rule with a rod of iron

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rule (somebody) with a rod of iron (British, American & Australian) also rule (somebody) with an iron fist/hand (American & Australian)

to control a group of people very firmly, having complete power over everything that they do For 17 years she ruled the country with a rod of iron. My uncle rules the family business with an iron hand.

See also: iron, rod, rule

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Get rid of the pen-pushers who are draining the NHS dry, get matrons back onto our wards to rule with a rod of iron, replace inefficient agency workers with people who know their job, and our hospitals will once again be sterile. Letter: Your view - Clean up act by Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) Sanchez needed to lay down the laws and rule with a rod of iron, and when they do get back to strength they will have a manager who has principles and the respect of his players. LAWRO ON SATURDAY: SANCHEZ HAS GOT IT RIGHT by The Mirror (London, England) In other words, we don't rule with a rod of iron now. Carry on matron; Inspectors find hospital standards are improved by Daily Post (Liverpool, England)			rub the wrong way rub together rub up rub up the wrong way rub with rubber rubber-stamp Rube Goldberg rude ruffle ruffle feathers ruffle its feathers ruffle up rug rug rat ruin ruin of rule rule against rule in favor of rule of thumb rule on rule out rule over rule the roost rule with a rod of iron rule with a velvet glove rule with an iron fist ruminate about rummage rummage around rummage through rumor has it that rump session rumple up rumpy-pumpy run run a comb through run a fever run a fever and run a temperature run a make on run a mile run a red light run a risk run a tab run a tight ship run across run afoul of run after run against run aground			Rule of Thumb To Determinate Sample Size Rule of Uniformitarianism Rule of Uniformitarianism rule of V's rule off rule off rule on rule on rule out rule out rule out rule out rule out rule out Rule Out Myocardial Infarction rule over rule over Rule Set Based Access Control Rule Structure Markup Language Rule the Dark Rule the Day rule the roost rule the roost rule the roost Rule to show cause Rule to show cause Rule Triggering Markup Language Rule Under Law Rule Under Law rule upon rule with a rod of iron rule with a velvet glove rule with an iron fist rule with an iron hand Rule, Britannia Rule, Britannia! rule, Clark's Rule, Karl Rule, Karl Frantsevich rule, Young's rule-abiding Rule-based (programming) Rule-based (programming) Rule-Based Access Control Rule-based Applications Rule-based Break Iterator Rule-Based Classification Engine rule-based control system Rule-Based Data Mining Rule-Based Engine Rule-Based Error rule-based expert system rule-based expert system Rule-Based Forecasting Rule-Based Height Regulator Rule-Based Intrusion Detection Rule-Based Monetary Policies

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