Meaning
A blow with a ruler as school or home punishment — a 'lick' (hit) delivered across the palm or knuckles with a wooden ruler, a stock instrument of old-time Jamaican discipline. Teachers and parents used the ruler-lick, the strap, or a tamarind switch to enforce order; 'get ruler-lick' meant being struck for a wrong answer or misbehaving.
Examples
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Di teacha gi him ruler-lick fi talk inna class.
The teacher hit him with a ruler for talking in class.
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Wi did fraid a di ruler-lick pon wi knuckle.
We were scared of the ruler-blow on our knuckles.
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One wrong answer an a ruler-lick.
One wrong answer and a whack with the ruler.
Origin
From 'ruler' + 'lick' (a blow); corporal punishment with a ruler. See [[strap]], [[tamarind-switch]].
How it’s used
A blow with a ruler as punishment. See [[strap]], [[tamarind-switch]], [[supple-jack]].