by SkillstheMonkey December 28, 2005

The window of opportunity for picking up food you dropped on the ground, dusting it off and eating it.
by Kim July 10, 2004

Basically this rule states that you have to take a shit within 6 seconds. If it takes you any longer than 6 seconds, it's considered a bad day. So you better start pushin!
Whenever I'm on the phone with my friend I use the 6 second rule so she doesn't have to wait very long.
by EmAlinator October 6, 2010

bill: Oh sheeet i dropped my burger on your kitchen floor
Ben: ITs ok i clean the floor today
Bill: i aint eating it
Ben: 3 Second Rule
Bill: oh yeah
Ben: and Extra Flavour
Ben: ITs ok i clean the floor today
Bill: i aint eating it
Ben: 3 Second Rule
Bill: oh yeah
Ben: and Extra Flavour
by Checken April 15, 2008

The '5 second rule' applies when food comes into contact with an object that is tainted. If it is removed from the tainted object in 5 seconds or less, then the food is considered safe for human consumption and eaten as if nothing happened. If it stays on the tainted object for more than 5 seconds then it is considered unfit for human consumption and is discarded.
by Timothy Paul July 9, 2004

When one accidently drops food, not held in a container or wrapper, on the ground. The rule states that if you pick it up within 5 seconds, it won't be contaminated. There is also a '10 second rule' variation. Unfortunately, both rules are urban legends -- The speed with which you can pick the food article back up has no bearing on whether it may receive germs.
Person A: "Crap, dropped a cookie."
Person B: "5 second rule!!"
Person A scrambles to pick up food article
Person B: "5 second rule!!"
Person A scrambles to pick up food article
by Ryan Thompson July 9, 2004

A unspoken rule where if any sort of food falls to the ground, if you pick it back up in 5 seconds or less it is still okay to eat.
by Nathan Charette July 10, 2004
