Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: ASTRONOMY

Sense: 1-2, 5, 8-11
Origin: Old English hring
Sense: 3-4, 6-7
Date: 1500-1600
Origin: RING1

ring

1 noun
     
ring
ring1 S1 W2 [countable]
1

jewellery

DCJ a piece of jewellery that you wear on your finger:
a plain silver ring
2

circle

a) an object in the shape of a circle:
a rubber ring for children to go swimming with
onion rings
a key ring
 ➔ napkin ring
b) a circular line or mark
ring around
She left a dirty ring around the bath.
ring round British English
a ring round the moon
c) a group of people or things arranged in a circle
ring of
A ring of armed troops surrounded the building.
The city was overlooked by a ring of high-rise buildings.
3

give somebody a ring

British English informalTCT to make a telephone call to someone:
I'll give you a ring later in the week.
4

bells

C the sound made by a bell or the act of making this sound:
a ring at the doorbell
5

criminals

SCC a group of people who illegally control a business or criminal activity:
Are you aware that a drugs ring is being operated in the club?
Secret files reveal an Oxford spy ring.
6

have the/a ring of something

if a statement or argument has a ring of truth, confidence etc, it seems as if it has this quality:
His explanation has the ring of truth.
7

have a familiar ring

if something has a familiar ring, you feel that you have heard it before:
His voice had a strangely familiar ring.
8

run rings around somebody

informal to be able to do something much better than someone else can:
I'm sure you can run rings round him.
9

cooking

British English one of the circular areas on top of a cooker that is heated by gas or electricity [↪ hob; = burner AmE]
a gas ring
10

sport

a) DSO a small square area surrounded by ropes, where people box or wrestle ➔ ringside
b)

the ring

DSO the sport of boxing:
He retired from the ring at 34.
11

entertainment

a large circular area surrounded by seats at a circus
WORD CHOICE: WORD CHOICE:

call, phone, telephone, ringIn spoken English, it is usual to say that you call or phone someone • He calls me almost every day. • Phone me when you get there.In spoken British English, it is also very usual to say that you ring someone • Have you rung Kim yet?It is fairly formal and not very usual in spoken English to say that you telephone someone.!! Do not say that you 'call to' someone • I called him (NOT called to him) to let him know.!! There is no verb 'phone call' • I need to call (NOT to phone call) Monica.You can also say that you give someone a (phone) call or, in British English, give them a ring • Give me a call sometime. • I think I'll give Mum a ring.!! Do not say 'give someone a phone'. ➔ See also call
Definition of ring from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic ASTRONOMY
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