ri ng bind|er (ring binders ) N‑COUNT A ring binder is a file with hard covers, which you can insert pages into. The pages are held in by metal rings on a bar attached to the inside of the file.
ring|er /r I ŋə r / (ringers )
1 PHRASE If you say that one person is a ringer or a dead ringer for another, you mean that they look exactly like each other. [INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A bell ringer is someone who rings church bells or hand bells as a hobby. [mainly BRIT ]
ri ng-fence (ring-fences , ring-fencing , ring-fenced ) VERB To ring-fence a grant or fund means to put restrictions on it, so that it can only be used for a particular purpose. [BRIT ] □ [V n] The Treasury has now agreed to ring-fence the money to ensure that it goes directly towards helping elderly people.
ri ng fin|ger (ring fingers ) N‑COUNT Your ring finger is the third finger of your left or right hand, without counting your thumb. In some countries, people wear a ring on this finger to show that they are engaged or married.
ring|ing /r I ŋ I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A ringing sound is loud and can be heard very clearly. □ He hit the metal steps with a ringing crash.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A ringing statement or declaration is one that is made forcefully and is intended to make a powerful impression. □ …the party's 14th Congress, which gave a ringing endorsement to capitalist-style economic reforms.
ring|leader /r I ŋliːdə r / (ringleaders ) N‑COUNT The ringleaders in a quarrel, disturbance, or illegal activity are the people who started it and who cause most of the trouble. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The soldiers were well informed about the ringleaders of the protest.
ring|let /r I ŋlət/ (ringlets ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Ringlets are long curls of hair that hang down.
ring|master /r I ŋmɑːstə r , -mæst-/ (ringmasters ) N‑COUNT A circus ringmaster is the person who introduces the performers and the animals.
ri ng-pull (ring-pulls ) N‑COUNT A ring-pull is a metal strip that you pull off the top of a can of drink in order to open it. [BRIT ] in AM, use tab
ri ng road (ring roads ) N‑COUNT A ring road is a road that goes round the edge of a town so that traffic does not have to go through the town centre. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, usually use beltway
ring|side /r I ŋsa I d/
1 N‑SING The ringside is the area around the edge of a circus ring, boxing ring, or show jumping ring. □ Most of the top British trainers were at the ringside.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you have a ringside seat or a ringside view, you are close to an event and can see it clearly. □ I had a ringside seat for the whole performance.
ri ng tone (ring tones ) N‑COUNT The ring tone is the sound made by a phone when it rings. □ They offer 70 hours' standby time, 2hr 50min talk time, and 15 ring tones.
ring|worm /r I ŋwɜː r m/ N‑UNCOUNT Ringworm is a skin disease caused by a fungus. It produces itchy red patches on a person's or animal's skin, especially on their head and between their legs and toes. [MEDICAL ]
rink /r I ŋk/ (rinks ) N‑COUNT A rink is a large area covered with ice where people go to ice-skate, or a large area of concrete where people go to roller-skate. □ The other skaters were ordered off the rink.
rinse /r I ns/ (rinses , rinsing , rinsed )
1 VERB When you rinse something, you wash it in clean water in order to remove dirt or soap from it. □ [V n] It's important to rinse the rice to remove the starch. ● N‑COUNT Rinse is also a noun. □ A quick rinse isn't sufficient. Use plenty of running water to wash away all traces of shampoo.
2 VERB If you rinse your mouth, you wash it by filling your mouth with water or with a liquid that kills germs, then spitting it out. □ [V n] Use a toothbrush on your tongue as well, and rinse your mouth frequently. ● PHRASAL VERB Rinse out means the same as rinse . □ [V P n] After her meal she invariably rinsed out her mouth. □ [V n P ] You should rinse your mouth out after eating. ● N‑VAR Rinse is also a noun. □ …mouth rinses with fluoride.
riot ◆◇◇ /ra I ət/ (riots , rioting , rioted )
1 N‑COUNT When there is a riot , a crowd of people behave violently in a public place, for example they fight, throw stones, or damage buildings and vehicles. □ Twelve inmates have been killed during a riot at the prison.
2 VERB If people riot , they behave violently in a public place. □ [V ] Last year 600 inmates rioted, starting fires and building barricades. ● ri|ot|er (rioters ) N‑COUNT □ The militia dispersed the rioters. ● ri|ot|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ At least fifteen people are now known to have died in three days of rioting.
3 N‑SING If you say that there is a riot of something pleasant such as colour, you mean that there is a large amount of various types of it. [APPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] All the cacti were in flower, so that the desert was a riot of colour.
4 PHRASE If someone in authority reads you the riot act , they tell you that you will be punished unless you start behaving properly. □ I'm glad you read the riot act to Billy. He's still a kid and still needs to be told what to do.
5 PHRASE If people run riot , they behave in a wild and uncontrolled manner. □ Rampaging prisoners ran riot through the jail.
6 PHRASE If something such as your imagination runs riot , it is not limited or controlled, and produces ideas that are new or exciting, rather than sensible. □ A conservatory offers the perfect excuse to let your imagination run riot. SYNONYMS riot NOUN 1