[ring] n [ME, fr. OE hring; akin to OHG hring ring, OCS krogu circle] (bef. 12c) 1: a circular band for holding, connecting, hanging, pulling, packing, or sealing "a key ~" "a towel ~"
2: a circlet usu. of precious metal worn on the finger 3 a: a circular line, figure, or object "smoke ~" b: an encircling arrangement "a ~ of suburbs" c: a circular or spiral course--often used in pl. in the phrase run rings around
4. a (1): an often circular space esp. for exhibitions or competitions; esp: such a space at a circus (2): a structure containing such a ring b: a square enclosure in which boxers or wrestlers contest
5: a band believed to be composed of rocky fragments revolving around a planet (as Saturn)
6: annual ring
7. a: an exclusive combination of persons for a selfish and often corrupt purpose (as to control a market) "a wheat ~" b: gang 8: the field of a political contest: race 9: food in the shape of a circle 10: an arrangment of atoms represented in formulas or models in a cyclic manner--called also cycle 11: a set of mathematical elements that is closed under two binary operations of which the first forms a commutative group with the set and the second is associative over the set and is distributive with respect to the first operation 12 pl a: a pair of usu. rubber-covered metal rings suspended from a ceiling or crossbar to a height of approximately eight feet above the floor and used for hanging, swinging, and balancing feats in gymnastics b: an event in gymnastics competition in which the rings are used 13:
[2]boxing "ended his ~ career" -- ring.like adj
[2]ring vb ringed ; ring.ing vt (14c) 1: to provide with a ring
2: to place or form a ring around: encircle "police ~ed the building"
3: girdle 2
4: to throw a ringer over (the peg) in a game (as horseshoes or quoits) ~ vi 1 a: to move in a ring b: to rise in the air spirally
2: to form or take the shape of a ring [3]ring vb rang ; rung ; ring.ing [ME, fr. OE hringan; akin to ON hringja to ring] vi (bef. 12c) 1: to sound resonantly or sonorously "the doorbell rang" "cheers rang out"
2. a: to be filled with a reverberating sound: resound "the halls rang with laughter" b: to have the sensation of being filled with a humming sound "his ears rang"
3: to cause something to ring "~ for the butler"
4. a: to be filled with talk or report "the whole land rang with her fame" b: to have great renown c: to sound repetitiously "their praise rang in his ears"
5: to have a sound or character expressive of some quality "a story that ~s true"
6. chiefly Brit: to make a telephone call--usu. used with up ~ vt 1: to cause to sound esp. by striking
2: to make (a sound) by or as if by ringing a bell
3: to announce by or as if by ringing
4: to repeat often, loudly, or earnestly
5. a: to summon esp. by bell b chiefly Brit: telephone--usu. used with up -- ring a bell : to arouse a response "that name rings a bell" -- ring down the curtain : to conclude a performance or an action -- ring off the hook : to ring frequently or constantly with incoming calls "the telephone was ringing off the hook" -- ring the changes or ring changes : to run through the range of possible variations -- ring up the curtain : to begin a performance or an action [4]ring n (1549) 1: a set of bells
2: a clear resonant sound made by or resembling that made by vibrating metal
3: resonant tone: sonority
4: a loud sound continued, repeated, or reverberated
5: a sound or character expressive of some particular quality "the story had a familiar ~"
6. a: the act or an instance of ringing b: a telephone call "give me a ~ in the morning"