Lots of sticklers for proper English on here, so please discuss:
I have just been listening to Pensions Minister Stephen Timms on "Today in parliament", saying about some forthcoming review or other that "nothing has been ruled out or ruled in".
To my mind, "ruling out" means taking hold of a ruler and using it to draw a straight line through some words, thus crossing them out. So how does "ruling in " work? It's not just Mr Timms who uses this phrase. I've definitely heard it before.
I have just been listening to Pensions Minister Stephen Timms on "Today in parliament", saying about some forthcoming review or other that "nothing has been ruled out or ruled in".
To my mind, "ruling out" means taking hold of a ruler and using it to draw a straight line through some words, thus crossing them out. So how does "ruling in " work? It's not just Mr Timms who uses this phrase. I've definitely heard it before.
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