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ribbing

RIB-ing/ˈɹɪbɪŋ/

Pluralribbings (some meanings)

4 meanings of ribbing

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  1. 1
    noununcountable
    Friendly teasing, where you make jokes about someone in a kind way.

    Like friends poking fun at each other just for laughs.

    Good-natured ribbing filled the kitchen as everyone joked about his cooking.

    She took all the ribbing about her new haircut with a smile.

    Similarteasing, banter, joshing, kidding, ragging

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable or uncountable
    A set of raised lines or ridges along the surface of something.

    Like the raised lines you feel running across a piece of corduroy.

    The sweater's cuffs have tight ribbing that keeps them snug.

    You can feel the ribbing along the edge of the cardboard.

    Similarridging

    Note
  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A single time when someone teases another person in a friendly way.

    Like a quick joke at your expense shared between friends.

    He got a friendly ribbing from his coworkers about his new car.

    That was a harmless ribbing, not a real insult.

    Similarteasing, razzing

    Note
  4. 4
    verb
    Present participle of rib. Use this form for something happening now, often when joking with someone.

    They were ribbing him about his cooking all evening.

    She keeps ribbing her friends in a playful way.

    Note

ribbing is a form of rib

rib, verb: To gently make fun of someone as a joke, not to hurt them. Full entry

Forms
ribribs he/she/itribbing -ing formribbed past tense, past participle
Spelling
rib → ribbing: double the b, add -ing

Practice

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Origin

From the verb "rib" (to tease) plus "-ing." It comes from tickling someone's ribs to make them laugh.