3 VERB When you ring a bell or when a bell rings , it makes a sound. □ [V ] He heard the school bell ring. □ [V n] The door was opened before she could ring the bell. ● N‑COUNT Ring is also a noun. □ There was a ring at the bell. ● ring|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the ringing of church bells.
4 VERB If you ring for something, you ring a bell to call someone to bring it to you. If you ring for someone, you ring a bell so that they will come to you. □ [V + for ] Shall I ring for a fresh pot of tea?
5 VERB If you say that a place is ringing with sound, usually pleasant sound, you mean that the place is completely filled with that sound. [LITERARY ] □ [V + with ] The whole place was ringing with music. [Also V ]
6 N‑SING You can use ring to describe a quality that something such as a statement, discussion, or argument seems to have. For example, if an argument has a familiar ring , it seems familiar. □ His proud boast of leading 'the party of low taxation' has a hollow ring.
7 PHRASE If you say that someone rings the changes , you mean that they make changes or improvements to the way something is organized or done. □ Ring the changes by adding spices, dried fruit or olives.
8 PHRASE If you say that someone's words ring in your ears or ring in your head , you mean that you remember them very clearly, usually when you would prefer to forget them. [LITERARY ] □ She shivered as the sound of that man's abuse rang in her ears.
9 PHRASE If you give someone a ring , you phone them. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ We'll give him a ring as soon as we get back. in AM, usually use call
10 PHRASE If a statement rings true , it seems to be true or genuine. If it rings hollow , it does not seem to be true or genuine. □ Joanna's denial rang true. □ The rumpus has made all the optimistic statements about unity and harmony ring a little hollow.
11 → see also ringing
12 to ring a bell → see bell
▸ ring around → see ring round
▸ ring back PHRASAL VERB [no passive] If you ring someone back , you phone them either because they phoned you earlier and you were not there or because you did not finish an earlier phone conversation. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P ] Tell her I'll ring back in a few minutes. □ [V n P ] If there's any problem I'll ring you back. in AM, usually use call back
▸ ring in PHRASAL VERB If you ring in , you phone a place, such as the place where you work. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P ] Cecil wasn't there, having rung in to say he was taking the day off. in AM, usually use call in
▸ ring off PHRASAL VERB When you ring off , you put down the receiver at the end of a phone call. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P ] She had rung off before he could press her for an answer. in AM, usually use hang up
▸ ring out PHRASAL VERB If a sound rings out , it can be heard loudly and clearly. □ [V P ] A single shot rang out.
▸ ring round or ring around PHRASAL VERB If you ring round or ring around , you phone several people, usually when you are trying to organize something or to find some information. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P ] She'd ring around and get back to me. □ [V P n] She immediately started ringing round her friends and relatives. in AM, usually use call around
▸ ring up
1 → see ring ➊ 1
2 PHRASAL VERB If a shop assistant rings up a sale on a cash register, he or she presses the keys in order to record the amount that is being spent. □ [V P n] She was ringing up her sale on an ancient cash register. [Also V n P ]
3 PHRASAL VERB If a company rings up an amount of money, usually a large amount of money, it makes that amount of money in sales or profits. □ [V P n] The advertising agency rang up 1.4 billion dollars in yearly sales.
➋ ring ◆◇◇ /r I ŋ/ (rings , ringing , ringed )
1 N‑COUNT A ring is a small circle of metal or other substance that you wear on your finger as jewellery. □ …a gold wedding ring.
2 N‑COUNT An object or substance that is in the shape of a circle can be described as a ring . □ [+ of ] Frank took a large ring of keys from his pocket. □ [+ of ] …a ring of blue smoke.
3 N‑COUNT A group of people or things arranged in a circle can be described as a ring . □ They then formed a ring around the square.
4 N‑COUNT A gas or electric ring is one of the small flat areas on top of a stove which heat up and which you use for cooking. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use burner 5 N‑COUNT At a boxing or wrestling match or a circus, the ring is the place where the contest or performance takes place. It consists of an enclosed space with seats round it. □ He will never again be allowed inside a British boxing ring.
6 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] You can refer to an organized group of people who are involved in an illegal activity as a ring . □ They exposed a smuggling ring trading in illegal elephants.
7 VERB [usu passive] If a building or place is ringed with or by something, it is surrounded by it. □ [be V -ed] The areas are sealed off and ringed by troops.
8 PHRASE If you say that someone runs rings round you or runs rings around you, you mean that they are a lot better or a lot more successful than you at a particular activity. [INFORMAL ] □ Mentally, he can still run rings round men half his age!