGINS.\n\nhttp://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/\n\nhttp://eleaston.com/ety-site.html#ety\n\nhttp://www.wordorigins.org/\n\nhttp://www.bartleby.com/100/\n\nhttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/ \n\nhttp://www.wordwizard.com/\n\nhttp://www.quotationsbook.com/ \n\nhttp://www.litquotes.com/\n\nhttp://www.giga-usa.com/\n\nhttp://www.boardofwisdom.com/\n\nhttp://www.quoteworld.org/ \n\nhttp://www.rockwisdom.com/\n\nhttp://www.great-quotes.com/\n\nhttp://quotations.home.worldnet.att.net/\n\nhttp://www.quotationspage.com/\n\nhttp://www.online-literature.com/quotes/quotations.php\n\nAllGreatQuotes - Famous Quotes and Quotations\n\nWelcome to Allgreatquotes.com! Probably the best free quotations site in the world. Thousands of great quotes carefully researched, collected and verified for your pleasure. Regularly updated and new content added. Visit often and bookmark us.\n\nhttp://www.allgreatquotes.com/index.shtml\n\nGood luck.\n\nKevin, Liverpool, England.
923816
It means a quotation or saying