What’s the origin of the phrase “rule of thumb”?
It means a rough estimate or practical guideline.
📜 History: One theory falsely claims it comes from an old English law allowing men to beat their wives with a stick no thicker than their thumb—but this is a myth! The real origin is from carpenters and craftsmen who used their thumb to estimate measurements before rulers were common.
🤔 Trivia: The earliest known use of this phrase was in a 17th-century book on brewing beer!
