rung

[ ruhng ]

/ rʌŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR rung ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

simple past tense and past participle of ring².

Nearby words

rune, rune-stone, runeberg, runed, runesmith, rung, runge-kutta method, runic, runjeet singh, runless, runlet

Definition for rung (2 of 4)

rung

[ ruhng ]

/ rʌŋ /

noun

one of the crosspieces, usually rounded, forming the steps of a ladder.

a rounded or shaped piece fixed horizontally, for strengthening purposes, as between the legs of a chair.

a spoke of a wheel.

a stout stick, rod, or bar, especially one of rounded section, forming a piece in something framed or constructed.

a stage in a scale, level in a hierarchy, etc.; degree: He rose a few rungs in the company.

Origin of rung

before 1000; Middle English; Old English hrung; cognate with Gothic hrunga rod, German Runge

Related forms

rung·less, adjective

Can be confused

rung wrung

Definition for rung (3 of 4)

ring

[ ring ]

/ rɪŋ /

noun

a typically circular band of metal or other durable material, especially one of gold or other precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc.

anything having the form of such a band: a napkin ring; a smoke ring.

a circular or surrounding line or mark: dark rings around the eyes.

a circular course: to dance in a ring.

a number of persons or things situated in a circle or in an approximately circular arrangement: a ring of stones; a ring of hills.

the outside edge of a circular body, as a wheel; rim.

an enclosed area, often circular, as for a sports contest or exhibition: a circus ring.

a bullring.

an enclosure in which boxing and wrestling matches take place, usually consisting of a square, canvas-covered platform with surrounding ropes that are supported at each corner by posts.

the sport of boxing; prizefighting: the heyday of the ring.

(formerly in the U.S., now only in Brit.) an area in a racetrack where bookmakers take bets.

a group of persons cooperating for unethical, illicit, or illegal purposes, as to control stock-market prices, manipulate politicians, or elude the law: a ring of dope smugglers.

a single turn in a spiral or helix or in a spiral course.

Geometry. the area or space between two concentric circles.

annual ring.

a circle of bark cut from around a tree.

Chemistry. a number of atoms so united that they may be graphically represented in cyclic form.Compare chain(def 7).

Architecture. rowlock(def 1).

a bowlike or circular piece at the top of an anchor, to which the chain or cable is secured.

Also called spinning ring. Textiles. (in the ring-spinning frame) a circular track of highly polished steel on which the traveler moves and which imparts twists to the yarn by variations in its vertical movement.

a unit of measurement of the diameter of cigars, equal to 1/64 of an inch.Also called ring gauge.

Automotive, Machinery. piston ring.

Mathematics. a set that is closed under the operations of addition and multiplication and that is an Abelian group with respect to addition and an associative semigroup with respect to multiplication and in which the distributive laws relating the two operations hold.

verb (used with object), ringed, ring·ing.

to surround with a ring; encircle.

to form into a ring.

to insert a ring through the nose of (an animal).

to hem in (animals) by riding or circling about them.

to girdle(def 11).

(in horseshoes, ringtoss, etc.) to encircle (a stake or peg) with a ring, horseshoe, etc.

verb (used without object), ringed, ring·ing.

to form a ring or rings.

to move in a ring or a constantly curving course: The road rings around the mountain.

Origin of ring

before 900; Middle English; Old English hring; cognate with Dutch, German ring, Old Norse hringr; akin to rank¹

SYNONYMS FOR ring

2 circle, circlet, hoop; annulus.

7 arena, rink, circle.

12 bloc, coterie, confederacy, league; gang, mob, syndicate.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ring ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

ring·less, adjectivering·like, adjective

Synonym study

12. Ring, clique are terms applied with disapproving connotations to groups of persons. Ring suggests a small and intimately related group, combined for selfish and often dishonest purposes: a gambling ring. A clique is a small group that prides itself on its congeniality and exclusiveness: cliques in a school.

Definition for rung (4 of 4)

ring

[ ring ]

/ rɪŋ /

verb (used without object), rang, rung, ring·ing.

to give forth a clear resonant sound, as a bell when struck: The doorbell rang twice.

to make a given impression on the mind; appear: words that rang false; a story that rings true.

to cause a bell or bells to sound, especially as a summons: Just ring if you need anything.

to sound loudly; be loud or resonant; resound (often followed by out): His brave words rang out.

to be filled with sound; reecho with sound, as a place.

