ring¹ Definition
ring (riŋ)
intransitive verb rang or Now Chiefly Dial.rung, rung, ring′·ing
- to give forth a clear, resonant sound when struck or otherwise caused to vibrate, as a bell
- to produce, as by sounding, a specified impression on the hearer promises that ring false
- to cause a bell or bells to sound, esp. as a summons to ring for a maid
- to sound loudly or be full of sound; be resonant; resound the room rang with laughter
- to have a sensation as of ringing, humming, etc.: said of the ears or head
Etymology: ME ringen < OE hringan < IE echoic base *ker- > raven, creak, L corvus, crow
transitive verb
- to cause (a bell, etc.) to ring
- to sound (a peal, knell, etc.) by or as by ringing a bell or bells
- to signal, proclaim, announce, summon, etc. by or as by ringing chimes rang the hours
- to test (coins, etc.) by the sound produced in striking on something hard
- Chiefly Brit. to call by telephone: often with up
- Slang to substitute (originally a racehorse) fraudulently: often with in
noun
- the sound of a bell
- any similar sound the ring of laughter
- any loud sound, esp. when repeated, continued, or reverberated
- the characteristic sound or impression (of some feeling) the ring of sincerity
- a set of bells
- the act of ringing a bell, etc.
- a telephone call: chiefly in give someone a ring, to telephone someone
ring¹ Idioms
ring a bell
☆ to stir up a memory; sound familiar
ring down the curtain
- to signal for a theater curtain to be lowered
- to end something
ring in (or out)
- to punch in (or out)
- to usher in (or out)
ring off
Chiefly Brit. to end a telephone call; hang up
ring the bell
☆Informal to achieve a success: originally in allusion to hitting the bull's-eye and so causing a bell to ring in target shooting
ring up
☆ to record or enter (a specified amount) on a cash register
ring up the curtain
- to signal for a theater curtain to be raised
- to begin something
ring² Definition
ring (riŋ)
noun
- a small, circular band of metal, etc., esp. of precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament or a symbol of betrothal, marriage, etc.
- any similar band, as of metal, plastic, etc., used for some special purpose a key ring, a napkin ring
- a circular line, mark, or figure
- the outer edge or border of something circular; rim, as of a wheel
- a circular cut made, or a circle of bark cut from, around the trunk or a branch of a tree
- annual ring
- any of the turns in a helix or spiral
- a circular course, as in dancing
- a number of people or things grouped in a circle
- ☆ a group of people working together to advance their own interests, esp. by questionable or illegal manipulation and control, as in business, politics, etc.
- an enclosed area, often circular, for contests, exhibitions, etc. a circus ring
- an enclosure, now usually a square, canvas-covered area set off by stakes and ropes, in which boxing and wrestling matches are held
- the sport or profession of boxing; prizefighting: with the
- Gym. two wooden rings suspended from a ceiling, used for acrobatic feats and routines: usually with the
- Gym. a competitive event in which the rings are used: usually with the
- a contest or competition, esp. a political one, as in throw one's hat into the ring
- Astron. a flat, thin, reflective band of orbiting particles, probably ice crystals and dust, encircling a planet, as Saturn or Uranus, along its equatorial plane at altitudes below the Roche limit
- Chem. closed chain
- Geom. the space between two concentric circles
- Math. a set of elements that has two operations, addition and multiplication, and the properties of being a commutative group under addition, of being closed and associative under multiplication and addition, and in which multiplication is distributive over addition
Etymology: ME < OE hring, akin to OHG, ON hringr, Du ring, Goth *hrings < IE *(s)krengh- < base *(s)ker-, to turn, bend > Gr kirkos, ring, L cortina, round vessel
transitive verb ringed, ring′·ing
- to surround or encircle with or as with a ring
- to form into a ring or rings
- to furnish with a ring or rings
- to put a ring through the nose of (an animal), as to prevent rooting or fighting
- to circle about and so hem in (animals)
- in some games, to toss a ring, horseshoe, quoit, etc. so that it encircles (a peg)
- to girdle (a tree)
intransitive verb
- to form in a ring or rings
- to move in a circular or curving course; run, fly, etc. in circles or spirals
ring² Idioms
run rings around
Informal- to run much faster than
- to excel greatly
ring Synonyms
ring
n.
