a typically circular band of metal or other durable material, especially one of gold or other precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc.
anything having the form of such a band: a napkin ring; a smoke ring.
a circular or surrounding line or mark: dark rings around the eyes.
a circular course: to dance in a ring.
a number of people or things situated in a circle or in an approximately circular arrangement: a ring of stones; a ring of hills.
the outside edge of a circular body, as a wheel; rim.
an enclosed area, often circular, as for a sports contest or exhibition: a circus ring.
a bullring.
an enclosure in which boxing and wrestling matches take place, usually consisting of a square, canvas-covered platform with surrounding ropes that are supported at each corner by posts.
the sport of boxing; prizefighting: the heyday of the ring.
(formerly in the U.S., now only in Britain) an area in a racetrack where bookmakers take bets.
a group of people cooperating for unethical, illicit, or illegal purposes, as to control stock-market prices, manipulate politicians, or elude the law: a ring of dope smugglers.
a single turn in a spiral or helix or in a spiral course.
Geometry. the area or space between two concentric circles.
annual ring.
a circle of bark cut from around a tree.
Chemistry. a number of atoms so united that they may be graphically represented in cyclic form.Compare chain (def. 7).
Architecture. rowlock (def. 1).
a bowlike or circular piece at the top of an anchor, to which the chain or cable is secured.
Also called spinning ring.Textiles. (in the ring-spinning frame) a circular track of highly polished steel on which the traveler moves and which imparts twists to the yarn by variations in its vertical movement.
Also called ring gauge . a unit of measurement of the diameter of cigars, equal to 1/64 of an inch.
Automotive, Machinery. piston ring.
Mathematics. a set that is closed under the operations of addition and multiplication and that is an Abelian group with respect to addition and an associative semigroup with respect to multiplication and in which the distributive laws relating the two operations hold.
verb (used with object),ringed,ring·ing.
to surround with a ring; encircle: The lake is ringed with forest and farmland.
to form into a ring.
to insert a ring through the nose of (an animal).
to hem in (animals) by riding or circling about them: The cowboys ringed the cattle they would be driving to market.
to girdle (def. 11).
(in horseshoes, ringtoss, etc.) to encircle (a stake or peg) with a ring, horseshoe, etc.
verb (used without object),ringed,ring·ing.
to form a ring or rings.
to move in a ring or a constantly curving course: The road rings around the mountain.
Idioms for ring
run rings around, to be obviously superior to; surpass; outdo: As an artist, she can run rings around her brother.
throw / toss one's hat in / into the ring. hat (def. 8).
Origin of ring
1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hring; cognate with Dutch, German ring, Old Norse hringr; akin to rank1
12. Ring,clique are terms applied with disapproving connotations to groups of persons. Ring suggests a small and intimately related group, combined for selfish and often dishonest purposes: a gambling ring. A clique is a small group that prides itself on its congeniality and exclusiveness: cliques in a school.
OTHER WORDS FROM ring
ringless,adjectiveringlike,adjective
Words nearby ring
rinceau, rind, rinderpest, Rinehart, rinforzando, ring, ring a bell, ring abscess, ring-a-lievio, Ring-a-Ring o' Roses, ring-around-the-rosey
Definition for ring (2 of 3)
ring2
[ ring ]
/ rɪŋ /
verb (used without object),rang,rung,ring·ing.
to give forth a clear resonant sound, as a bell when struck: The doorbell rang twice.
to make a given impression on the mind; appear: words that rang false; a story that rings true.
to cause a bell or bells to sound, especially as a summons: Just ring if you need anything.
to sound loudly; be loud or resonant; resound (often followed by out): His brave words rang out.
to be filled with sound; reecho with sound, as a place.
(of the ears) to have the sensation of a continued humming sound.
Chiefly British. to telephone.
verb (used with object),rang,rung,ring·ing.
to cause (a bell or device with a bell) to ring; sound by striking: to ring a bell.
to produce (sound) by or as if by ringing: The bell rang a low tone.
to announce or proclaim, usher in or out, summon, signal, etc., by or as if by the sound of a bell: to ring someone's praises; The bell rang the hour.
to test (a coin or other metal object) by the sound it produces when struck against something.
