5 VERB If you rubbish a person, their ideas, or their work, you say they are of little value. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] Five whole pages of script were devoted to rubbishing her political opponents. in AM, use trash
rub|bishy /rʌ b I ʃi/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as rubbishy , you think it is of very poor quality. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …some old rubbishy cop movie.
rub|ble /rʌ b ə l/
1 N‑UNCOUNT When a building is destroyed, the pieces of brick, stone, or other materials that remain are referred to as rubble . □ Thousands of bodies are still buried under the rubble.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Rubble is used to refer to the small pieces of bricks and stones that are used as a bottom layer on which to build roads, paths, or houses. □ Brick rubble is useful as the base for paths and patios.
rube /ruː b/ (rubes ) N‑COUNT If you refer to a man or boy as a rube , you consider him stupid and uneducated because he comes from the countryside. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He's no rube. He's a very smart guy.
ru|bel|la /ruːbe lə/ N‑UNCOUNT Rubella is a disease. The symptoms are a cough, a sore throat, and red spots on your skin. [MEDICAL ]
Ru|bi|con /ruː b I kɒn/ PHRASE If you say that someone has crossed the Rubicon , you mean that they have reached a point where they cannot change a decision or course of action. [JOURNALISM ] □ He's crossed the Rubicon with regard to the use of military force as an option.
ru|ble /ruː b ə l/ → see rouble
ru|bric /ruː br I k/ (rubrics )
1 N‑COUNT A rubric is a set of rules or instructions, for example the rules at the beginning of an examination paper. [FORMAL ] □ Either she had been poorly prepared by her teachers or the exam rubric was unclear.
2 N‑COUNT A rubric is a title or heading under which something operates or is studied. [FORMAL ] □ The aid comes under the rubric of technical co-operation between governments.
ruby /ruː bi/ (rubies ) N‑COUNT A ruby is a dark red jewel. □ …a ruby and diamond ring.
ruched /ruː ʃt/ ADJ Ruched curtains or garments are gathered so that they hang in soft folds.
ruck /rʌ k/ (rucks , rucking , rucked )
1 N‑COUNT A ruck is a situation where a group of people are fighting or struggling. [BRIT ] □ There'll be a huge ruck with the cops as they try to take photographs.
2 N‑COUNT In the sport of rugby, a ruck is a situation where a group of players struggle for possession of the ball.
ruck|sack /rʌ ksæk/ (rucksacks ) N‑COUNT A rucksack is a bag with straps that go over your shoulders, so that you can carry things on your back, for example when you are walking or climbing. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use knapsack , pack , backpack
ruck|us /rʌ kəs/ N‑SING If someone or something causes a ruckus , they cause a great deal of noise, argument, or confusion. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ This caused such a ruckus all over Japan that they had to change their mind.
ruc|tion /rʌ kʃ ə n/ (ructions ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If someone or something causes ructions , they cause strong protests, quarrels, or other trouble. [INFORMAL ] □ Both activities have caused some ructions.
rud|der /rʌ də r / (rudders )
1 N‑COUNT A rudder is a device for steering a boat. It consists of a vertical piece of wood or metal at the back of the boat.
2 N‑COUNT An aeroplane's rudder is a vertical piece of metal at the back which is used to make the plane turn to the right or to the left.
rud|der|less /rʌ də r ləs/ ADJ A country or a person that is rudderless does not have a clear aim or a strong leader to follow. □ The country was politically rudderless for almost three months.
rud|dy /rʌ di/ (ruddier , ruddiest ) ADJ If you describe someone's face as ruddy , you mean that their face is a reddish colour, usually because they are healthy or have been working hard, or because they are angry or embarrassed. □ He had a naturally ruddy complexion.
rude /ruː d/ (ruder , rudest )
1 ADJ When people are rude , they act in an impolite way towards other people or say impolite things about them. □ [+ to/about ] He's rude to her friends and obsessively jealous. ● rude|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ I could not understand why she felt compelled to behave so rudely to a friend. ● rude|ness N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] □ She was angry at Steve's rudeness, but I could forgive it.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rude is used to describe words and behaviour that are likely to embarrass or offend people, because they relate to sex or to body functions. [mainly BRIT ] □ Fred keeps cracking rude jokes with the guests. in AM, usually use dirty 3 ADJ [ADJ n] If someone receives a rude shock, something unpleasant happens unexpectedly. □ It will come as a rude shock when their salary or income-tax refund cannot be cashed. ● rude|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ People were awakened rudely by a siren just outside their window.
4 rude awakening → see awakening
ru|di|men|ta|ry /ruː d I me ntri/
1 ADJ Rudimentary things are very basic or simple and are therefore unsatisfactory. [FORMAL ] □ …a kind of rudimentary kitchen.
2 ADJ Rudimentary knowledge includes only the simplest and most basic facts. [FORMAL ] □ He had only a rudimentary knowledge of French.
ru|di|ments /ruː d I mənts/ N‑PLURAL When you learn the rudiments of something, you learn the simplest or most essential things about it. □ [+ of ] She helped to build a house, learning the rudiments of brick-laying as she went along.