ring 1 (r?ng)n.1. A circular object, form, line, or arrangement.2. A small circular band, generally made of precious metal and often set with jewels, worn on the finger.3. A circular band used for carrying, holding, or containing something: a napkin ring.4. rings Sports A pair of circular metal bands suspended in the air for gymnastic exercises, on which balancing and swinging maneuvers are performed while holding the bands as motionless as possible.5. A circular movement or course, as in dancing.6. An enclosed, usually circular area in which exhibitions, sports, or contests take place: a circus ring.7. Sports a. A rectangular arena set off by stakes and ropes in which boxing or wrestling events are held.b. The sport of boxing.8. Games a. An enclosed area in which bets are placed at a racetrack.b. Bookmakers considered as a group.9. An exclusive group of people acting privately or illegally to advance their own interests: a drug ring.10. A political contest; a race.11. Botany An annual ring.12. Mathematics The area between two concentric circles; annulus.13. Mathematics A set of elements subject to the operations of addition and multiplication, in which the set is a commutative group under addition and associative under multiplication and in which the two operations are related by distributive laws.14. Any of the turns constituting a spiral or helix.15. Chemistry A group of atoms linked by bonds that may be represented graphically in polygonal form. Also called closed chain.v. ringed, ring·ing, rings v.tr.1. To surround with or as if with a ring; encircle: Guests ringed the coffee table.2. To form into a ring or rings.3. To ornament or supply with a ring or rings: ringed the door knocker with a wreath of holly.4. To remove a circular strip of bark around the circumference of (a tree trunk or branch); girdle.5. To put a ring in the nose of (an animal).6. To hem in (animals) by riding in a circle around them.7. Games To toss a ring over (a peg), as in horseshoes.v.intr.1. To form a ring or rings.2. To move, run, or fly in a spiral or circular course.[Middle English, from Old English hring; see sker- in Indo-European roots.]ring 2 (r?ng)v. rang (r?ng), rung (r?ng), 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: ring up1. To record, especially by means of a cash register: ring up a sale.2. To accomplish or achieve: rang up several consecutive victories.3. Baseball a. To call (a batter) out on strikes. Used of an umpire.b. To strike out (a batter). Used of a pitcher.Idioms: ring a bell Informal To arouse an often indistinct memory. ring down the curtain To end a performance, event, or action.ring (someone’s) chimes/bells Slang To knock (an opponent) out by physical or other force. ring up the curtain To begin a performance, event, or action.[Middle English ringen, from Old English hringan.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.ring (r??) n1. (Jewellery) a circular band usually of a precious metal, esp gold, often set with gems and worn upon the finger as an adornment or as a token of engagement or marriage2. any object or mark that is circular in shape3. a circular path or course: to run around in a ring. 4. a group of people or things standing or arranged so as to form a circle: a ring of spectators. 5. an enclosed space, usually circular in shape, where circus acts are performed6. (Boxing) a square apron or raised platform, marked off by ropes, in which contestants box or wrestle7. (Wrestling) a square apron or raised platform, marked off by ropes, in which contestants box or wrestle8. (Boxing) the ring the sport of boxing9. the field of competition or rivalry10. throw one’s hat in the ring to announce one’s intention to be a candidate or contestant11. a group of people usually operating illegally and covertly: a drug ring; a paedophile ring. 12. (Agriculture) (esp at country fairs) an enclosure, often circular, where horses, cattle, and other livestock are paraded and auctioned13. (Gambling, except Cards) an area reserved for betting at a racecourse14. (Forestry) a circular strip of bark cut from a tree or branch, esp in order to kill it15. a single turn in a spiral16. (Mathematics) geometry the area of space lying between two concentric circles17. (Mathematics) maths a set that is subject to two binary operations, addition and multiplication, such that the set is an Abelian group under addition and is closed under multiplication, this latter operation being associative18. (Botany) botany short for annual ring19. (Chemistry) chem Also called: closed chain a closed loop of atoms in a molecule20. (Astronomy) astronomy any of the thin circular bands of small bodies orbiting a giant planet, esp Saturn. See also Saturn2121. run rings around informal to be greatly superior to; outclass completelyvb (tr) , rings, ringing or ringed22. to surround with, or as if with, or form a ring; encircle23. (Zoology) to mark (a bird) with a ring or clip for subsequent identification24. (Agriculture) to fit a ring in the nose of (a bull, pig, etc) so that it can be led easily25. (Forestry) a. to cut away a circular strip of bark from (a tree or branch) in order to kill itb. to cut a narrow or partial ring from (the trunk of a tree) in order to check or prevent vigorous growth26. (Agriculture) Austral and NZ to be the fastest shearer in (a shearing shed), esp in the phrase ring the shed)[Old English hring; related to Old Norse hringr]ring (r??) vb, rings, ringing, rang or rung1. to emit or cause to emit a sonorous or resonant sound, characteristic of certain metals when struck2. to cause (a bell) to emit a ringing sound by striking it once or repeatedly or (of a bell) to emit such a sound3. a. (tr) to cause (a large bell, esp a church bell) to emit a ringing sound by pulling on a rope that is attached to a wheel on which the bell swings back and forth, being sounded by a clapper inside it. Compare chime16b. (intr) (of a bell) to sound by being swung in this way4. (intr) (of a building, place, etc) to be filled with sound; echo: the church rang with singing. 5. (foll by: for) to call by means of a bell, buzzer, etc: to ring for the butler. 