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Glite Dictionary
home rule

home rule

4 6.2
The right of a city or county to run its own local matters without central government control
  • noun
  • /hoʊm ruːl/
  • Formal
translation icon : autonomía local
  • As of this writing, all Michigan cities have home rule and enjoy a high degree of fiscal autonomy.
  • local home rule
  • home rule doctrine
  • home rule powers

So to summarize, yes, the Scottish Home Rule Bill almost made it through the British Parliament, but it was suspended by the outbreak of the First World War.

Examples

  • Home rule for Ireland.

    Parnell (1937)

  • We hope you'll join us in our struggle for home rule, Mr. Gandhi.

    Gandhi (1982)

  • Why should the British grant us home rule?

    Gandhi (1982)

  • Who forced the English to consider home rule?

    Parnell (1937)

  • Get home rule for Ireland!

    Parnell (1937)

  • I am completely on the on the home rule side of the argument.

  • He promised us home rule right here in this room.

    Parnell (1937)

  • Let Gladstone make his announcement on home rule.

    Parnell (1937)

  • India... demands home rule!

    Gandhi (1982)

  • The mayor announced that the city will finally gain home rule to address local concerns effectively.

Synonyms

dominion
vshome rule
  • Formal
24 7.7

Power to govern and control a territory or people

is about local governments having limited self-management, not full sovereign control
self-rule
vshome rule
8 5.8

Government by a country's own people instead of by a foreign power

is limited to cities or counties governing local affairs, not full national independence

How Autonomous

independence
608 3.0
self-rule
8 5.8
home rule
  • Formal
4 6.2

Surface Forms

home rule singular
home rules plural

Morphology

home + rule

The components 'home' (local place) and 'rule' (authority) transparently signal a kind of local authority, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer that it refers to governing at a local/home level. However, the precise political/legal sense — the right or power of a city/region to self-govern rather than being controlled centrally — is a specialised extension that may not be fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Home rule comes from the simple picture of a town or area running things at home instead of being controlled by a faraway power, with home meaning the local place and rule meaning to make rules. So it means the right 'to make its own rules' or decide local matters rather than be controlled by a distant government.