English Reference
verb · noun

ralph

v. · n.
US /ˈɹæɫf/ ralph UK spelling ralphed, ralphing, ralphs

  1. 01 C2 Proficiency SlangInformal

    v.to be sick or vomit, often because you drank too much alcohol or ate something bad.

    v.to vomit; often used in the context of illness or excessive alcohol consumption.

    Simple

    He ran to the bathroom to ralph after eating that old seafood.

    In context

    The teenager spent the rest of the night in the bathroom, having started to ralph shortly after the party ended.

    Usage

    The verb is intransitive and does not require an object.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a very informal and somewhat graphic term; it is best avoided in professional or polite social settings.

    vomitpukethrow up
  2. 02 A1 Beginner

    n.a common first name for a man.

    n.a male given name of Germanic origin, meaning 'counsel wolf'.

    Simple

    My uncle Ralph lives in a small house by the sea.

    In context

    Ralph Waldo Emerson was a famous American essayist and philosopher during the nineteenth century.

    Usage

    Always capitalized as it is a proper noun.


From Middle English Radulf, from Old English Rǣdwulf (also as Raulf), from Proto-West Germanic Rādawulf, from Proto-Germanic Rēdawulfaz. Reinforced by similar forms brought to England, e.g. Old Norse Ráðúlfr, then in the Norman form Old French Radulf, Radulph. For the sense relating to vomiting, see ralph.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin gem-pro *Rēdawulfaz
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Common
Updated