3 ms·

The exception that proves the rule?

• dotancohen 5y ago
  I never understood this expression until now.
• dragonwriter 5y ago
  Outside of its context of referring to exceptions in legal and other human-made systems of rules evidencing the existence of a contrary general rule [0], this phrase is mostly just nonsense. [0] the original sense of Cicero’s “exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis” (“the exception proves the rule in cases not excepted”, e.g., a posting ”entry permitted in daylight hours” implies a rule that entry is prohibited outside of those hours.)