rim
noun
the outer edge, border, margin, or brink of something, especially of a circular object.
rim
American
[rim]
/ rɪm /
noun
-
rims
plural
-
the outer edge, border, margin, or brink of something, especially of a circular object.
- Antonyms:
- center
-
any edge, margin, or frame added to or around a central object or area.
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the outer circle of a wheel, attached to the hub by spokes.
-
a circular strip of metal forming the connection between an automobile wheel and tire, either permanently attached to or removable from the wheel.
-
a drive wheel or flywheel, as on a spinning mule.
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Basketball. the metal ring from which the net is suspended to form the basket.
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Journalism. the outer edge of a usually U -shaped copy desk, occupied by the copyreaders.
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Metallurgy. (in an ingot) an outer layer of metal having a composition different from that of the center.
verb (used with object)
-
rims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rimmed,
past participle, past
-
rimming
present participle
-
to furnish with a rim, border, or margin.
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(of a golf ball or putt) to roll around the edge of (a hole) but not go in.
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Basketball. (of a basketball) to roll around (the rim of the basket) and not go in.
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to coat or encrust the rim of (a glass).
Rim each cocktail glass with salt.
rim
1
British
/ rɪm /
noun
-
the raised edge of an object, esp of something more or less circular such as a cup or crater
-
the peripheral part of a wheel, to which the tyre is attached
-
basketball the hoop from which the net is suspended
verb
-
to put a rim on (a pot, cup, wheel, etc)
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slang to lick, kiss, or suck the anus of (one's sexual partner)
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ball games (of a ball) to run around the edge of (a hole, basket, etc)
RIM
2
British
abbreviation
Synonym Usage
Rim, brim refer to the boundary of a circular or curved area. A rim is a line or surface bounding such an area; an edge or border: the rim of a glass. Brim usually means the inside of the rim, at the top of a hollow object (except of a hat), and is used particularly when the object contains something: The cup was filled to the brim.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rimsimple
-
rimssimple
-
have rimmedperfect
-
has rimmedperfect
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am rimmingprogressive
-
are rimmingprogressive
-
is rimmingprogressive
-
have been rimmingperfect progressive
-
has been rimmingperfect progressive
Past
-
rimmedsimple
-
had rimmedperfect
-
was rimmingprogressive
-
were rimmingprogressive
-
had been rimmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rim
First recorded before 1150; Middle English; Old English -rima (in compounds); cognate with Old Norse rimi “raised strip of land, ridge”
Explanation
A rim is an edge. The rim of a mug is where you put your mouth to drink hot chocolate, and the rim holding a basketball net is where you're aiming when you shoot the ball. People often use the word rim for the lip of a cup or bowl. You can also use the word rim for the circle at the top of a basketball hoop. There's also the rim of a wheel — the part the tire is attached to — and the rim of your eyeglasses. Rim comes from the Old English rima, "edge," which appears in the Old English word særima, "seashore," or "rim of the sea."
Vocabulary lists containing rim
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
MacGregor's blood was stated to have been found on the front door handle, the frame of the toilet door as well as the rim of the bath and hot sink tap.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The brighter streaks that hug the crater's rim were fresh material excavated from deeper underground.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
From Perseverance's location along the rim of Mars' Jezero Crater, Earth and Phobos present a dramatic contrast in both size and distance.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
He is a threat to drive to the rim, and when combined with Carr’s shooting ability, the two-man game creates confusion for defenses, Lakers summer league coach Ty Abbott said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
They all sat in silence watching the sun as it came up slowly over the rim of the horizon for a new day.
From "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
After the acquisition in 2010, many engineers moved over to RIM to build a mobile operating system for the BlackBerry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
Recently fired and fired up, Jim sees the device’s potential, making a deal to acquire part of RIM in exchange for cash and expertise.
From New York Times ● May 11, 2023
Both Balsillie and Lazaridis left RIM in 2012.
From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2023
Mr. Balsillie’s first thought was RIM was losing AT&T as a customer.
From Forbes ● May 26, 2015
Saudi Arabia, India, and others were saying RIM had to open up to national intelligence.
From BusinessWeek ● Dec. 5, 2013
That low angle means crater rims, mountains, ridges, and even small surface bumps can block sunlight from reaching lower terrain.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
The arms are forged from motorbike springs and gears, its shoulders are curve from car rims, the spine is moulded from a fuel tank and its knees are pieced together with chains and suspension parts.
From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026
Though Real Madrid would shape him into the best young player in Europe, Doncic believes the foundations of his game were set earlier, in Slovenia, on the playground, outside, on crooked rims, without adults hovering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2025
Combs would regularly bring "random women" there to party, turning up with an entourage of dozens of people in "three white jeeps, with white rims and white leather seats", they say.
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025
He extends his phone and takes a few pictures of Imani on his lap, himself and his dark sunglasses, gold teeth, and gold chain, and expensive rims.
From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
I like her rimmed bowl for breakfast or a light lunch.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025
Plum had another chance to win it at the buzzer, but her floater rimmed out, sending the game to overtime.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2025
Prosper, who wore a grey T-shirt, attended his hearing wearing black rimmed glasses.
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2025
Little soft rimmed cups of various sizes and a wheel, most likely, and another object that could turn out to be either a lever or a stick; it was hard to tell.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Beyond the museum, the grassy hills rimming the building will also be expanded and extended because Angelenos—children and adults—have a beloved tradition of rolling down them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026
For 36 years, Dave Marquart was part of a small team that monitored wetlands rimming Mono Lake, places so inaccessible even four-wheel drives can get stuck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
Beside her, Ryder, gray hairs rimming his eyes, cropped grass on the lawn of his new home, untethered and, without a fence around him, free.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 21, 2022
There’s no game plan that will get Randle’s shots to stop rimming out if he’s open.
From New York Times ● Jan. 13, 2022
We loaded up and were off as the sun gilded the tops of the scrubby bushes rimming the dell, Estraven pulling in harness and I as pusher and rudder at the stern.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
