ripeadjective
uk/raɪp/us/raɪp/ripe adjective (FRUIT/CROPS)
B2 (of fruit or crops) completely developed and ready to be collected or eaten:
Those bananas aren't ripe yet - they're still green.
More examples
- The pods split open when the beans are ripe.
- The oil is made by crushing and pressing ripe olives.
- Ripe figs spoil easily and cannot be shipped long distances.
- The fruit turns red when it is ripe.
- The fruit is picked before it turns ripe.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Various qualities of food
- citrus
- cordon bleu
- creamy
- crisp
- crispy
- crunchy
- fatty
- hoppy
- instant
- isotonic
- kosher
- lean
- mild
- salt
- store-bought
- sugar-coated
- sugar-free
- unbleached
- undercook
- unsliced
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ripe adjective (CHEESE)
Ripe cheese has developed a strong flavour:
This brie smells good and ripe.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Various qualities of food
- citrus
- cordon bleu
- creamy
- crisp
- crispy
- crunchy
- fatty
- hoppy
- instant
- isotonic
- kosher
- lean
- mild
- salt
- store-bought
- sugar-coated
- sugar-free
- unbleached
- undercook
- unsliced
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ripe adjective (SMELL)
A ripe smell is strong and unpleasant:
There was a ripe smell from his socks.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Smells & smelling
- acrid
- aroma
- beery
- bouquet
- cheesy
- foetid
- fragrance
- frowsty
- odour
- putrid
- scratch-and-sniff
- smell somewhere out
- smell sth/sb out
- sniff sth/sb out
- sour
- stagnant
- stench
- stinky
- waft
- woody
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ripe adjective (LANGUAGE)
old-fashioned humorous used to describe language that is rude:
a ripe joke
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Rude and cheeky
- backchat
- bold
- cheeky
- chutzpah
- cocksure
- cocky
- fruity
- gobby
- impertinent
- liberty
- lippy
- mouthy
- neanderthal
- offensive
- personally
- presumptuous
- sass
- sick
- smart mouth
- unpleasant
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ripeness
noun [ U ] uk/ˈraɪp.nəs/us/ˈraɪp.nəs/
Cooking time will vary according to the ripeness of the pears.
Idiom(s)
ripe for sth
a ripe old age