rib
pronunciation
How to pronounce rib in British English:
UK [rɪb]
How to pronounce rib in American English:
US [rɪb]
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- Noun:
- support resembling the rib of an animal
- any of the 12 pairs of curved arches of bone extending from the spine to or toward the sternum in humans (and similar bones in most vertebrates)
- cut of meat including one or more ribs
- a teasing remark
- a riblike supporting or strengthening part of an animal or plant
- a projecting molding on the underside of a vault or ceiling; may be ornamental or structural
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- Verb:
- form vertical ribs by knitting
- subject to laughter or ridicule
Word Origin
- rib
- rib: [OE] Rib is a widespread Germanic word, which goes back to a prehistoric *rebjō, source also of German rippe, Dutch rib, Swedish ribba ‘lath’, etc. Its Old Norse form rif is the ancestor of English reef. Outside Germanic it is related to Russian rebro ‘rib’.=> reef
- rib (n.)
- Old English ribb "rib," from Proto-Germanic *rebja- (cognates: Old Norse rif, Old Saxon ribbi, Old Frisian ribb, Middle Dutch, Dutch ribbe, Old High German ribba, German Rippe), literally "a covering" (of the cavity of the chest), from PIE *rebh- "to roof, cover" (cognates: Greek ereptein "to roof," Old Church Slavonic rebro "rib, reef"). As an item of food from early 15c. Rib joint "brothel" is slang from 1943, probably in reference to Adam's rib (compare rib "woman, wife," attested from 1580s).
- rib (v.)
- "tease, fool," 1930, apparently from rib (n.); perhaps as a figurative suggestion of poking someone in the ribs. Related: Ribbed; ribbing.
Example
- 1. If you sneeze too hard , you could fracture a rib .
- 2. Then he took a rib from adam 's body and out of it created the first woman .
- 3. No one is advocating tucking into massive rib eyes or a rack of ribs every day , but if you choose lean cuts and have them a few times a week , lean red meat can be a positive addition to your diet .
- 4. Aubry , who suffered a fractured rib , several bruises and cuts on his face , also claims martinez threatened him the day before the fight .
- 5. One bone was a piece of rib from a cow-sized mammal ; the other , a leg bone fragment from a mammal the size of a goat .