I. noun
or rime ˈrīm
( -s )
Etymology: rhyme alteration (influenced by Latin rhythmus rhythm) of rime; rime from Middle English rime, ryme, from Old French rime, probably modification (influenced by Old High German rīm number, series) of Latin rhythmus rhythm — more at rite , rhythm
1.
a. : correspondence in terminal sounds of two or more words, lines of verse, or other units of composition or utterance: as
(1) also rhyme proper : correspondence of the last accented vowels and all succeeding sounds in two lines or units especially (as in English verse) when the sounds preceding the last accented vowel are different in the two rhyming units
(2) : assonance 2 b
(3) : consonance 2 d
b. : one of two or more words thus corresponding in sound
fall, appall, haul, and awl are approved rhymes
there were no more rhymes for sky — Lord Dunsany
c. : correspondence of other than terminal word sounds: as
(1) : beginning rhyme
(2) : alliteration
(3) : internal rhyme
d. : rhyme scheme
2.
a.
(1) : rhyming verse
some love of yours has writ to you in rhyme — Shakespeare
(2) : poetry
there is no such thing as a dialect for rhyme , or a language for verse — John Ruskin
in the style of folk rhyme — H.W.Wells
writers of pleasant rhymes — Australasian
b. : a composition in verse that rhymes
my passionate rhyme — W.B.Yeats
gave us an extraordinary English doggerel rhyme — J.M.Synge
3. : rhythm , measure
gay broad leaves shone and swung in rhyme — John Galsworthy
II. verb
or rime “
( rhymed or rimed ; rhymed or rimed ; rhyming or riming ; rhymes or rimes )
Etymology: rhyme alteration (influenced by rhyme ) (I) of rime; rime from Middle English rimen, rymen, from Old French rimer, from rime rhyme
intransitive verb
1. : to make rhymes : compose rhyming verse
talked nothing but blank verse for the rest of the afternoon, except once or twice when she rhymed — J.B.S.Haldane
how vilely doth this cynic rhyme — Shakespeare
2.
a. of a word or verse : to end in syllables that rhyme : form a rhyme
the middle line of each terzina, or triplet, rhymes with the first and third lines of the next — J.A.Macy
b. of a word or syllable : to be a rhyme
since stressed can rhyme with unstressed syllables the number of possible full rhymes in English is greatly extended — G.S.Fraser
cover rhymes with lover
3. : to be in accord : harmonize
the sun, the banners, the rose leaves, the young children … rhyme with the new joy and innocence to be achieved — George Santayana
transitive verb
1.
a. : to relate or praise in rhyming verse
rhymes the struggles of the first settlers — Katharine L. Bates
b. : to put into rhyme
if I could have the wish I rhyme — H.A.Blood
c. : to compose (verse) in rhyme
I rhymed out poetry in my youth — Donagh MacDonagh
d. : to cause to rhyme : use as rhyme
sleight is rhymed with counterfeit as well as height — Notes & Queries
2. : to drive or bring to a particular state or condition by rhyming or a rhyme
pretty friendship 'tis to rhyme your friends to death before their time — A.E.Housman