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rich - 10 dictionary results

rich

[rich] adjective, -er, -est, noun
–adjective
1. 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 rēx, Skt rājan king


richly, adverb
richness, noun


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.


1–5, 15, 16. poor.

Rich

[rich]
–noun
1. Adrienne, born 1929, U.S. poet and feminist.
2. a male given name, form of Richard.

rich⋅es

[rich-iz]
–plural noun
abundant and valuable possessions; wealth.

Origin:
1175–1225; ME, pl. of ME riche wealth, power (OE rīce power, rule; c. G Reich realm); confused with ME richesse wealth < OF, equiv. to riche wealthy (< Gmc; see rich ) + -esse -ess
rich   (rĭch)   
adj.   rich·er, rich·est
  1. Possessing great material wealth: "Now that he was rich he was not thought ignorant any more, but simply eccentric" (Mavis Gallant).
  2. Having great worth or value: a rich harvest of grain.
  3. Magnificent; sumptuous: a rich brocade.
    1. Having an abundant supply: rich in ideas.
    2. Abounding, especially in natural resources: rich land.
    3. Containing a large amount of choice ingredients, such as butter, sugar, or eggs, and therefore unusually heavy or sweet: a rich dessert.
    4. Having or exuding a strong or pungent aroma: "Texas air is so rich you can nourish off it like it was food" (Edna Ferber).
    5. Pleasantly full and mellow: a rich tenor voice.
    6. Warm and strong in color: a rich brown velvet.
  4. Meaningful and significant: "a rich sense of the transaction between writer and reader" (William Zinsser).
  5. Very productive and therefore financially profitable: rich seams of coal.
    1. Containing a large amount of choice ingredients, such as butter, sugar, or eggs, and therefore unusually heavy or sweet: a rich dessert.
    2. Having or exuding a strong or pungent aroma: "Texas air is so rich you can nourish off it like it was food" (Edna Ferber).
    3. Pleasantly full and mellow: a rich tenor voice.
    4. Warm and strong in color: a rich brown velvet.
    1. Pleasantly full and mellow: a rich tenor voice.
    2. Warm and strong in color: a rich brown velvet.
  6. Containing a large proportion of fuel to air: a rich gas mixture.
  7. 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.
Antonym: poor
Rich   (rĭch)   
American poet and essayist whose works, notably Diving Into the Wreck (1973), concern radical feminism, lesbianism, and political activism.

Rich

Rich\, (r[i^]ch), a. [Compar. Richer; superl. Richest.] [OE. riche, AS. r[=i]ce rich, powerful; akin to OS. r[=i]ki, D. rijk, G. reich, OHG. r[=i]hhi, Icel. r[=i]kr, Sw. rik, Dan. rig, Goth. reiks; from a word meaning, ruler, king, probably borrowed from Celtic, and akin to L. rex, regis, king, regere to guide, rule. [root]283. See Right, and cf. Derrick, Enrich, Rajah, Riches, Royal.]

1. Having an abundance of material possessions; possessed of a large amount of property; well supplied with land, goods, or money; wealthy; opulent; affluent; -- opposed to poor. "Rich merchants." --Chaucer.

The rich [person] hath many friends. --Prov. xiv. 20.

As a thief, bent to unhoard the cash Of some rich burgher. --Milton.

2. Hence, in general, well supplied; abounding; abundant; copious; bountiful; as, a rich treasury; a rich entertainment; a rich crop.

If life be short, it shall be glorious; Each minute shall be rich in some great action. --Rowe.

The gorgeous East with richest hand Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. --Milton.

3. Yielding large returns; productive or fertile; fruitful; as, rich soil or land; a rich mine.

4. Composed of valuable or costly materials or ingredients; procured at great outlay; highly valued; precious; sumptuous; costly; as, a rich dress; rich silk or fur; rich presents.

Like to rich and various gems. --Milton.

5. Abounding in agreeable or nutritive qualities; -- especially applied to articles of food or drink which are high-seasoned or abound in oleaginous ingredients, or are sweet, luscious, and high-flavored; as, a rich dish; rich cream or soup; rich pastry; rich wine or fruit.

Sauces and rich spices are fetched from India. --Baker.

6. Not faint or delicate; vivid; as, a rich color.

7. Full of sweet and harmonius sounds; as, a rich voice; rich music.

8. Abounding in beauty; gorgeous; as, a rich landscape; rich scenery.

9. Abounding in humor; exciting amusement; entertaining; as, the scene was a rich one; a rich incident or character. [Colloq.] --Thackeray.

Note: Rich is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, rich-fleeced, rich-jeweled, rich-laden, rich-stained.

Syn: Wealthy; affluent; opulent; ample; copious; abundant; plentiful; fruitful; costly; sumptuous; precious; generous; luscious.

Rich

Rich\, v. t. To enrich. [Obs.] --Gower.
Language Translation for : rich
Spanish: rico,
German: reich,
Japanese: 金持ちの

rich 
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.

rich

Of, relating to, or being a security price judged by some investors to be too high. For example, a new issue of stock may carry an offering price that many analysts consider rich. If too many investors and analysts believe the price is rich, the offering may be unsuccessful.

rich

In addition to the idiom beginning with rich, also see embarrassment of riches; from rags to riches; strike it rich.

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