ground rule
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Puzzle #138 · October 17, 2025
Ground rules is another baseball term that has extended to mainstream usage.
Ground rules are basic principles, or guidelines for any activity. The term originates from baseball, where it refers to specific rules for a particular ballpark's conditions. The term dates to the 1890s.
By the mid-1900s, the term began to be used more broadly across business and society. Ground rules for business meetings include being punctual, sticking to an agenda, listening and participating‘.
Ground rules are basic principles, or guidelines for any activity. The term originates from baseball, where it refers to specific rules for a particular ballpark's conditions. The term dates to the 1890s.
By the mid-1900s, the term began to be used more broadly across business and society. Ground rules for business meetings include being punctual, sticking to an agenda, listening and participating‘.
Puzzle Appearances
The expression ground rule has appeared in 2 puzzles:
- Puzzle #138 on October 17, 2025
- Puzzle #149 on October 28, 2025
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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