ring

/rɪŋ/

/rɪŋ/

Other forms: rang; rings; ringing; ringed

A ring is a circular or oval shape, like the rings around Saturn or a ring of trees surrounding an open field, or the ring of delicious fried pastry that we call a doughnut.

Angels are often shown in paintings with a ring hovering over their heads — a halo. And if you've ever ordered onion rings, you know that they're circle-shaped slices of onion that are battered, fried, and eaten with ketchup. Then there's the ring, usually made of silver or gold, that's worn as jewelry on a finger. As a verb, to ring is to form a circle, as in the children's song and game "Ring Around the Rosie."

Definitions of ring

1. noun

   a toroidal shape
   “a ring of ships in the harbor”

   synonyms: anchor ring, annulus, doughnut, halo

   types:

   fairy circle, fairy ring

   a ring of fungi marking the periphery of the perennial underground growth of the mycelium

   type of:

   toroid

   the doughnut-shaped object enclosed by a torus
2. noun

   a rigid circular band of metal or wood or other material used for holding or fastening or hanging or pulling
   synonyms: hoop

   types:

   carabiner, karabiner, snap ring

   an oblong metal ring with a spring clip; used in mountaineering to attach a rope to a piton or to connect two ropes

   collar

   a short ring fastened over a rod or shaft to limit, guide, or secure a machine part

   curtain ring

   a circular ring for holding up a curtain

   key ring

   a circular ring of metal for holding keys

   napkin ring

   a circular band used to hold a particular person's napkin

   nose ring

   a ring worn on the nose as an ornament or on the nose of an animal to control it

   rim

   the outer part of a wheel to which the tire is attached

   rim

   (basketball) the hoop from which the net is suspended

   tire, tyre

   hoop that covers a wheel

   towel ring

   a circular hoop for holding a towel

   auto tire, automobile tire, car tire, rubber tire

   a tire consisting of a rubber ring around the rim of an automobile wheel

   felloe, felly

   rim (or part of the rim) into which spokes are inserted

   pneumatic tire, pneumatic tyre

   a tire made of reinforced rubber and filled with compressed air; used on motor vehicles and bicycles etc

   wagon tire

   a metal hoop forming the tread of a wheel

   type of:

   band

   a thin flat strip of flexible material that is worn around the body or one of the limbs (especially to decorate the body)
3. noun

   jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal (often set with jewels) worn on the finger
   “she had rings on every finger”

   synonyms: band

   types:

   annulet

   a small ring

   engagement ring

   a ring given and worn as a sign of betrothal

   mourning ring

   a ring worn as a memorial to a dead person

   ringlet

   a small ring

   seal ring, signet ring

   a ring bearing a signet

   wedding band, wedding ring

   a ring (usually plain gold) given to the bride (and sometimes one is also given to the groom) at the wedding

   type of:

   jewellery, jewelry

   an adornment (as a bracelet or ring or necklace) made of precious metals and set with gems (or imitation gems)
4. noun

   (chemistry) a chain of atoms in a molecule that forms a closed loop
   synonyms: closed chain

   types:

   heterocycle, heterocyclic ring

   a ring of atoms of more than one kind; especially a ring of carbon atoms containing at least one atom that is not carbon

   type of:

   chain, chemical chain

   (chemistry) a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule)
5. noun

   a strip of material attached to the leg of a bird to identify it (as in studies of bird migration)
   synonyms: band

   type of:

   slip, strip

   artifact consisting of a narrow flat piece of material
6. noun

   a platform usually marked off by ropes in which contestants box or wrestle
   types:

   boxing ring, prize ring

   a square ring where boxers fight

   sumo ring

   the circular ring in which Sumo wrestlers compete

   wrestling ring

   a square ring in which wrestlers compete

   type of:

   platform

   a raised horizontal surface
7. verb

   extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle
   synonyms: border, environ, skirt, surround

   types:

   fringe

   decorate with or as if with a surrounding fringe

   gird, girdle

   put a girdle on or around

   cloister

   surround with a cloister

   close in, enclose, inclose, shut in

   surround completely

   hem in

   surround in a restrictive manner

   cloister

   surround with a cloister, as of a garden

   insert, tuck

   fit snugly into

   wall in, wall up

   enclose with a wall

   bower, embower

   enclose in a bower

   enshrine, shrine

   enclose in a place of worship

   case, encase, incase

   enclose in, or as if in, a case

   bury, eat up, immerse, swallow, swallow up

   enclose or envelop completely, as if by swallowing

   border, frame, frame in

   enclose in or as if in a frame

   glass, glass in

   enclose with glass

   bank

   enclose with a bank

   dike, dyke

   enclose with a dike

   encapsulate

   enclose in a capsule or other small container

   fence, fence in

   surround with an enclosure

   cordon off, rope in, rope off

   divide by means of a rope

   casket

   enclose in a casket

   corral

   enclose in a corral

   fort, fortify

   enclose by or as if by walls around a stronghold

   hedge, hedge in

   enclose or bound in with or as it with a hedge or hedges

   hedge

   hinder or restrict with or as if with a hedge

   type of:

   adjoin, contact, meet, touch

   be in direct physical contact with; make contact
8. verb

   attach a ring to the foot of, in order to identify
   “ring birds”

   synonyms: band

   type of:

   attach

   cause to be attached
9. verb

   sound loudly and sonorously
   “the bells rang”

   synonyms: peal

   types:

   ding, dingdong, dong

   go `ding dong', like a bell

   tintinnabulate

   ring or sound like a small bell

   peal

   ring recurrently

   knell

   ring as in announcing death

   type of:

   go, sound

   make a certain noise or sound
10. verb

    ring or echo with sound
    synonyms: echo, resound, reverberate

    types:

    consonate

    sound in sympathy

    reecho

    repeat or return an echo again or repeatedly; send (an echo) back

    reecho

    echo repeatedly, echo again and again

    bong

    ring loudly and deeply

    type of:

    go, sound

    make a certain noise or sound
11. verb

    make (bells) ring, often for the purposes of musical edification
    “Ring the bells”

    “My uncle rings every Sunday at the local church”

    synonyms: knell

    types:

    toll

    ring slowly

    type of:

    sound

    cause to sound
12. noun

    the sound of a bell ringing
    “the distinctive ring of the church bell”

    synonyms: ringing, tintinnabulation

    types:

    bell ringing

    the sound of someone playing a set of bells

    type of:

    sound

    the sudden occurrence of an audible event
13. noun

    a characteristic sound
    “it has the ring of sincerity”

    type of:

    sound

    the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
14. verb

    get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
    synonyms: call, call up, phone, telephone

    call

    send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message

    types:

    call in

    make a phone call

    type of:

    telecommunicate

    communicate over long distances, as via the telephone or e-mail
15. noun

    an association of criminals
    synonyms: gang, mob, pack

    types:

    nest

    a gang of people (criminals or spies or terrorists) assembled in one locality

    youth gang

    a gang whose members are teenagers

    sleeper nest

    a nest of sleepers awaiting a prearranged signal

    type of:

    association

    a formal organization of people or groups of people