Chiefly British. to telephone.
noun
a ringing sound, as of a bell or bells: the ring of sleigh bells.
a sound or tone likened to the ringing of a bell: Rings of laughter issued from the school.
any loud sound; sound continued, repeated, or reverberated: the ring of iron upon stone.
a set or peal of bells.
a telephone call: Give me a ring tomorrow.
an act or instance of ringing a bell: No one answered my ring.
a characteristic sound, as of a coin.
the aspect or impression presented by a statement, an action, etc., taken as revealing a specified inherent quality: a ring of assurance in her voice; the ring of truth; a false ring.
Verb Phrases
ring in,
to indicate one's arrival at work by punching in on a time clock.
Informal.to introduce artfully or fraudulently: to ring in an imposter.
ring off,
to terminate a telephone conversation.
BritishSlang.to stop talking.
BritishSlang.to go away.
ring out,
to indicate one's departure from work by punching out on a time clock.
to make a sound or noise; resound: The church bells rang out.
ring up,
to register (the amount of a sale) on a cash register.
to accomplish or record: to ring up a series of successes.
Chiefly British.to telephone.
Origin of ring
2
before 900; Middle English ringen,Old English hringan; cognate with Old Norse hringja,German ringen
The aurora ring is more than 20,000 miles wide, about three times the diameter of Earth.
These Images Expose the Dark Side of the Solar System - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Corey S. Powell|August 26, 2020|Nautilus
The very ring on my finger reflects how this country can change.
Buttigieg invokes progress of LGBTQ movement at Democratic convention|Chris Johnson|August 21, 2020|Washington Blade
Where those three flames meet, a stoichiometric flame forms, making a bright blue ring.
Four types of flames join forces to make this eerie ‘blue whirl’|Emily Conover|August 12, 2020|Science News
Subtracting the one stack with no rings on it meant there were 31 unique stacks.
Can The Hare Beat The Tortoise?|Zach Wissner-Gross|July 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The stomach’s clues, such as the twig growth rings, suggest the dino’s last supper took place at the start of the growing season.
Fossil stomach reveals a dinosaur’s last meal|Carolyn Wilke|July 7, 2020|Science News For Students
These brave souls took an icy dip in the ocean to ring in 2015 and raise money for charity.
Diving Into 2015 With Polar Bear Plunge Extremists|James Joiner|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Some things never change as we wring out the old year and ring in the new one.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style|Candida Moss|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What was this human being fighting for everywhere but inside a ring?
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And soon all of America got to see Ray in the ring with Janay, hitting her with a shot in the jaw.
The $44 Million Teflon Don of the NFL|Mike Barnicle|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In comparison, “Ring Off” is almost jarring in its more cooled down, island vibe.
Beyonce’s New “7/11” and “Ring Off” Will Give You Reason to Live (And Dance)|Kevin Fallon|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When he heard him ring the bell on the second floor, an uneasy expression came over his face.
The Goose Man|Jacob Wassermann
The table was all set and Bridget was just going to ring the bell, but the monkey didn't wait for her.
Harper's Young People, February 8, 1881|Various
The other thing she had to say was this: she had that day met the travelling jeweller to whom she and I had sold my ring.
Curious, if True|Elizabeth Gaskell
In some places it is common for the same ring to be used for many marriages, which ring remains in the custody of the priest.
Finger-Ring Lore|William Jones
Ring circular, smooth, its transverse section also circular.
