ripe

American  

[rahyp] / raɪp /

adjective

riper, ripest

1. having arrived at such a stage of growth or development as to be ready for reaping, gathering, eating, or use, as grain or fruit; completely matured.

   Synonyms:

   aged, grown

2. resembling such fruit, as in ruddiness and fullness.

   ripe, red lips.

3. advanced to the point of being in the best condition for use, as cheese or beer.

4. fully grown or developed, as animals when ready to be killed and used for food.

5. arrived at the highest or a high point of development or excellence; mature.

6. of mature judgment or knowledge.

   ripe scholars; a ripe mind.

7. characterized by full development of body or mind.

   of ripe years.

8. (of time) advanced.

   a ripe old age.

9. (of ideas, plans, etc.) ready for action, execution, etc.

10. (of people) fully prepared or ready to do or undergo something.

    He was ripe for a change in jobs.

11. fully or sufficiently advanced; ready enough; auspicious.

    The time is ripe for a new foreign policy.

12. ready for some operation or process.

    a ripe abscess.

13. Archaic. drunk.

    reeling ripe.

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ripe British  

/ raɪp /

adjective

1. (of fruit, grain, etc) mature and ready to be eaten or used; fully developed

2. mature enough to be eaten or used

   ripe cheese

3. fully developed in mind or body

4. resembling ripe fruit, esp in redness or fullness

   a ripe complexion

5. ready or eager (to undertake or undergo an action)

6. suitable; right or opportune

   the time is not yet ripe

7. mature in judgment or knowledge

8. advanced but healthy (esp in the phrase a ripe old age )

9. slang

   1. complete; thorough

   2. excessive; exorbitant

10. slang slightly indecent; risqué

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ripe Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing ripe

• time is ripe

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Related Words

Ripe, mature, mellow refer to that which is no longer in an incomplete stage of development. Ripe implies completed growth beyond which the processes of decay begin: a ripe banana. Mature means fully grown and developed as used of living organisms: a mature animal; a mature tree. Mellow denotes complete absence of sharpness or asperity, with sweetness and richness such as characterize ripeness or age: mellow fruit; mellow flavor.

Other Word Forms

• half-ripe adjective
• ripely adverb
• ripeness noun

Etymology

Origin of ripe

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English rīpe; cognate with Dutch rijp, German reif; akin to Old English ripan “to harvest, reap”; reap

Example Sentences

And Coogie had just spotted a mess of ripe watermelons on the hillside.

From Literature

An arborist knows when a tree is hurt, sick or ripe to cause trouble.

From The Wall Street Journal

We packed our tools and any foodstuffs we’d harvested into the large straw farming baskets, along with ripe fruit from the farm to snack on, if there was any.

From Literature

The situation could be ripe for investors seeking pairs trades.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the ripe old age of 67, the Grammy Awards are still considered "music's biggest night".

From BBC

Related Words

• mature
• overdue
• plump
• prepared
• ready