rule the roast
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To be at the head of affairs, to be "cock of the walk."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “rule the roast” mean?
To be at the head of affairs, to be "cock of the walk."
Is “rule the roast” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.