Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

rich       (rĭch)  Pronunciation Key  adj.   rich·er, rich·est 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. Antonym: poor

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Rich       (rĭch)  Pronunciation Key  American poet and essayist whose works, notably Diving Into the Wreck (1973), concern radical feminism, lesbianism, and political activism.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
rich 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

rich
adjective
1.	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]

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

rich

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

Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

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)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Rich

Rich\, v. t. To enrich. [Obs.] --Gower.