Report on the Radiolaria Collected by H.M.S. Challenger During the Years 1873-1876, Second Part: Subclass Osculosa; Index|Ernst Haeckel
British Dictionary definitions for ring (1 of 2)
ring1
/ (rɪŋ) /
noun
a circular band usually of a precious metal, esp gold, often set with gems and worn upon the finger as an adornment or as a token of engagement or marriage
any object or mark that is circular in shape
a circular path or courseto run around in a ring
a group of people or things standing or arranged so as to form a circlea ring of spectators
an enclosed space, usually circular in shape, where circus acts are performed
a square apron or raised platform, marked off by ropes, in which contestants box or wrestle
the ringthe sport of boxing
the field of competition or rivalry
throw one's hat in the ringto announce one's intention to be a candidate or contestant
a group of people usually operating illegally and covertlya drug ring; a paedophile ring
(esp at country fairs) an enclosure, often circular, where horses, cattle, and other livestock are paraded and auctioned
an area reserved for betting at a racecourse
a circular strip of bark cut from a tree or branch, esp in order to kill it
a single turn in a spiral
geometrythe area of space lying between two concentric circles
mathsa set that is subject to two binary operations, addition and multiplication, such that the set is an Abelian group under addition and is closed under multiplication, this latter operation being associative
botany short for annual ring
Also called: closed chainchema closed loop of atoms in a molecule
astronomyany of the thin circular bands of small bodies orbiting a giant planet, esp SaturnSee also Saturn 2 (def. 1)
run rings aroundinformalto be greatly superior to; outclass completely
verbrings, ringingorringed(tr)
to surround with or as if with or form a ring; encircle
to mark (a bird) with a ring or clip for subsequent identification
to fit a ring in the nose of (a bull, pig, etc) so that it can be led easily
Also: ringbark
to cut away a circular strip of bark from (a tree or branch) in order to kill it
to cut a narrow or partial ring from (the trunk of a tree) in order to check or prevent vigorous growth
Australian and NZto be the fastest shearer in a shearing shed (esp in the phrase ring the shed)
Word Origin for ring
Old English hring; related to Old Norse hringr
British Dictionary definitions for ring (2 of 2)
ring2
/ (rɪŋ) /
verbrings, ringing, rangorrung
to emit or cause to emit a sonorous or resonant sound, characteristic of certain metals when struck
to cause (a bell) to emit a ringing sound by striking it once or repeatedly or (of a bell) to emit such a sound
(tr)to cause (a large bell, esp a church bell) to emit a ringing sound by pulling on a rope that is attached to a wheel on which the bell swings back and forth, being sounded by a clapper inside itCompare chime 1 (def. 6)
(intr)(of a bell) to sound by being swung in this way
(intr)(of a building, place, etc) to be filled with sound; echothe church rang with singing
(intr foll by for) to call by means of a bell, buzzer, etcto ring for the butler
Also: ring upmainlyBritishto call (a person) by telephone
(tr)to strike or tap (a coin) in order to assess its genuineness by the sound produced
(intr)(of the ears) to have or give the sensation of humming or ringing
(intr)electronics(of an electric circuit) to produce a damped oscillatory wave after the application of a sharp input transition
slangto change the identity of (a stolen vehicle) by using the licence plate, serial number, etc, of another, usually disused, vehicle
ring a bellto sound familiar; remind one of something, esp indistinctly
ring down the curtain
to lower the curtain at the end of a theatrical performance
(foll by on)to put an end (to)
ring falseto give the impression of being false
ring the bell
to do, say, or be the right thing
to reach the pinnacle of success or happiness
ring the changesto vary the manner or performance of an action that is often repeated
ring trueto give the impression of being truethat story doesn't ring true
noun
the act of or a sound made by ringing
a sound produced by or suggestive of a bell
any resonant or metallic sound, esp one sustained or re-echoedthe ring of trumpets
informal, mainlyBritisha telephone callhe gave her a ring last night
the complete set of bells in a tower or belfrya ring of eight bells See peal 1 (def. 3)
an inherent quality or characteristichis explanation has the ring of sincerity
electronicsthe damped oscillatory wave produced by a circuit that rings
See also ring back, ring in, ring off, ring out, ring up
Word Origin for ring
Old English hringan; related to Old High German hringen Old Norse hringja
usage for ring
Rang and sang are the correct forms of the past tenses of ring and sing, although rung and sung are still heard informally and dialectally: he rung (rang) the bell
A set of elements subject to the operations of addition and multiplication, in which the set is an abelian group under addition and associative under multiplication and in which the two operations are related by distributive laws.
A group of atoms linked by bonds that may be represented graphically in circular or triangular form. Benzene, for example, contains a ring of six carbon atoms. All cyclic compounds contain one or more rings. See annulus.