Also ripper bill,ripper act. a legislative bill or act for taking powers of appointment to and removal from office away from the usual holders of these powers and conferring them unrestrictedly on a chief executive, as a governor or mayor, or on a board of officials.
a double-ripper.
a killer who dispatches and often mutilates victims with a knife or similar weapon.
Mining. a hooklike tool, attached to earth-moving machinery, for tearing away ore, rock, etc.
Chiefly BritishSlang. something especially strong, fine, or good of its kind.
1610s, agent noun from rip (v.). Meaning "killer who mutilates his victims" (1890) is from Jack the Ripper, notorious London murderer, whose nickname contains a pun on ripper in sense of "tool for ripping" old slates, etc. (1823) and the slang meaning "excellent person or thing, a 'ripping' fellow" (1838), from ripping "excellent, splendid."
