ring
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a small circular band, usually made of precious metal, that you wear on your finger.
n.a circular band of precious metal or other material worn on the finger as an ornament or a token of marriage or engagement.
Simple“He gave her a beautiful gold ring when he asked her to marry him.”
In context“The heirloom ring featured a central sapphire surrounded by smaller diamonds, set in a delicate platinum band.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.any object or mark that has the shape of a circle.
n.a circular object, arrangement, or mark; includes astronomical features like those around Saturn or growth marks in trees.
Simple“The children sat in a ring on the floor to play a game.”
In context“By counting the annual rings in the cross-section of the trunk, the botanist determined the oak was over two centuries old.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.a square or circular area where people perform or compete, like in boxing or a circus.
n.an enclosed space, often circular or square, used for sports, exhibitions, or performances.
Simple“The two boxers stepped into the ring as the crowd cheered.”
In context“The circus performers gathered in the center ring for the grand finale of the evening show.”
- 04 A2 Elementary
n.the clear, musical sound that a bell makes.
n.the resonant sound produced by a bell or a similar vibrating object.
Simple“The loud ring of the school bell told the students that class was over.”
In context“The distant ring of the cathedral bells echoed through the valley, marking the start of the Sunday service.”
- 05 A2 Elementary
n.an act of calling someone on the telephone.
n.an instance of telephoning someone; common in the idiom 'to give someone a ring'.
Simple“I will give you a ring later this evening to discuss our plans.”
In context“If you haven't heard from the recruiter by Friday, you should probably give them a ring to check your application status.”
Synonyms - 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a group of people who work together to do something dishonest or illegal.
n.an exclusive group of people involved in a secret or illegal enterprise.
Simple“The police finally broke up a ring of car thieves operating in the city.”
In context“Federal agents spent months infiltrating the international smuggling ring before making any arrests.”
- 07 A2 Elementary
v.to make a bell produce a sound, or to sound like a bell.
v.to cause a bell to sound; or, for a bell or telephone to emit a resonant sound.
Simple“She rang the doorbell several times, but nobody answered.”
In context“The telephone rang incessantly throughout the morning, interrupting the meeting every few minutes.”
- 08 A2 Elementary
v.to call someone using a telephone.
v.to contact a person via telephone; frequently used as a transitive verb.
Simple“I'll ring you as soon as I get home from work.”
In context“The manager promised to ring the client personally to apologize for the delay in the shipment.”
- 09 B1 Intermediate
v.to draw a circle around something or to stand in a circle around it.
v.to surround or encircle something physically or on a map.
Simple“The teacher asked the students to ring the correct answer on the worksheet.”
In context“Ancient stone walls still ring the old city, protecting the historic buildings within from modern traffic.”
- 10 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to give a particular impression when you hear or read something.
v.to convey a specified impression or quality when heard or considered; often used with 'true' or 'false'.
Simple“His excuse for being late didn't ring true to me.”
In context“Although the witness was confident, her testimony did not ring true when compared to the physical evidence.”
- 11 C2 Proficiency
n.a special set of numbers or objects in math that follows certain rules for adding and multiplying.
n.an algebraic structure consisting of a set equipped with two binary operations that satisfy specific axioms.
Simple“In our advanced math class, we studied the properties of a polynomial ring.”
In context“The professor demonstrated that every field is a ring, but not every ring satisfies the requirements to be a field.”
- 12 C2 Proficiency
n.a slang or rude word for the opening where waste leaves the body.
n.a vulgar slang term for the anus.
Simple“He used a vulgar word for his ring when he was complaining about the pain.”
In context“The comedian's routine relied heavily on crude anatomical references, including several jokes about his ring.”
Synonyms
Usage ring of fire