The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #130236 Message #2930311
Posted By: Rob Naylor
18-Jun-10 - 04:21 AM
Thread Name: Songs of contempt about men
Subject: RE: Songs of contempt about men
Larry Saidman: And British law allowed men to beat their women so long as the object of assault was no wider than their thumb (that's the origin of the term "rule of thumb".
This is just another urban myth. British Common Law allowed a man to give his wife "moderate correction" but this specifically excluded beatings. About the most he could do legally was confine her to the house for a time.
The origin of the phrase "rule of thumb" is nothing to do with being allowed to beat a wife. It's actual origins aren't that certain, but are likely to be due to the use of the thumb (origin of the inch) as an ad-hoc approximate measuring device.