rib

RIB/ɹɪb/

Pluralribs

20 meanings of rib

1
nouncountable
One of the curved bones in your chest that protect the heart and lungs.
Like the curved bars of a cage that keep the soft parts inside safe.
She cracked a rib when she fell off her bike.
Each rib curves around to keep the lungs safe.
Note
2
nouncountable
A piece of meat that has one or more rib bones in it.
She slow-cooked a rib of beef for the family meal.
The butcher trimmed the fat off the ribs before wrapping them.
3
verbtransitive
To gently make fun of someone as a joke, not to hurt them.
Like poking a friend with a joke just to see them smile.
His friends like to rib him about his terrible singing.
We ribbed her gently about forgetting her own birthday.
Similartease, kid, josh, rag
Note
4
nouncountable
A piece shaped like a rib that helps hold something up or give it shape.
Like the thin bones inside an umbrella that hold the fabric open.
The umbrella's broken rib made it sag on one side.
Each metal rib holds the tent canvas tight.
Similarstrut, stay
5
nouncountable
A friendly joke that teases someone.
Like a playful poke that makes everyone laugh.
His comment was just a rib, not a real insult.
She took the rib about her cooking with a big smile.
Similarjoke, dig, jibe, tease
6
nouncountable
One of the curved pieces that form the frame of a ship's body.
Like the bones in your chest, but holding up the sides of a boat.
Workers replaced a cracked rib in the old fishing boat.
Each rib was bent from a single length of oak.
Similarframe, timber
Note
7
nouncountable
One of the crosswise pieces inside a plane's wing that give it shape and strength.
Like the thin bones in a fan that hold its shape when it opens.
The mechanic found a bent rib inside the damaged wing.
Each rib keeps the wing's surface from caving in.
Note
8
nouncountable
A long, narrow, curved piece that sticks out from a ceiling or wall, often in old stone buildings.
Like the seams that meet at the top of an open umbrella.
A stone rib ran along the curve of the church ceiling.
Each rib met at a carved stone in the center of the roof.
Note
9
nouncountable
A raised line or ridge in knitted cloth, like the stretchy edge of a sweater.
Like the raised lines you feel on the stretchy cuff of a sweater.
The sweater's cuff had a tight rib that hugged her wrist.
She knitted a rib along the bottom edge of the hat.
Similarridge, wale
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10
nouncountable
The main thick vein running through the middle of a leaf.
Like the firm line down the middle of a feather, with smaller lines branching off it.
The leaf's central rib was thick and pale green.
She tore the leaf neatly along its rib.
Similarvein
Note

11
verbtransitive
To make something stronger by adding raised strips, or ribs, to it.
Like the bars inside a kite that keep it stiff and flat.
Workers rib the plastic sheets so they don't bend.
The old umbrella was ribbed with thin metal rods.
Similarreinforce, brace, strengthen
12
nouncountable
A flat strip of metal along the top of a gun barrel that helps you aim.
Like a straight line drawn on top of the gun that your eye follows to aim.
The shotgun's ventilated rib helped him line up the shot.
She mounted a fiber-optic sight onto the rib of her hunting rifle.
Note
13
nouncountable
A single stalk of celery.
Like one stick pulled from a bundle of sticks.
Chop two ribs of celery for the soup base.
She pulled a rib from the bunch and spread peanut butter along it.
Similarstalk, stick
14
verbtransitive
To close something in on all sides and keep it safe.
Like a shell that wraps around a nut and keeps it safe.
Thick stone walls rib the small chapel and shield it from the wind.
The garden was ribbed by tall hedges that shut out the noise.
Similarenclose, surround, encircle
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15
nouncolloquialIrelandcountable
A single piece of hair.
Like one thread pulled from a piece of cloth.
Not one rib of hair was out of place.
A single white rib stuck out from her braid.
Similarstrand, hair
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16
nounarchaichumorous
A man's wife.
His rib met him at the door with a frown.
'Near to it was the portrait of his rib, Dame Middleton.'
1862, George Borrow, Wild WalesHere, rib means a man's wife.
Note
17
verbtransitive
To plow land so that strips of soil are left untouched between the cut rows.
Like leaving a strip of grass uncut when you mow the lawn.
The farmer ribbed the field before the spring rains came.
They rib the low meadow every year.
18
noununcountable
A wild flowering plant, also known as hound's-tongue.
We pulled rib out of the pasture before the sheep could eat it.
A clump of rib grew beside the muddy path.
Similarhound's-tongue
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19
noununcountable
A sweet-smelling garden herb, also known as costmary.
She added a little rib to the stew for its minty taste.
Bees gathered around the rib in the herb garden.
Similarcostmary
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20
noununcountable
A leafy water plant with a peppery taste, also known as watercress.
She picked fresh rib from the stream for lunch.
A peppery handful of rib went into the salad bowl.
Similarwatercress, cress
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1–17

From Old English "ribb," meaning rib. The old languages it comes from go all the way back to a root meaning "arch" or "cover." The sense of "wife or woman" comes from the Bible story of Eve being made from Adam's rib.

Meanings 18–20

From Old English "ribbe," the name of a plant called hound's-tongue.