1. n. & v.
--n.
1. a circular band, usu. of precious metal, worn on a finger as an ornament or a token of marriage or betrothal.
2 a circular band of any material.
3 the rim of a cylindrical or circular object, or a line or band round it.
4 a mark or part having the form of a circular band (had rings round his eyes; smoke rings).
5 annual ring.
6 a an enclosure for a circus performance, betting at races, the showing of cattle, etc. b (prec. by the) bookmakers collectively. c a roped enclosure for boxing or wrestling.
7 a a group of people or things arranged in a circle. b such an arrangement.
8 a combination of traders, bookmakers, spies, politicians, etc. acting together usu. illicitly for the control of operations or profit.
9 a circular or spiral course.
10 gas ring.
11 Astron. a a thin band or disc of particles etc. round a planet. b a halo round the moon.
12 Archaeol. a circular prehistoric earthwork usu. of a bank and ditch.
13 Chem. a group of atoms each bonded to two others in a closed sequence.
14 Math. a set of elements with two binary operations, addition and multiplication, the second being distributive over the first and associative.
--v.tr.
1. make or draw a circle round.
2 (often foll. by round, about, in) encircle or hem in (game or cattle).
3 put a ring on (a bird etc.) or through the nose of (a pig, bull, etc.).
4 cut (fruit, vegetables, etc.) into rings.
Phrases and idioms:
ring-binder a loose-leaf binder with ring-shaped clasps that can be opened to pass through holes in the paper. ring circuit an electrical circuit serving a number of power points with one fuse in the supply to the circuit. ring-dove
1. the woodpigeon.
2 the collared dove. ringed plover either of two small plovers, Charadrius hiaticula and C. dubius. ring finger the finger next to the little finger, esp. of the left hand, on which the wedding ring is usu. worn.
ring main
1. an electrical supply serving a series of consumers and returning to the original source, so that each consumer has an alternative path in the event of a failure.
2 ring circuit. ring-neck any of various ring-necked birds esp. a type of pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, with a white neck-ring. ring-necked Zool. having a band or bands of colour round the neck. ring ouzel a thrush, Turdus torquatus, with a white crescent across its breast. ring-pull (of a tin) having a ring for pulling to break its seal. ring road a bypass encircling a town.
ring-tailed
1. (of monkeys, lemurs, racoons, etc.) having a tail ringed in alternate colours.
2 with the tail curled at the end. run (or make) rings round colloq. outclass or outwit (another person).
Derivatives:
ringed adj. (also in comb.). ringless adj.
Etymology: OE hring f. Gmc 2. v. & n.
--v. (past rang; past part. rung)
1. intr. (often foll. by out etc.) give a clear resonant or vibrating sound of or as of a bell (a shot rang out; a ringing laugh; the telephone rang).
2 tr. a make (esp. a bell) ring. b (absol.) call for service or attention by ringing a bell (you rang, madam?).
3 tr. (also absol.; often foll. by up) Brit. call by telephone (will ring you on Monday; did you ring?).
4 intr. (usu. foll. by with, to) (of a place) resound or be permeated with a sound, or an attribute, e.g. fame (the theatre rang with applause).
5 intr. (of the ears) be filled with a sensation of ringing.
6 tr. a sound (a peal etc.) on bells. b (of a bell) sound (the hour etc.).
7 tr. (foll. by in, out) usher in or out with bell-ringing (ring in the May; rang out the Old Year).
8 intr. (of sentiments etc.) convey a specified impression (words rang hollow).
--n.
1. a ringing sound or tone.
2 a the act of ringing a bell. b the sound caused by this.
3 colloq. a telephone call (give me a ring).
4 a specified feeling conveyed by an utterance (had a melancholy ring).
5 a set of esp. church bells.
Phrases and idioms:
ring back make a return telephone call to (a person who has telephoned earlier). ring a bell see BELL(1). ring the changes (on) see CHANGE. ring down (or up) the curtain
1. cause the curtain to be lowered or raised.
2 (foll. by on) mark the end or the beginning of (an enterprise etc.).
ring in
1. report or make contact by telephone.
2 Austral. & NZ sl. substitute fraudulently. ring in one's ears (or heart etc.) linger in the memory. ringing tone a sound heard by a telephone caller when the number dialled is being rung. ring off Brit. end a telephone call by replacing the receiver. ring true (or false) convey an impression of truth or falsehood.
ring up
1. Brit. call by telephone.
2 record (an amount etc.) on a cash register.
Derivatives:
ringed adj. (also in comb.). ringer n. ringing adj. ringingly adv.
Etymology: OE hringan