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rung

 - 13 dictionary results

rung

1  [ruhng]
Use rung in a Sentence
–verb
pt. and pp. of ring 2 .

rung

2  [ruhng]
–noun
1. one of the crosspieces, usually rounded, forming the steps of a ladder.
2. a rounded or shaped piece fixed horizontally, for strengthening purposes, as between the legs of a chair.
3. a spoke of a wheel.
4. a stout stick, rod, or bar, esp. one of rounded section, forming a piece in something framed or constructed.
5. a stage in a scale, level in a hierarchy, etc.; degree: He rose a few rungs in the company.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; OE hrung; c. Goth hrunga rod, G Runge

Related forms:
rungless, adjective

ring

1  [ring] noun, verb, ringed, ring⋅ing.
–noun
1. a typically circular band of metal or other durable material, esp. one of gold or other precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc.
2. anything having the form of such a band: a napkin ring; a smoke ring.
3. a circular or surrounding line or mark: dark rings around the eyes.
4. a circular course: to dance in a ring.
5. a number of persons or things situated in a circle or in an approximately circular arrangement: a ring of stones; a ring of hills.
6. the outside edge of a circular body, as a wheel; rim.
7. an enclosed area, often circular, as for a sports contest or exhibition: a circus ring.
8. a bullring.
9. an enclosure in which boxing and wrestling matches take place, usually consisting of a square, canvas-covered platform with surrounding ropes that are supported at each corner by posts.
10. the sport of boxing; prizefighting: the heyday of the ring.
11. (formerly in the U.S., now only in Brit.) an area in a racetrack where bookmakers take bets.
12. a group of persons cooperating for unethical, illicit, or illegal purposes, as to control stock-market prices, manipulate politicians, or elude the law: a ring of dope smugglers.
13. a single turn in a spiral or helix or in a spiral course.
14. Geometry. the area or space between two concentric circles.
15. annual ring.
16. a circle of bark cut from around a tree.
17. Chemistry. a number of atoms so united that they may be graphically represented in cyclic form. Compare chain (def. 7).
18. Architecture. rowlock (def. 1).
19. a bowlike or circular piece at the top of an anchor, to which the chain or cable is secured.
20. Also called spinning ring. Textiles. (in the ring-spinning frame) a circular track of highly polished steel on which the traveler moves and which imparts twists to the yarn by variations in its vertical movement.
21. a unit of measurement of the diameter of cigars, equal to 1/64 of an inch. Also called ring gauge.
22. Automotive, Machinery. piston ring.
23. Mathematics. a set that is closed under the operations of addition and multiplication and that is an Abelian group with respect to addition and an associative semigroup with respect to multiplication and in which the distributive laws relating the two operations hold.
–verb (used with object)
24. to surround with a ring; encircle.
25. to form into a ring.
26. to insert a ring through the nose of (an animal).
27. to hem in (animals) by riding or circling about them.
28. to girdle (def. 11).
29. (in horseshoes, ringtoss, etc.) to encircle (a stake or peg) with a ring, horseshoe, etc.
–verb (used without object)
30. to form a ring or rings.
31. to move in a ring or a constantly curving course: The road rings around the mountain.
—Idioms
32. run rings around, to be obviously superior to; surpass; outdo: As an artist, she can run rings around her brother.
33. throw or toss one's hat in or into the ring. hat (def. 8).
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE hring; c. D, G ring, ON hringr; akin to rank 1

Related forms:
ringless, adjective
ringlike, adjective

Synonyms:
2. circle, circlet, hoop; annulus. 7. arena, rink, circle. 12. bloc, coterie, confederacy, league; gang, mob, syndicate. Ring, clique are terms applied with disapproving connotations to groups of persons. Ring suggests a small and intimately related group, combined for selfish and often dishonest purposes: a gambling ring. A clique is a small group that prides itself on its congeniality and exclusiveness: cliques in a school.

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.
—Verb phrases
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.
—Idioms
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

Related forms:
ring⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
ring⋅ing⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
20. sound, tone, quality.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To rung
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.]
rung 1   (rŭng)   
n.  

  1. A rod or bar forming a step of a ladder.

  2. A crosspiece between the legs of a chair.

  3. The spoke in a wheel.

  4. Nautical One of the spokes or handles on a ship's wheel.

  5. A level or degree in a hierarchy: a middle manager awaiting a promotion to the next rung.


[Middle English, from Old English hrung.]
rung 2   (rŭng)   
v.  Past participle of ring2.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

ring  (n.)
O.E. hring "circular band," from P.Gmc. *khrengaz (cf. O.N. hringr, O.Fris. hring, Ger. Ring), lit. "something curved," from PIE base *(s)ker- "to turn, bend" (cf. L. curvus "bent, curved," crispus "curly;" O.C.S. kragu "circle," and perhaps Gk. kirkos "ring," koronos "curved"). Meaning "place for prize fight and wrestling bouts" (c.1330) is from the space in a circle of bystanders in which such contests were once held (ringside is attested from 1866). Meaning "combination of interested persons" is from 1829. The verb meaning "to make a circle around" is O.E. ymbhringan. The circus ringmaster is recorded from 1873. Tree ring is from 1671; fairy ring is from 1626. Nursery rhyme ring a ring a rosie, is attested in an American form (with a different ending) from c.1790. "The belief that the rhyme originated with the Great Plague is now almost universal, but has no evidence to support it and is almost certainly nonsense" ["Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore"]. This connection only dates to the 1960s.

rung 
O.E. hrung "rod, bar," from P.Gmc. *khrungo (cf. M.L.G. runge, O.H.G. runga "stake, stud, stave," M.Du. ronghe, Du. rong "rung," Goth. hrugga "staff"), of unknown origin with no connections outside Gmc. Sense in Eng. narrowed to "round or stave of a ladder" (first attested c.1290), but usage of cognate words remains more general in other Gmc. languages.
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>

Main Entry: rung
past participle of RING
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
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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