(of the ears) to have the sensation of a continued humming sound.

Chiefly British. to telephone.

verb (used with object), rang, rung, ring·ing.

to cause (a bell or device with a bell) to ring; sound by striking: to ring a bell.

to produce (sound) by or as if by ringing: The bell rang a low tone.

to announce or proclaim, usher in or out, summon, signal, etc., by or as if by the sound of a bell: to ring someone's praises; The bell rang the hour.

to test (a coin or other metal object) by the sound it produces when struck against something.

Chiefly British. to telephone.

noun

a ringing sound, as of a bell or bells: the ring of sleigh bells.

a sound or tone likened to the ringing of a bell: Rings of laughter issued from the school.

any loud sound; sound continued, repeated, or reverberated: the ring of iron upon stone.

a set or peal of bells.

a telephone call: Give me a ring tomorrow.

an act or instance of ringing a bell: No one answered my ring.

a characteristic sound, as of a coin.

the aspect or impression presented by a statement, an action, etc., taken as revealing a specified inherent quality: a ring of assurance in her voice; the ring of truth; a false ring.

Verb Phrases

ring in,

to indicate one's arrival at work by punching in on a time clock.
Informal. to introduce artfully or fraudulently: to ring in an imposter.

ring off,

to terminate a telephone conversation.
British Slang. to stop talking.
British Slang. to go away.

ring out,

to indicate one's departure from work by punching out on a time clock.
to make a sound or noise; resound: The church bells rang out.

ring up,

to register (the amount of a sale) on a cash register.
to accomplish or record: to ring up a series of successes.
Chiefly British. to telephone.

Origin of ring

before 900; Middle English ringen, Old English hringan; cognate with Old Norse hringja, German ringen

SYNONYMS FOR ring

20 sound, tone, quality.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ring ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

ring·ing·ly, adverbring·ing·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for rung

I was of extremely low rank, a Senior Aircraftman – only one rung above the bottom.
I Saw Nuclear Armageddon Sitting on My Desk|Clive Irving|November 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She said that at one point someone had rung her mother and said "eye for an eye, you deserve to die".
Kate Prank Call DJ Tells of Death Threats|Tom Sykes|October 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This boosts the average SAT scores at the college, and the school moves up a rung on the rankings ladder.
Steve Cohen on the Three Biggest College Admissions Lies|Steve Cohen|September 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
A graduate of Smith College and Georgetown Law School, Cutter, 43, has climbed the political ladder one rung at a time.
How Stephanie Cutter, Obama’s One-Woman Warrior, Wages Political Combat|Lauren Ashburn|September 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST

How many 911-like alarms have been rung since Obama was elected?
Trayvon Martin’s Shooting Mirrors America’s Paranoia About Barack Obama|Lee Siegel|March 29, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The existing bell, which is rung on all great occasions, was cast in 1505.
Verdun Argonne-Metz 1914-1918|Anonymous
It is said that this Copland gave the great bell, which made the fifth in the ring, to be rung nightly at nine of the clock.
The Survey of London|John Stow
When this third hour had been bellowed away, and the bell had rung unheard the advent of a fourth—presto—in came Mons.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol. 66, No 405, July 1849|Various
Rung, smiling and putting his finger tips together, replied, 'How does it happen that I know so much about you?'
The Argosy|Various
Had the bells been all of silver, rung by fairies, the notes could not have been sweeter.
The Chauffeur and the Chaperon|C. N. Williamson

British Dictionary definitions for rung (1 of 4)

rung

/ (rʌŋ) /

noun

one of the bars or rods that form the steps of a ladder

a crosspiece between the legs of a chair, etc

nautical a spoke on a ship's wheel or a handle projecting from the periphery

dialect a cudgel or staff

Derived Forms

rungless, adjective

Word Origin for rung

Old English hrung; related to Old High German runga, Gothic hrugga

British Dictionary definitions for rung (2 of 4)

rung

/ (rʌŋ) /

verb

the past participle of ring 2

xref

See ring 2

British Dictionary definitions for rung (3 of 4)

ring

/ (rɪŋ) /

noun

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 marriage

any object or mark that is circular in shape

a circular path or courseto run around in a ring

a group of people or things standing or arranged so as to form a circlea ring of spectators

an enclosed space, usually circular in shape, where circus acts are performed

a square apron or raised platform, marked off by ropes, in which contestants box or wrestle

the ring the sport of boxing

the field of competition or rivalry

throw one's hat in the ring to announce one's intention to be a candidate or contestant

a group of people usually operating illegally and covertlya drug ring; a paedophile ring

