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ring down the curtain

 - 7 dictionary results

ring

2[ring] verb, rang, rung, ring⋅ing, noun
–verb (used without object)
1. to give forth a clear resonant sound, as a bell when struck: The doorbell rang twice.
2. to make a given impression on the mind; appear: words that rang false; a story that rings true.
3. to cause a bell or bells to sound, esp. as a summons: Just ring if you need anything.
4. to sound loudly; be loud or resonant; resound (often fol. by out): His brave words rang out.
5. to be filled with sound; reecho with sound, as a place.
6. (of the ears) to have the sensation of a continued humming sound.
7. Chiefly British. to telephone.
–verb (used with object)
8. to cause (a bell or device with a bell) to ring; sound by striking: to ring a bell.
9. to produce (sound) by or as if by ringing: The bell rang a low tone.
10. 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.
11. to test (a coin or other metal object) by the sound it produces when struck against something.
12. Chiefly British. to telephone.
–noun
13. a ringing sound, as of a bell or bells: the ring of sleigh bells.
14. a sound or tone likened to the ringing of a bell: Rings of laughter issued from the school.
15. any loud sound; sound continued, repeated, or reverberated: the ring of iron upon stone.
16. a set or peal of bells.
17. a telephone call: Give me a ring tomorrow.
18. an act or instance of ringing a bell: No one answered my ring.
19. a characteristic sound, as of a coin.
20. 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.
21. ring in,
a. to indicate one's arrival at work by punching in on a time clock.
b. Informal. to introduce artfully or fraudulently: to ring in an imposter.
22. ring off,
a. to terminate a telephone conversation.
b. British Slang. to stop talking.
c. British Slang. to go away.
23. ring out,
a. to indicate one's departure from work by punching out on a time clock.
b. to make a sound or noise; resound: The church bells rang out.
24. ring up,
a. to register (the amount of a sale) on a cash register.
b. to accomplish or record: to ring up a series of successes.
c. Chiefly British. to telephone.
25. ring a bell. bell 1 (def. 14).
26. ring down the curtain,
a. to direct that the curtain of a theater be lowered or closed.
b. to lower or close the curtain in front of a stage.
27. ring down the curtain on, to bring to an end: The accident rang down the curtain on his law career.
28. ring the bell. bell 1 (def. 15).
29. ring the changes. change (def. 38).
30. ring up the curtain,
a. to direct that the curtain of a theater be raised or opened.
b. to raise or open the curtain in front of a stage.
31. ring up the curtain on, to begin; inaugurate; initiate: The $100-a-plate dinner rang up the curtain on the hospital's fund-raising drive.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME ringen, OE hringan; c. ON hringja, G ringen


ring⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
ring⋅ing⋅ness, noun


20. sound, tone, quality.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To ring down the curtain
ring 2   (rĭng)   
v.   rang (rāng), rung (rŭng), ring·ing, rings

v.   intr.
  1. To give forth a clear resonant sound.

  2. To cause something to ring.

  3. To sound a bell in order to summon someone: I'll ring for the maid.

  4. To have a sound or character suggestive of a particular quality: a story that rings true.

  5. To be filled with sound; resound: The room rang with the children's laughter.

  6. To hear a persistent humming or buzzing: My ears were ringing from the sound of the blast.

  7. To be filled with talk or rumor: The whole town rang with the bad news.

v.   tr.
  1. To cause (a bell, for example) to ring.

  2. To produce (a sound) by or as if by ringing.

  3. To announce, proclaim, or signal by or as if by ringing: a clock that rings the hour.

  4. Chiefly British To call (someone) on the telephone. Often used with up: She rang me at noon. Let's ring her up and invite her.

  5. To test (a coin, for example) for quality by the sound it produces when struck against something.

n.  
  1. The sound created by a bell or another sonorous vibrating object.

  2. A loud sound, especially one that is repeated or continued.

  3. A telephone call: Give me a ring when you have time.

  4. A suggestion of a particular quality: His offer has a suspicious ring.

  5. A set of bells.

  6. The act or an instance of sounding a bell.

Phrasal Verb(s):
ring up
  1. To record, especially by means of a cash register: ring up a sale.

  2. To accomplish or achieve; win: rang up several consecutive victories.


Idiom(s):
ring a bell Informal To arouse an often indistinct memory.

Idiom(s):
ring down the curtainTo end a performance, event, or action.

Idiom(s):
ring (someone's) chimes/bells Slang To knock (an opponent) out by physical or other force.

Idiom(s):
ring up the curtainTo begin a performance, event, or action.

[Middle English ringen, from Old English hringan.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ring  (v.)
"sound a bell," O.E. hringan, from P.Gmc. *khrenganan (cf. O.N. hringja, Swed. ringa, M.Du. ringen), probably of imitative origin. To give (someone) a ring "call on the telephone" was in use by 1910. To ring down a theatrical curtain is from 1772, from the custom of signaling for it by ringing a bell.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Financial Dictionary

ring

See pit.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 2ring
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Forms: rang /'ra[ng]/; rung /'r&[ng]/; ring·ing /'ri[ng]-i[ng]/
: to have the sensation of being filled with a humming sound rang>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

ring (rĭng)
n.

  1. A circular object, form, or arrangement with a vacant circular center.

  2. The area between two concentric circles; annulus.

  3. A group of atoms linked by bonds that may be represented graphically in circular or triangular form.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
ring   (rĭng)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. See growth ring.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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