But analysts wanted Alcatel to get into data-networking technology, where Lucent, Nortel and Cisco rule the roost.

FORBES: Laggard

Men used to rule the roost and making the adjustment to a slightly more equal world has hit some of them hard.

ECONOMIST: American men

Imposing rules of any sort is unpopular with county auditors, polling officers and the other people who rule the roost in the current system.

ECONOMIST: Washington state politics

The principal says Percy has started to rule the roost, deliveries are having to be taken via another door and even the caretaker has taken to wearing hobnailed boots.

BBC: Bangor children urge 'mercy for Percy' the pheasant

Deficits rule the roost.

FORBES: The Constitution as a ��Broad Highway�� for Progress

In America, the chief executive is typically also the chairman, allowing him to rule the boardroom roost unchallenged.

ECONOMIST: America has Sarbanes-Oxley. Britain has Derek Higgs