/ raɪm; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a word that has the same sound or ends with the same sound as another word :
Can you think of a rhyme for 'beauty'?
2.
[ C ] a short poem in which the last word in the line has the same sound as the last word in another line, especially the next one :
children's rhymes and stories
—see also nursery rhyme
3.
[ U ] the use of words in a poem or song that have the same sound, especially at the ends of lines :
a poem written in rhyme
the poet's use of rhyme
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IDIOMS
- there's no rhyme or reason to / for sth | without rhyme or reason
■ verb
1.
[ v ] rhyme (with sth) if two words, syllables, etc. rhyme , or if one rhymes with the other, they have or end with the same sound :
'Though' rhymes with 'low'.
'Tough' and 'through' don't rhyme.
rhyming couplets
2.
[ vn ] rhyme sth (with sth) to put words that sound the same together, for example when you are writing poetry :
You can rhyme 'girl' with 'curl'.
3.
[ v ] ( of a poem ) to have lines that end with the same sound :
I prefer poems that rhyme.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English rime , from Old French , from medieval Latin rithmus , via Latin from Greek rhuthmos (related to rhein to flow). The current spelling was introduced in the early 17th cent. under the influence of rhythm .