risky /r I ski/ (riskier , riskiest ) ADJ If an activity or action is risky , it is dangerous or likely to fail. □ Investing in airlines is a very risky business.
ri|sot|to /r I zɒ toʊ/ (risottos ) N‑VAR Risotto is an Italian dish consisting of rice cooked with ingredients such as tomatoes, meat, or fish.
ris|qué /r I ske I , [AM ] r I ske I / ADJ If you describe something as risqué , you mean that it is slightly rude because it refers to sex. □ The script is incredibly risqué - some marvellously crude lines.
ris|sole /r I soʊl, [AM ] r I soʊ l/ (rissoles ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rissoles are small balls of chopped meat or vegetables which are fried. [BRIT ]
Rita|lin /r I t ə l I n/ N‑UNCOUNT Ritalin is a drug that is used especially in the treatment of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [TRADEMARK ]
rite /ra I t/ (rites )
1 N‑COUNT A rite is a traditional ceremony that is carried out by a particular group or within a particular society. □ Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.
2 → see also last rites
ritu|al /r I tʃuəl/ (rituals )
1 N‑VAR A ritual is a religious service or other ceremony which involves a series of actions performed in a fixed order. □ This is the most ancient, and holiest of the Shinto rituals.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Ritual activities happen as part of a ritual or tradition. □ …fastings and ritual dancing. ● ritu|al|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The statue was ritually bathed and purified.
3 N‑VAR A ritual is a way of behaving or a series of actions which people regularly carry out in a particular situation, because it is their custom to do so. □ The whole Italian culture revolves around the ritual of eating.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] You can describe something as a ritual action when it is done in exactly the same way whenever a particular situation occurs. □ I realized that here the conventions required me to make the ritual noises.
ritu|al|is|tic /r I tʃuəl I st I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Ritualistic actions or behaviour follow a similar pattern every time they are used. □ Each evening she bursts into her apartment with a ritualistic shout of 'Honey I'm home!'
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Ritualistic acts are the fixed patterns of behaviour that form part of a religious service or ceremony. □ …the meditative and ritualistic practices of Buddhism.
ritu|al|ized /r I tʃuəla I zd/ in BRIT, also use ritualised ADJ [usu ADJ n] Ritualized acts are carried out in a fixed, structured way rather than being natural. □ …highly ritualised courtship displays.
ritzy /r I tsi/ (ritzier , ritziest ) ADJ If you describe something as ritzy , you mean that it is fashionable or expensive. [INFORMAL ] □ Palm Springs has ritzy restaurants and glitzy nightlife.
ri|val ◆◆◇ /ra I v ə l/ (rivals , rivalling , rivalled ) in AM, use rivaling , rivaled 1 N‑COUNT Your rival is a person, business, or organization who you are competing or fighting against in the same area or for the same things. □ The world champion finished more than two seconds ahead of his nearest rival.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone or something has no rivals or is without rival , you mean that it is the best of its type. □ As a time-honoured team contest, the Test match has no rival.
3 VERB If you say that one thing rivals another, you mean that they are both of the same standard or quality. □ [V n] London cannot rival the lifestyle and weather of Barcelona or Madrid. COLLOCATIONS rival NOUN 1
noun + rival : leadership; love
adjective + rival : arch, bitter, fierce, great; chief, close, main, nearest; local, old, political, traditional
verb + rival : beat, crush, defeat, undercut; face
ri|val|ry /ra I v ə lri/ (rivalries ) N‑VAR Rivalry is competition or fighting between people, businesses, or organizations who are in the same area or want the same things. □ [+ between ] …the rivalry between the Inkatha and the ANC.
riv|en /r I v ə n/ ADJ If a country or organization is riven by conflict, it is damaged or destroyed by violent disagreements. □ [+ by/with ] The four provinces are riven by deep family and tribal conflicts.
riv|er ◆◆◇ /r I və r / (rivers ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A river is a large amount of fresh water flowing continuously in a long line across the land. □ …a chemical works on the banks of the river. □ …boating on the River Danube.
ri v|er bank (river banks ) also riverbank N‑COUNT A river bank is the land along the edge of a river.
ri v|er ba|sin (river basins ) N‑COUNT A river basin is the area of land from which all the water flows into a particular river.
ri v|er bed (river beds ) also riverbed N‑COUNT A river bed is the ground which a river flows over.
river|boat /r I və r boʊt/ (riverboats ) N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A riverboat is a large boat that carries passengers along a river.
river|front /r I və r frʌnt/ N‑SING [N n] The riverfront is an area of land next to a river with buildings such as houses, shops, or restaurants on it.
river|side /r I və r sa I d/ N‑SING [N n] The riverside is the area of land by the banks of a river. □ They walked back along the riverside. □ …a riverside café.