rule the roost, to
rule the roost
To be the real boss; to be the person in charge. You just need to accept that your daughter is going to rule the roost for most of her childhood. For all intents and purposes, it's the assistant manager who rules the roost.
See also: roost, rule
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
rule the roost
Fig. to be the boss or manager, especially at home. Who rules the roost at your house? Our new office manager really rules the roost.
See also: roost, rule
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
rule the roost
Be in charge, boss others, as in In our division the chairman's son rules the roost. This expression originated in the 15th century as rule the roast, which was either a corruption of rooster or alluded to the person who was in charge of the roast and thus ran the kitchen. In the barnyard a rooster decides which hen should roost near him. Both interpretations persisted for 200 years. Thomas Heywood (c. 1630) put it as "Her that ruled the roast in the kitchen," but Shakespeare had it in 2 Henry VI (1:1): "The new-made duke that rules the roast," which is more ambiguous. In the mid-1700s roost began to compete with roast, and in the 1900s roost displaced roast altogether. Also see run the show.
See also: roost, rule
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
rule the roost
COMMON
1. If someone rules the roost, they are the most powerful and important person in a group. In Germany, scientists will be found at the top of many manufacturing companies; in Britain, accountants rule the roost. Unfortunately he's a weak manager who lets the players rule the roost when he's meant to be in charge.
2. If something rules the roost it is more powerful or popular than the things that it is being compared to. Today, the cartels still rule the roost and the authorities seem as impotent as ever. Note: This expression seems to refer to the dominant cock in a chicken coop. However, `rule the roost' may have developed from the earlier expression `rule the roast', which refers to the head of the household who carves and serves the meat.
See also: roost, rule
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
rule the roost
be in complete control.The original expression was rule the roast , which was common from the mid 16th century onwards. Although none of the early examples of its use shed any light on its source, we can surmise that it originally referred to someone being the most important person at a banquet or feast. Rule the roost, found from the mid 18th century, has now replaced the earlier version.
See also: roost, rule
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
rule the ˈroost
(informal) be the person who controls a group, family, community, etc: It is a family firm, where the owner’s mother rules the roost.A roost is a place where birds sleep.
See also: roost, rule
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
rule the roost
Informal To be in charge; dominate: In this house my parents rule the roost.
See also: roost, rule
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
rule the roost, to
To be the boss. This term originated as rule the roast in the fifteenth century. Possibly it even then referred to the rooster, who decides which hen should roost near him. On the other hand, Thomas Heywood, in his History of Women (ca. 1630), stated, “Her that ruled the roast in the kitchen,” so perhaps it did mean whoever held sway over the kitchen, the heart of a household. Shakespeare used it more broadly, however. In Henry VI, Part 2 (1.1) he refers to “the new-made duke that rules the roast.” In any event, it has been used for bossing anything from a family to an entire nation.
See also: rule
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- rule the roost
- too many cooks spoil the broth
- too many cooks spoil the soup
- too many cooks spoil the stew
- childhood
- childhood friend
- boss
- boss man
- boss lady
- cock of the roost