Rulings stop lackeys gathering inside of gate (14)

'rulings' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?

'stop lackeys gathering inside of gate' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'stop' could be 'deter' (to deter behaviour is to stop it) and 'deter' is found in the answer.
'inside' could be 'in' and 'in' is located in the answer.
'of' could be 'o' and 'o' is found in the answer.
The remaining letters 'matins' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?