ring1
- 1) noun, a circular band usually of a precious metal, esp gold, often set with gems and worn upon the finger as an adornment or as a token of engagement or marriage
- 2) noun, any object or mark that is circular in shape
- 3) noun, a circular path or course
- 4) noun, a group of people or things standing or arranged so as to form a circle
- 5) noun, an enclosed space, usually circular in shape, where circus acts are performed
- 6) noun, a square apron or raised platform, marked off by ropes, in which contestants box or wrestle
- 7) noun, the ring the sport of boxing
- 8) noun, the field of competition or rivalry
- 9) noun, throw one's hat in the ring to announce one's intention to be a candidate or contestant
- 10) noun, a group of people usually operating illegally and covertly
- 11) noun, (esp at country fairs) an enclosure, often circular, where horses, cattle, and other livestock are paraded and auctioned
- 12) noun, an area reserved for betting at a racecourse
- 13) noun, a circular strip of bark cut from a tree or branch, esp in order to kill it
- 14) noun, a single turn in a spiral
- 15) noun, geometry the area of space lying between two concentric circles
- 16) noun, maths a set that is subject to two binary operations, addition and multiplication, such that the set is an Abelian group under addition and is closed under multiplication, this latter operation being associative
- 17) noun, botany. short for annual ring
- 18) noun, Also called: closed chain chem a closed loop of atoms in a molecule
- 19) noun, astronomy any of the thin circular bands of small bodies orbiting a giant planet, esp Saturn. See also Saturn
- 20) noun, run rings around to be greatly superior to; outclass completely
- 21) verb, to surround with or as if with or form a ring; encircle
- 22) verb, to mark (a bird) with a ring or clip for subsequent identification
- 23) verb, to fit a ring in the nose of (a bull, pig, etc) so that it can be led easily
- 24) verb, Also: ringbark a) to cut away a circular strip of bark from (a tree or branch) in order to kill it b) to cut a narrow or partial ring from (the trunk of a tree) in order to check or prevent vigorous growth
- 25) verb, to be the fastest shearer in a shearing shed (esp in the phrase ring the shed)
Etymology
Old English hring; related to Old Norse hringr
Collins English Electronic Dictionary - Digital Edition: 2008 © HarperCollins Publishers 2008
ring2
- 1) verb, to emit or cause to emit a sonorous or resonant sound, characteristic of certain metals when struck
- 2) verb, to cause (a bell) to emit a ringing sound by striking it once or repeatedly or (of a bell) to emit such a sound
- 3) verb, a) to cause (a large bell, esp a church bell) to emit a ringing sound by pulling on a rope that is attached to a wheel on which the bell swings back and forth, being sounded by a clapper inside it. Compare chime b) (of a bell) to sound by being swung in this way
- 4) verb, (of a building, place, etc) to be filled with sound; echo
- 5) verb, to call by means of a bell, buzzer, etc
- 6) verb, Also: ring up to call (a person) by telephone
- 7) verb, to strike or tap (a coin) in order to assess its genuineness by the sound produced
- 8) verb, (of the ears) to have or give the sensation of humming or ringing
- 9) verb, electronics (of an electric circuit) to produce a damped oscillatory wave after the application of a sharp input transition
- 10) verb, slang to change the identity of (a stolen vehicle) by using the licence plate, serial number, etc, of another, usually disused, vehicle
- 11) verb, ring a bell to sound familiar; remind one of something, esp indistinctly
- 12) verb, ring down the curtain a) to lower the curtain at the end of a theatrical performance b) to put an end (to)
- 13) verb, ring false to give the impression of being false
- 14) verb, ring the bell a) to do, say, or be the right thing b) to reach the pinnacle of success or happiness
- 15) verb, ring the changes to vary the manner or performance of an action that is often repeated
- 16) verb, ring true to give the impression of being true
- 17) noun, the act of or a sound made by ringing
- 18) noun, a sound produced by or suggestive of a bell
- 19) noun, any resonant or metallic sound, esp one sustained or re-echoed
- 20) noun, a telephone call
- 21) noun, the complete set of bells in a tower or belfry. See peal
- 22) noun, an inherent quality or characteristic
- 23) noun, electronics the damped oscillatory wave produced by a circuit that rings ▷ See also ring back ▷ See also, ring in ▷ See also, ring off ▷ See also, ring out ▷ See also, ring up
Etymology
Old English hringan; related to Old High German hringen Old Norse hringja
Collins English Electronic Dictionary - Digital Edition: 2008 © HarperCollins Publishers 2008
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Synonyms
call, buzz (informal chiefly Brit.), chime, knell, peal, circle, round, band, circuit, loop, hoop, halo, arena, enclosure, circus, rink, gang, group, association, band, cell, combine, organization, circle, crew (informal), knot, mob, syndicate, cartel, junta, clique, coterie, cabal, phone, call, telephone, buzz (informal chiefly Brit.), chime, sound, toll, resound, resonate, reverberate, clang, peal, reverberate, resound, resonate, encircle, surround, enclose, encompass, girdle, circumscribe, gird