bend the rules

bend the rules
   to act illegally
   The implication is that the law has not really been broken:
    ... if he sometimes 'bent the rules'... he believed that the end justified the means. (P. Scott, 1973)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • bend the rules — bend/stretch the rules ► to allow the rules to be broken in a way that is not very serious: »Is it acceptable to lie, cheat, or just bend the rules a little in order to succeed in our highly competitive world? »In special cases the manager will… …   Financial and business terms

  • bend the rules — bend/stretch the rules to do something or to allow someone to do something which is not usually allowed. We don t usually let students take books away, but I m willing to bend the rules on this occasion …   New idioms dictionary

  • bend the rules —    If a person bends the rules, they change the rules in order to help somebody.     An hour is an hour said the car park attendant who refused to bend the rules …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • bend the rules — change the rules to help, look the other way    Ed won t accept late reports. He won t bend the rules …   English idioms

  • bend the rules — to allow something to be done that is not usually allowed. We don t usually let students take books home, but I ll bend the rules this time …   New idioms dictionary

  • bend the rules for someone — bend the rules (for someone) phrase to do something or allow someone to do something that is not usually allowed, especially in order to make things easier on one occasion They shouldn’t bend the rules for him just because he’s the director’s son …   Useful english dictionary

  • bend the rules — …   Useful english dictionary

  • bend/stretch the rules — ► to allow the rules to be broken in a way that is not very serious: »Is it acceptable to lie, cheat, or just bend the rules a little in order to succeed in our highly competitive world? »In special cases the manager will stretch the rules. Main… …   Financial and business terms

  • stretch the rules — bend/stretch/the rules phrase to allow something that is not normally allowed I’m not asking anyone to bend the rules, I just want justice to be done. Thesaurus: to allow something that is not usually allowedsynonym Main entry …   Useful english dictionary

  • stretch the rules — bend/stretch the rules ► to allow the rules to be broken in a way that is not very serious: »Is it acceptable to lie, cheat, or just bend the rules a little in order to succeed in our highly competitive world? »In special cases the manager will… …   Financial and business terms

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