A circle
A circular band of metal
hoop, band, circlet, collar; see bracelet, jewelry.Types of rings include: wedding, engagement, diamond, graduation, class, guard, signet, organization, umbrella, finger, pinkie, ankle, nose, key, harness, napkin, bracelet, earring, ear drop.
A close association, often corrupt
cabal, junta, combine, party, bloc, faction, group, gang, band, clique, monopoly, cartel, corner, pool, trust, syndicate, confederacy, tong, racket*, mob*, string*; see also organization 3.Pugilism
prizefighting, boxing, fighting, professional fighting, prize ring, boxing game*, fistic sport*, fight racket*; see also boxing, sport 3.The area roped for a fight
arena, prize ring, boxing ring, canvas, ropes*, battle box*, P. R.*, square*, resin*. * A ringing sound
chime, peal, toll, knell, tinkle, clang, jingle, tintinnabulation, jangle, ding-dong; see also noise 1.
give someone a ring*
run rings around*
ring Synonyms
ring
v.
To encircle
circle, rim, surround, encompass, girdle, enclose, move around, loop, gird, belt, confine, hem in; see also circle, surround 1.To cause to sound
clap, clang, bang, beat, toll, strike, pull, punch, buzz, play, sound the brass*; see also sound 1.To give forth sound by ringing
resound, reverberate, peal, chime, toll, knell, tinkle, jingle, jangle, vibrate, chime, clang, bong, ding, tintinnabulate; see also sound 1.To call by ringing
summon, call out, ring up, buzz for, press the buzzer, give a ring.
ring Telecom Definition
ring Usage Examples
Object
- bell: Outside gallery opening hours, please ring the bell marked ' Office ' at the front entrance of the House.
- peal: The highlights include: Ringing peals at a number of towers including all the 12s and the Swan Sixteen in Perth.
- doorbell: Another idea is to use the sensor to automatically ring a doorbell.
- endorsement: For the second consecutive year, UEA's students have given a ringing endorsement of the quality of staff, teaching and student support.
Possessives
'o: Raxton EExe plugs are supplied complete with an 'O ' ring to ensure that the IP rating of the enclosure is maintained.
Adjective modifier
- concentric: A series of concentric rings found in sand on a beach showed very high levels of ionization.
- outer: The former has gold layering for the outer ring.
Modifies a noun
- binder: These are available in ring binder form free of charge to churches which register with the scheme.
- tone: The ring tone can help connect that fan to the artist.
- ouzel: Only 11,782 ring ouzels have ever been ringed in this country, compared to nearly 1.7 million blackbirds.
Noun used with modifier
- diamond: Unique ladies right hand rings, right hand diamond rings & sterling silver right hand ring.
- engagement: Most will spend two or three times their monthly salary on a diamond engagement ring - £ 5,000 or more.
- benzene: Well, this can be explained by the presence of three bulky benzene rings ( see below ).
- wedding: Wedding Rings Your wedding rings were meant to last a lifetime.
- piston: This type of process is applied to needle or roller bearings, gears and piston rings.
- boxing: In later life he worked a market stall in Blackpool selling jewelry ( a far cry from the boxing ring ).
Adjective complement
hollow: We have heard it so often now that it has begun to ring hollow for some of us.
Preposition: of
- ladder: Taking his sword in both hands, he peered over the top rung of the ladder.
- bell: Stoke Church has a fine ring of six bells, two of which are from the 17th Century.
Preposition: for
eon: Whereas women have worn wedding rings for eons, men have not.
Browse dictionary entries near ring
- ‹ rinderpest
- ‹ rind
- ‹ rimy
- ‹ Rimsky-Korsakov
- ‹ rimshot
- ‹ rimrock
- ‹ rimple
- ‹ rimose
- ‹ Rimini
- ‹ rimfire

