having wealth or great possessions; abundantly supplied with resources, means, or funds; wealthy: a rich man; a rich nation.
2.
abounding in natural resources: a rich territory.
3.
having wealth or valuable resources (usually fol. by in): a country rich in traditions.
4.
abounding (usually fol. by in or with): a countryside rich in beauty; a design rich with colors.
5.
of great value or worth; valuable: a rich harvest.
6.
(of food) delectably and perhaps unhealthfully spicy, or sweet and abounding in butter or cream: a rich gravy; a rich pastry.
7.
costly, expensively elegant, or fine, as dress or jewels.
8.
sumptuous; elaborately abundant: a rich feast.
9.
using valuable materials or characterized by elaborate workmanship, as buildings or furniture.
10.
abounding in desirable elements or qualities: a man rich in kindness.
11.
(of wine) strong and finely flavored.
12.
(of color) deep, strong, or vivid: rich purple.
13.
full and mellow in tone: rich sounds; a rich voice.
14.
strongly fragrant; pungent: a rich odor.
15.
producing or yielding abundantly: a rich soil.
16.
abundant, plentiful, or ample: a rich supply.
17.
Automotive. (of a mixture in a fuel system) having a relatively high ratio of fuel to air (contrasted with lean).
18.
Informal.
a.
highly amusing.
b.
ridiculous; absurd.
–noun
19.
(used with a plural verb) rich persons collectively (usually prec. by the): new tax shelters for the rich.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME; OE rīce (adj.) ≪ Celtic; c. G reich wealthy; akin to L réx, Skt rājan king]
—Related forms
richly, adverb
richness, noun
—Synonyms 1. well-to-do, moneyed. Rich,wealthy,affluent all indicate abundance of possessions. Rich is the general word; it may imply that possessions are newly acquired: an oilman who became rich overnight. Wealthy suggests permanence, stability, and appropriate surroundings: a wealthy banker. Affluent usually suggests a generous amount of income, with a high standard of living and some social prestige and privilege: an affluent family. 5. bountiful, copious, luxuriant. 7. precious, high-priced, dear. 12. intense, vibrant. 14. aromatic. 15. fruitful, productive, prolific, luxuriant. 16. bountiful, copious, abounding, bounteous.
Possessing great material wealth: "Now that he was rich he was not thought ignorant any more, but simply eccentric"(Mavis Gallant).
Having great worth or value: a rich harvest of grain.
Magnificent; sumptuous: a rich brocade.
Having an abundant supply: rich in ideas.
Abounding, especially in natural resources: rich land.
Containing a large amount of choice ingredients, such as butter, sugar, or eggs, and therefore unusually heavy or sweet: a rich dessert.
Having or exuding a strong or pungent aroma: "Texas air is so rich you can nourish off it like it was food"(Edna Ferber).
Pleasantly full and mellow: a rich tenor voice.
Warm and strong in color: a rich brown velvet.
Meaningful and significant: "a rich sense of the transaction between writer and reader"(William Zinsser).
Very productive and therefore financially profitable: rich seams of coal.
Containing a large amount of choice ingredients, such as butter, sugar, or eggs, and therefore unusually heavy or sweet: a rich dessert.
Having or exuding a strong or pungent aroma: "Texas air is so rich you can nourish off it like it was food"(Edna Ferber).
Pleasantly full and mellow: a rich tenor voice.
Warm and strong in color: a rich brown velvet.
Pleasantly full and mellow: a rich tenor voice.
Warm and strong in color: a rich brown velvet.
Containing a large proportion of fuel to air: a rich gas mixture.
Informal Highly amusing.
n.
(used with a pl. verb)
Wealthy people considered as a group. Often used with the:"Were there, indeed, a sure appeal to the mercies of the rich, the calamities of the poor might be less intolerable"(Charlotte Smith).
[Middle English riche, from Old French (of Germanic origin) and from Old English rīce, strong, powerful; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]
rich'ly adv., rich'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean having an abundant supply of money, property, or possessions of value: a rich executive; an affluent banker; a speculator flush with cash; not merely rich but loaded; moneyed heirs; wealthy corporations.
RichAudio Help (rĭch) Pronunciation Key
American poet and essayist whose works, notably Diving Into the Wreck (1973), concern radical feminism, lesbianism, and political activism.
