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rib

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: RIB

Translingual

Symbol

rib

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Bribri Sign Language.

English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: rĭb, IPA(key): /ɹɪb/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪb

Etymology 1

Thumb
ribs (1) forming a human rib cage
Thumb
smoked ribs (3)
Thumb
ribs (5) of an aircraft wing
Thumb
rib vault (6)

From Middle English rib, ribbe, from Old English ribb (“rib”), from Proto-West Germanic *ribi, from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”).

Cognate with Dutch rib (“rib”), Norwegian ribbe (“sparerib”), Norwegian ribben (“rib”), Low German ribbe (“rib”), German Rippe (“rib”), Old Norse rif (“rib, reef”), Serbo-Croatian rèbro (“rib”).

(wife or woman): In reference to the creation of Eve from Adam's rib in the Bible.

Noun

rib (plural ribs)

  1. (anatomy) Any of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and other animals and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.
  2. (by extension) A part or piece, similar to a rib, and serving to shape or support something.
    a broken rib on the umbrella
  3. A cut of meat enclosing one or more rib bones.
  4. (nautical) Any of several curved members attached to a ship's keel and extending upward and outward to form the framework of the hull.
  5. (aeronautics) Any of several transverse pieces that provide an aircraft wing with shape and strength.
  6. (architecture) A long, narrow, usually arched member projecting from the surface of a structure, especially such a member separating the webs of a vault
  7. (firearms) A strip of metal running along the top of the barrel that serves as a sighting plane.
  8. (knitting) A raised ridge in knitted material or in cloth.
  9. (botany) The main, or any of the prominent veins of a leaf.
  10. A teasing joke.
  11. (Ireland, colloquial) A single strand of hair.
  12. A stalk of celery.
  13. (archaic, literary or humorous) A wife or woman.
Derived terms
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Verb

rib (third-person singular simple present ribs, present participle ribbing, simple past and past participle ribbed)

  1. To shape, support, or provide something with a rib or ribs.
  3. To tease or make fun of someone in a good-natured way.
    He always gets ribbed for his outrageous shirts.
    • 2025 March 7, Jonathan Swan, Maggie Haberman, “Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:
      Mr. Musk, who wore a suit and tie to Thursday’s meeting instead of his usual T-shirt after Mr. Trump publicly ribbed him about his sloppy appearance, defended himself by saying that he had three companies with a market cap of tens of billions of dollars, and that his results spoke for themselves.
  4. To enclose, as if with ribs, and protect; to shut in.
  5. (transitive) To leave strips of undisturbed ground between the furrows in ploughing (land).
Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English ribbe, from Old English ribbe (“hound's-tongue”).

Noun

rib (plural ribs)

  2. (botany) Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale).
  3. (botany) Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita).
  4. (botany) Watercress (Nasturtium officinale).
Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

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Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch rib, from Middle Dutch ribbe, from Old Dutch *ribba, from Proto-Germanic *ribją.

Pronunciation

  • Hyphenation: rib

Noun

rib (plural ribbe, diminutive ribbetjie)

  1. (anatomy) rib

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch ribbe, from Old Dutch *ribba, from Proto-Germanic *ribją.

Pronunciation

Noun

rib m (plural ribben, diminutive ribje n)

  1. rib
    Je kunt haar ribben tellen. ― You can count her ribs.
    Dat is een rib uit mijn lijf. ― That's a rib from my body.
  2. a truss (wooden frame)

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: rib
  • Berbice Creole Dutch: rebu
  • Negerhollands: rippe, reppe, ribi
  • → Papiamentu: repchi, ribtsje (from the diminutive)
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Scottish Gaelic

Etymology

From ribe (“hair, blade, tape”).

Verb

rib (past rib, future ribidh, verbal noun ribeadh, past participle ribte)

  1. trap, ensnare

Slovene

Noun

rib

  1. genitive dual/plural of riba

Yapese

Adverb

rib

  1. very

Zhuang

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Proto-Tai *C̬.lepᴰ (“fingernail; toenail”). Cognate with Thai เล็บ (lép), Lao ເລັບ (lep), Shan ၼဵပ်ႉ (nâ̰ep), Ahom 𑜎𑜢𑜆𑜫 (lip), Saek หลี้บ.

Noun

rib (Sawndip forms 𭻎 or 𭶫, 1957–1982 spelling rib)

  1. nail (on fingers and toes)
    Synonym: (dialectal) gyaep
  2. claw; talon
    Synonym: nyauj
  3. hoof
    Synonym: ve

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

rib (1957–1982 spelling rib)

  1. to clean up; to tidy up
  2. to confiscate
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