[Idiom] BEND THE RULES. - How to Be Flexible Without Breaking the Rules Completely

Make minor adjustments to rules.

Bend the rules" suggests a slight adjustment or relaxation of rules for a particular reason or to accommodate special cases. It doesn't mean breaking the rules entirely but altering them enough to achieve a different outcome. For example, a teacher might bend the rules to allow a student to submit an assignment late due to unforeseen circumstances.

Example Sentences

1. Sometimes, you have to bend the rules to achieve results.

   This means occasionally you need to be flexible with rules to get the desired outcome.

2. They bent the rules a bit to allow the late entry into the competition.

   This means they slightly altered the rules to permit someone to join the competition after the deadline.

3. In his eagerness to win, he was tempted to bend the rules.

   He considered not strictly following the rules in order to win.