O.E. rice "wealthy, powerful, mighty," from P.Gmc. *rikijaz (cf. O.N. rikr, O.H.G. rihhi "ruler, powerful, rich," O.Fris. rike, Du. rijk, Ger. reich "rich," Goth. reiks "ruler, powerful, rich"), borrowed from a Celtic source akin to Gaulish *rix, O.Ir. ri (gen. rig) "king," from PIE base *reg- "move in a straight line," hence, "direct, rule" (see rex). The form of the word infl. in M.E. by O.Fr. riche "wealthy," from Frank. *riki "powerful," from the Gmc. source. The evolution of the word reflects a connection between wealth and power in the ancient world. Of food and colors, from c.1330; of sounds, from 1592. Sense of "entertaining, amusing" is recorded from 1760. The noun meaning "the wealthy" was in O.E.
possessing material wealth; "her father is extremely rich"; "many fond hopes are pinned on rich uncles" [ant: poor]
2.
having an abundant supply of desirable qualities or substances (especially natural resources); "blessed with a land rich in minerals"; "rich in ideas"; "rich with cultural interest" [ant: poor]
3.
of great worth or quality; "a rich collection of antiques"
4.
marked by great fruitfulness; "fertile farmland"; "a fat land"; "a productive vineyard"; "rich soil" [syn: fat]
5.
strong; intense; "deep purple"; "a rich red" [syn: deep]
6.
very productive; "rich seams of coal"
7.
high in mineral content; having a high proportion of fuel to air; "a rich vein of copper", "a rich gas mixture" [ant: lean]
8.
suggestive of or characterized by great expense; "a rich display" [ant: poor]
9.
containing plenty of fat, or eggs, or sugar; "rich desserts"; "they kept gorging on rich foods"
10.
marked by richness and fullness of flavor; "a rich ruby port"; "full-bodied wines"; "a robust claret"; "the robust flavor of fresh-brewed coffee" [syn: full-bodied]
11.
pleasantly full and mellow; "a rich tenor voice"
12.
affording an abundant supply; "had ample food for the party"; "copious provisions"; "food is plentiful"; "a plenteous grape harvest"; "a rich supply" [syn: ample]
noun
1.
people who have possessions and wealth (considered as a group); "only the very rich benefit from this legislation" [syn: rich people] [ant: poor]
Rich Creek, VA (town, FIPS 66896) Location: 37.38397 N, 80.82189 W Population (1990): 670 (314 housing units) Area: 2.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 24147
Rich Hill, MO (city, FIPS 61418) Location: 38.09575 N, 94.36299 W Population (1990): 1317 (751 housing units) Area: 3.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 64779
Rich Square, NC (town, FIPS 56440) Location: 36.27369 N, 77.28436 W Population (1990): 1058 (440 housing units) Area: 7.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 27869
Rich County, UT (county, FIPS 33) Location: 41.61901 N, 111.23869 W Population (1990): 1725 (1859 housing units) Area: 2664.1 sq km (land), 149.6 sq km (water)
Der"rick\, n. [Orig., a gallows, from a hangman named Derrick. The name is of Dutch origin; D. Diederik, Dierryk, prop. meaning, chief of the people; cf. AS. pe['o]dric, E. Theodoric, G. Dietrich. See Dutch, and Rich.] A mast, spar, or tall frame, supported at the top by stays or guys, with suitable tackle for hoisting heavy weights, as stones in building. Derrick crane, a combination of the derrick and the crane, having facility for hoisting and also for swinging the load horizontally.
En*rich"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Enriched; p. pr. & vb. n. Enriching.] [F. enrichir; pref. en- (L. in) + riche rich. See Rich.]1. To make rich with any kind of wealth; to render opulent; to increase the possessions of; as, to enrich the understanding with knowledge. Seeing, Lord, your great mercy Us hath enriched so openly. --Chaucer's Dream. 2. To supply with ornament; to adorn; as, to enrich a ceiling by frescoes. 3. To make rich with manure; to fertilize; -- said of the soil; as, to enrich land by irrigation. 4. To supply with knowledge; to instruct; to store; -- said of the mind. --Sir W. Raleigh.
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Audio Help [rich] Pronunciation Key adjective, -er, -est, noun 
