I. ˈriŋ noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hring; akin to Old High German hring ring, Old Church Slavic krǫgŭ circle
Date: before 12th century
1. : a circular band for holding, connecting, hanging, pulling, packing, or sealing
a key ring
a towel ring
2. : a circlet usually of precious metal worn especially on the finger
3.
a. : a circular line, figure, or object
smoke ring
b. : an encircling arrangement
a ring of suburbs
c. : a circular or spiral course — often used figuratively in plural in the phrase run rings around to describe surpassing an opponent decisively
4.
a.
(1) : an often circular space especially for exhibitions or competitions ; especially : such a space at a circus
(2) : a structure containing such a ring
b. : a square enclosure in which a fighting contest (as a boxing or wrestling match) takes place
5. : a band of small objects revolving around a planet (as Saturn) and composed of dust and icy or rocky fragments
6. : annual ring
7.
a. : an exclusive combination of persons for a selfish and often corrupt purpose (as to control a market)
a wheat ring
b. : gang
8. : the field of a political contest : race
9. : food in the shape of a circle
10. : an arrangement 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. plural
a. : a pair of usually 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. : boxing I
ended his ring career
• ring·like ˈriŋ-līk adjective
II. verb
( ringed ; ring·ing ˈriŋ-iŋ)
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to provide with a ring
2. : to place or form a ring around : encircle
police ring ed the building
3. : girdle 2
4. : to throw a ringer over (the peg) in a game (as horseshoes or quoits)
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move in a ring
b. : to rise in the air spirally
2. : to form or take the shape of a ring
III. verb
( rang ˈraŋ ; rung ˈrəŋ ; ring·ing ˈriŋ-iŋ)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English hringan; akin to Old Norse hringja to ring
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
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
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 ring s true
6. chiefly British : to make a telephone call — usually used with up
transitive verb
1. : to cause to sound especially 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 especially by bell
b. chiefly British : telephone — usually used with up
•
- ring a bell
- ring down the curtain
- ring off the hook
- ring the changes
- ring up the curtain
IV. noun
Date: 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 ring
6.
a. : the act or an instance of ringing
b. : a telephone call
give me a ring in the morning