6. (Telecommunications) chiefly Also: ring up Brit to call (a person) by telephone7. (tr) to strike or tap (a coin) in order to assess its genuineness by the sound produced8. (intr) (of the ears) to have or give the sensation of humming or ringing9. (Electronics) (intr) electronics (of an electric circuit) to produce a damped oscillatory wave after the application of a sharp input transition10. (tr) slang to change the identity of (a stolen vehicle) by using the licence plate, serial number, etc, of another, usually disused, vehicle11. ring a bell to sound familiar; remind one of something, esp indistinctly12. (Theatre) ring down the curtain a. to lower the curtain at the end of a theatrical performanceb. (foll by on) to put an end (to)13. ring false to give the impression of being false14. ring the bell a. to do, say, or be the right thingb. to reach the pinnacle of success or happiness15. ring the changes to vary the manner or performance of an action that is often repeated16. ring true to give the impression of being true: that story doesn’t ring true. n17. the act of or a sound made by ringing18. a sound produced by or suggestive of a bell19. any resonant or metallic sound, esp one sustained or re-echoed: the ring of trumpets. 20. (Telecommunications) informal chiefly Brit a telephone call: he gave her a ring last night. 21. the complete set of bells in a tower or belfry: a ring of eight bells. See peal1322. an inherent quality or characteristic: his explanation has the ring of sincerity. 23. (Electronics) electronics the damped oscillatory wave produced by a circuit that rings[Old English hringan; related to Old High German hringen Old Norse hringja]Usage: Rang and sang are the correct forms of the past tenses of ring and sing, although rung and sung are still heard informally and dialectally: he rung (rang) the bellCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014ring1 (r??) n. 1. a typically circular band of durable material, as gold, worn on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc. 2. anything having the form of such a band: a smoke ring. 3. a circular 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: a ring of hills. 6. an enclosed area, often circular, for a sports contest or exhibition: a circus ring. 7. a bullring. 8. a square enclosure in which boxing and wrestling matches take place. 9. the sport of boxing. 10. rings, a. a pair of suspended rings that can be grasped by a gymnast for performing feats of balance and strength. b. a competitive event in men’s gymnastics using such an apparatus. 11. a group of persons cooperating for unethical or illegal purposes: a ring of dope smugglers. 12. a single turn in a spiral or helix or in a spiral course. 13. annual ring. 14. a number of atoms so united that they may be graphically represented in cyclic form. Compare chain (def. 6). 15. a bowlike or circular piece at the top of an anchor, to which the chain or cable is secured. 16. a set of mathematical elements that is commutative under addition and associative under multiplication and in which multiplication is distributive with respect to addition. v.t. 17. to surround with a ring; encircle. 18. to form into a ring. 19. girdle (def. 10). 20. to throw a ring or horseshoe over (a stake or peg). v.i. 21. to form a ring or rings. 22. to move in a ring or a constantly curving course. Idioms: run rings around, to surpass; outdo. [before 900; (n.) Old English hring, c. Old Norse hringr] ring2 (r??) v. rang, rung, ring?ing, n. v.i. 1. to give forth a clear resonant sound: The doorbell rang twice. 2. to cause a bell, telephone, or the like to sound: Just ring for service. 3. to resound; reecho: The room rang with shouts. 4. (of the ears) to have the sensation of a continued ringing sound. 5. to make a given impression on the mind: a story that rings true. 6. to telephone (usu. fol. by up). v.t. 7. to cause to ring; sound by striking: to ring a bell. 8. to produce (sound) by or as if by ringing. 9. to announce by or as if by the sound of a bell: The bell rang the hour. 10. to telephone (usu. fol. by up). 11. ring off, to end a telephone conversation. 12. ring up, a. to register (the amount of a sale) on a cash register. b. to accomplish: to ring up successes. n. 13. a ringing sound: the ring of sleigh bells. 14. a sound like that of a ringing bell: the ring of laughter. 15. reverberation: the ring of iron upon stone. 16. a set of bells. 17. a telephone call. 18. an act or instance of ringing a bell. 19. a characteristic sound or quality: the ring of truth. Idioms: 1. ring a bell, to evoke a memory; remind one of someone or something. 2. ring down the curtain, a. to bring a performance or action to a close. b. to lower or close the curtain in front of a stage. 3. ring the bell, to be outstandingly satisfactory. 4. ring the changes, a. to ring variations on a set of bells. b. to range through the possible variations of something. 5. ring up the curtain, a. to start a performance or action. b. to raise or open the curtain in front of a stage. [before 900; Old English hringan, c. Old Norse hringja] ring?ing?ly, adv. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.ring – Boxing started off in circles, and when the Marquess of Queensbury introduced a set of rules in 1867, he also introduced the roped-off square, which continued to be called the “ring.”See also related terms for rules.Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.Ring a circular arrangement or group. See also circle.Examples: ring of disciples, 1732; of branching elms, 1784; of forts; of all iniquity, 1578; of jewellers?Lipton, 1970; of fair ladies, 1450; of mushrooms; of oaks, 1820.Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.ring – call1. ‘ring’In British English, when you ring someone, you dial their phone number and speak to them by phone. The past tense of ring is rang.The -ed participle is rung.You can say that someone rings a place.In conversation, people often use ring up, instead of ‘ring’. There is no difference in meaning.Be Careful!Don’t use ‘to’ after ring or ring up.American speakers don’t usually use ring in this sense. The word they use is call. British speakers also say call.