by Massey on March 10th, 2005

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What is the origin of the phrase "rule of thumb"?

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by Phaedrusz on June 15th, 2008
Unknown, but the most likely candidate comes from the woodworkers of the middle ages that used the tip of their thumb to measure out an inch.

I want to point out that it does NOT come from any law about beating one's wife. Let the hoax die already. http://www.debunker.com/texts/ruleofthumb.html
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What is the origin of the phrase "rule of thumb"?

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