rib

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

rib, n. [AS. rib, ribb; akin to D. rib, G. rippe, OHG. rippa, rippi, Dan. ribbe, Icel. rif, Russ. rebro.].

•  One of the curved bones attached to the vertebral column and supporting the lateral walls of the thorax.  [1913 Webster]

  " In man there are twelve ribs on each side, of which the upper seven are directly connected with the sternum by cartilages, and are called sternal, or true, ribs. The remaining five pairs are called asternal, or false, ribs, and of these each of the three upper pairs is attached to the cartilage of the rib above, while the two lower pairs are free at the ventral ends, and are called floating ribs. See Thorax."  [1913 Webster]
•  That which resembles a rib in form or use.  [1913 Webster]
•  The chief nerve, or one of the chief nerves, of a leaf.  [1913 Webster]
•  In Gothic vaulting, one of the primary members of the vault. These are strong arches, meeting and crossing one another, dividing the whole space into triangles, which are then filled by vaulted construction of lighter material. Hence, an imitation of one of these in wood, plaster, or the like.  [1913 Webster]
•  Solid coal on the side of a gallery; solid ore in a vein.  Raymond.  [1913 Webster]
•  A wife; -- in allusion to Eve, as made out of Adam's rib.  [1913 Webster]

  "How many have we known whose heads have been broken with their own rib."  [1913 Webster]

Chuck rib, a cut of beef immediately in front of the middle rib. See Chuck. -- Fore ribs, a cut of beef immediately in front of the sirloin. -- Middle rib, a cut of beef between the chuck rib and the fore ribs. -- Rib grass. (Bot.) Same as Ribwort.

rib, v. t. 

•  To furnish with ribs; to form with rising lines and channels; as, to rib cloth.  [1913 Webster]
•  To inclose, as with ribs, and protect; to shut in.  [1913 Webster]

  "It [lead] were too gross
  To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave."  [1913 Webster]

To rib land, to leave strips of undisturbed ground between the furrows in plowing.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

rib, n. & v.
--n.
1 each of the curved bones articulated in pairs to the spine and protecting the thoracic cavity and its organs.
2 a joint of meat from this part of an animal.
3 a ridge or long raised piece often of stronger or thicker material across a surface or through a structure serving to support or strengthen it.
4 any of a ship's transverse curved timbers forming the framework of the hull.
5 Knitting a combination of plain and purl stitches producing a ribbed somewhat elastic fabric.
6 each of the hinged rods supporting the fabric of an umbrella.
7 a vein of a leaf or an insect's wing.
8 Aeron. a structural member in an aerofoil.
--v.tr. (ribbed, ribbing)
1 provide with ribs; act as the ribs of.
2 colloq. make fun of; tease.
3 mark with ridges.
4 plough with spaces between the furrows.

Derivative

ribless adj.

Etymology

OE rib, ribb f. Gmc

THESAURUS

rib

Chateaubriand, banter, better half, bilge, blade roast, blain, bleb, blister, blob, boss, bow, breast, brisket, bubble, bulb, bulge, bulla, bump, bunch, burl, button, cahot, chaff, chine, chuck, chuck roast, clod, clump, cold cuts, common-law wife, concubine, condyle, convex, dowel, ear, feme, feme covert, filet mignon, flange, flank, flap, fool, fun, gall, gnarl, goodwife, goody, handle, haze, helpmate, helpmeet, hill, hump, hunch, jape, jest, jive, jog, joggle, joke, jolly, josh, kid, knob, knot, knuckle, knur, knurl, lady, lip, loin, loop, lump, married woman, matron, mole, mountain, needle, nevus, nub, nubbin, nubble, old lady, old woman, papilloma, peg, plate, plate piece, pot roast, put on, rack, rag, rally, razz, rib roast, ribs, ride, ridge, ring, roast, rolled roast, round, rump, rump roast, saddle, shank, short ribs, shoulder, shoulder clod, sirloin, spine, squaw, stud, style, tab, tease, tenderloin, tubercle, tubercule, twit, verruca, vesicle, wale, wart, wedded wife, welt, wife, woman

ROGET THESAURUS

rib

Support

N support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.

Marriage

N marriage, matrimony, wedlock, union, intermarriage, miscegenation, the bonds of marriage, vinculum matrimonii, nuptial tie, married state, coverture, bed, cohabitation, match, betrothment, wedding, nuptials, Hymen, bridal, espousals, spousals, leading to the altar, nuptial benediction, epithalamium, sealing, torch of Hymen, temple of Hymen, hymeneal altar, honeymoon, bridesmaid, bridesman, best man, bride, bridegroom, married man, married woman, married couple, neogamist, Benedict, partner, spouse, mate, yokemate, husband, man, consort, baron, old man, good man, wife of one's bosom, helpmate, rib, better half, gray mare, old woman, old lady, good wife, goodwife, feme, feme coverte, squaw, lady, matron, matronage, matronhood, man and wife, wedded pair, Darby and Joan, spiritual wife, monogamy, bigamy, digamy, deuterogamy, trigamy, polygamy, mormonism, levirate, spiritual wifery, spiritual wifeism, polyandrism, Turk, bluebeard, unlawful marriage, left-handed marriage, morganatic marriage, ill- assorted marriage, mesalliance, mariage de convenance, marriage broker, matrimonial agency, matrimonial agent, matrimonial bureau, matchmaker, schatchen, married, one, one bone and one flesh, marriageable, nubile, engaged, betrothed, affianced, matrimonial, marital, conjugal, connubial, wedded, nuptial, hymeneal, spousal, bridal, the gray mare the better horse, a world-without-end bargain, marriages are made in Heaven, render me worthy of this noble wife, si qua voles apte nubere nube pari.

Convexity

N convexity, prominence, projection, swelling, gibbosity, bilge, bulge, protuberance, protrusion, camber, cahot, thank-ye-ma'am, swell, intumescence, tumour, tumor, tubercle, tuberosity, excrescence, hump, hunch, bunch, boss, embossment, hub, hubble, tooth, knob, elbow, process, apophysis, condyle, bulb, node, nodule, nodosity, tongue, dorsum, bump, clump, sugar loaf, bow, mamelon, molar, belly, corporation, pot belly, gut, withers, back, shoulder, lip, flange, pimple, zit, wen, wheel, papula, pustule, pock, proud flesh, growth, sarcoma, caruncle, corn, wart, pappiloma, furuncle, polypus, fungus, fungosity, exostosis, bleb, blister, blain, boil, airbubble, blob, papule, verruca, papilla, nipple, teat, tit, titty, boob, knocker, pap, breast, dug, mammilla, proboscis, nose, neb, beak, snout, nozzle, schnoz, peg, button, stud, ridge, rib, jutty, trunnion, snag, cupola, dome, arch, balcony, eaves, pilaster, relief, relievo, cameo, bassorilievo, mezzorilevo, altorivievo, low relief, bas relief, high relief, hill, cape, promontory, mull, forehead, foreland, point of land, mole, jetty, hummock, ledge, spur, naze, ness, convex, prominent, protuberant, projecting, bossed, embossed, bossy, nodular, bunchy, clavate, clavated, claviform, hummocky, moutonne, mammiliform, papulous, papilose, hemispheric, bulbous, bowed, arched, bold, bellied, tuberous, tuberculous, tumous, cornute, odontoid, lentiform, lenticular, gibbous, club shaped, hubby, hubbly, knobby, papillose, saddle-shaped, selliform, subclavate, torose, ventricose, verrucose, salient, in relief, raised, repousse, bloated, (expanded).