(esp at country fairs) an enclosure, often circular, where horses, cattle, and other livestock are paraded and auctioned

an area reserved for betting at a racecourse

a circular strip of bark cut from a tree or branch, esp in order to kill it

a single turn in a spiral

geometry the area of space lying between two concentric circles

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 associative

botany short for annual ring

Also called: closed chain chem a closed loop of atoms in a molecule

astronomy any of the thin circular bands of small bodies orbiting a giant planet, esp SaturnSee also Saturn 2 (def. 1)

run rings around informal to be greatly superior to; outclass completely

verb rings, ringing or ringed (tr)

to surround with or as if with or form a ring; encircle

to mark (a bird) with a ring or clip for subsequent identification

to fit a ring in the nose of (a bull, pig, etc) so that it can be led easily

Also: ringbark

to cut away a circular strip of bark from (a tree or branch) in order to kill it
to cut a narrow or partial ring from (the trunk of a tree) in order to check or prevent vigorous growth

Australian and NZ to be the fastest shearer in a shearing shed (esp in the phrase ring the shed)

Word Origin for ring

Old English hring; related to Old Norse hringr

British Dictionary definitions for rung (4 of 4)

ring

/ (rɪŋ) /

verb rings, ringing, rang or rung

to emit or cause to emit a sonorous or resonant sound, characteristic of certain metals when struck

to cause (a bell) to emit a ringing sound by striking it once or repeatedly or (of a bell) to emit such a sound

(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 itCompare chime 1 (def. 6)
(intr) (of a bell) to sound by being swung in this way

(intr) (of a building, place, etc) to be filled with sound; echothe church rang with singing

(intr foll by for) to call by means of a bell, buzzer, etcto ring for the butler

Also: ring up mainly British to call (a person) by telephone

(tr) to strike or tap (a coin) in order to assess its genuineness by the sound produced

(intr) (of the ears) to have or give the sensation of humming or ringing

(intr) electronics (of an electric circuit) to produce a damped oscillatory wave after the application of a sharp input transition

slang to change the identity of (a stolen vehicle) by using the licence plate, serial number, etc, of another, usually disused, vehicle

ring a bell to sound familiar; remind one of something, esp indistinctly

ring down the curtain

to lower the curtain at the end of a theatrical performance
(foll by on) to put an end (to)

ring false to give the impression of being false

ring the bell

to do, say, or be the right thing
to reach the pinnacle of success or happiness

ring the changes to vary the manner or performance of an action that is often repeated

ring true to give the impression of being truethat story doesn't ring true

noun

the act of or a sound made by ringing

a sound produced by or suggestive of a bell

any resonant or metallic sound, esp one sustained or re-echoedthe ring of trumpets

informal, mainly British a telephone callhe gave her a ring last night

the complete set of bells in a tower or belfrya ring of eight bells See peal 1 (def. 3)

an inherent quality or characteristichis explanation has the ring of sincerity

electronics the damped oscillatory wave produced by a circuit that rings

See also ring back, ring in, ring off, ring out, ring up

Word Origin for ring

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 bell

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for rung

ring

[ rĭng ]

n.

A circular object, form, or arrangement with a vacant circular center.

The area between two concentric circles; annulus.

A group of atoms linked by bonds that may be represented graphically in circular or triangular form.

Science definitions for rung

ring

[ rĭng ]

A set of elements subject to the operations of addition and multiplication, in which the set is an abelian group under addition and associative under multiplication and in which the two operations are related by distributive laws.

A group of atoms linked by bonds that may be represented graphically in circular or triangular form. Benzene, for example, contains a ring of six carbon atoms. All cyclic compounds contain one or more rings. See annulus.

See growth ring.

Idioms and Phrases with rung

ring

In addition to the idioms beginning with ring

ring a bell
ring down the curtain on
ring false
ring one's chimes
ringside seat
ring the changes
ring true
ring up

also see:

brass ring
give someone a ring
have a familiar ring
run rings around
three-ring circus
throw one's hat in the ring