4 VERB If something rips into someone or something or rips through them, it enters that person or thing so quickly and forcefully that it often goes completely through them. □ [V prep/adv] A volley of bullets ripped into the facing wall.
5 PHRASE If you let rip , you do something forcefully and without trying to control yourself. [INFORMAL ] □ Turn the guitars up full and let rip.
6 PHRASE If you let something rip , you do it as quickly or as forcefully as possible. You can say ' let it rip ' or ' let her rip ' to someone when you want them to make a vehicle go as fast as it possibly can. [INFORMAL ] □ The company let everything rip in order to increase production.
▸ rip off
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone rips you off , they cheat you by charging you too much money for something or by selling you something that is broken or damaged. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] The Consumer Federation claims banks are ripping you off by not passing along savings on interest rates. □ [V P n] The airlines have been accused of ripping off customers.
2 → see also rip-off
▸ rip up PHRASAL VERB If you rip something up , you tear it into small pieces. □ [V P n] If we wrote I think he would rip up the letter. □ [V n P ] She took every photograph of me that was in our house and ripped it up.
R.I.P. /ɑː r a I piː / CONVENTION R.I.P. is written on gravestones and expresses the hope that the person buried there may rest in peace. R.I.P. is an abbreviation for the Latin expression 'requiescat in pace' or 'requiescant in pace'.
rip|cord /r I pkɔː r d/ (ripcords ) also rip cord N‑COUNT A ripcord is the cord that you pull to open a parachute.
ripe /ra I p/ (riper , ripest )
1 ADJ Ripe fruit or grain is fully grown and ready to eat. □ Always choose firm, but ripe fruit. □ …fields of ripe wheat. ● ripe|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ Test the figs for ripeness.
2 ADJ If a situation is ripe for a particular development or event, you mean that development or event is likely to happen soon. □ [+ for ] Conditions were ripe for an outbreak of cholera.
3 PHRASE If someone lives to a ripe old age , they live until they are very old. □ He lived to the ripe old age of 95.
rip|en /ra I pən/ (ripens , ripening , ripened ) VERB When crops ripen or when the sun ripens them, they become ripe. □ [V ] I'm waiting for the apples to ripen. □ [V n] You can ripen the tomatoes on a sunny windowsill.
ri p-off (rip-offs )
1 N‑COUNT If you say that something that you bought was a rip-off , you mean that you were charged too much money or that it was of very poor quality. [INFORMAL ] □ He adds 50 grand to the price of any property with a sniff of a Thames view. Yes, it's a rip-off.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that something is a rip-off of something else, you mean that it is a copy of that thing and has no original features of its own. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] In a rip-off of the hit movie Green Card, Billy marries one of his students so he can stay in the country.
ri|poste /r I pɒ st, [AM ] -poʊ st/ (ripostes , riposting , riposted )
1 N‑COUNT A riposte is a quick, clever reply to something that someone has said. [WRITTEN ] □ Laura glanced at Grace, expecting a cheeky riposte.
2 VERB If you riposte , you make a quick, clever response to something someone has said. [WRITTEN ] □ [V with quote] 'It's tough at the top,' he said. 'It's tougher at the bottom,' riposted the billionaire.
3 N‑COUNT You can refer to an action as a riposte to something when it is a response to that thing. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ to ] The operation is being seen as a swift riposte to the killing of a senior army commander.
rip|ple /r I p ə l/ (ripples , rippling , rippled )
1 N‑COUNT Ripples are little waves on the surface of water caused by the wind or by something moving in or on the water.
2 VERB When the surface of an area of water ripples or when something ripples it, a number of little waves appear on it. □ [V ] You throw a pebble in a pool and it ripples. □ [V n] I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water.
3 VERB If something such as a feeling ripples over someone's body, it moves across it or through it. [LITERARY ] □ [V prep] A chill shiver rippled over his skin.
4 N‑COUNT [usu pl] If an event causes ripples , its effects gradually spread, causing several other events to happen one after the other. □ [+ of ] The ripples of the credit crunch are reaching every nook and cranny of sport.
ri p|ple ef|fect (ripple effects ) N‑COUNT If an event or action has a ripple effect , it causes several other events to happen one after the other. □ Any slowdown could have a ripple effect on bonuses, house prices and tax receipts.
ri p-roaring ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe something as rip-roaring , you mean that it is very exciting and full of energy. [INFORMAL ] □ …a rip-roaring movie with a great array of special effects.
rip|tide /r I pta I d/ (riptides ) also rip-tide N‑COUNT A riptide is an area of sea where two different currents meet or where the water is extremely deep. Riptides make the water very rough and dangerous.
rise ◆◆◆ /ra I z/ (rises , rising , rose , risen )
1 VERB If something rises , it moves upwards. □ [V + from/to ] He watched the smoke rise from the chimney. □ [V ] The powdery dust rose in a cloud around him. ● PHRASAL VERB Rise up means the same as rise . □ [V P + from/to ] Spray rose up from the surface of the water. □ [V P ] Black dense smoke rose up.
2 VERB When you rise , you stand up. [FORMAL ] □ [V + from ] Luther rose slowly from the chair. □ [V ] He looked at Livy and Mark, who had risen to greet him. ● PHRASAL VERB Rise up means the same as rise . □ [V P + from ] The only thing I wanted was to rise up from the table and leave this house. [Also V P ]
3 VERB When you rise , you get out of bed. [FORMAL ] □ [V ] Tony had risen early and gone to the cottage to work.
4 VERB When the sun or moon rises , it appears in the sky. □ [V ] He wanted to be over the line of the ridge before the sun had risen.
5 VERB You can say that something rises when it appears as a large tall shape. [LITERARY ] □ [V prep/adv] The building rose before him, tall and stately. ● PHRASAL VERB Rise up means the same as rise . □ [V P prep/adv] The White Mountains rose up before me.
6 VERB If the level of something such as the water in a river rises , it becomes higher. □ [V ] The waters continue to rise as more than 1,000 people are evacuated.
7 VERB If land rises , it slopes upwards. □ [V prep/adv] He looked up the slope of land that rose from the house. □ [V ] The ground begins to rise some 20 yards away.
8 VERB If an amount rises , it increases. □ [V + from/to ] Pre-tax profits rose from £842,000 to £1.82m. □ [V + by ] Tourist trips of all kinds in Britain rose by 10.5% between 1977 and 1987. □ [V amount] Exports in June rose 1.5% to a record $30.91 billion. □ [V ] The number of business failures has risen. □ [V -ing] The increase is needed to meet rising costs.
9 N‑COUNT A rise in the amount of something is an increase in it. □ [+ in ] …the prospect of another rise in interest rates.
10 N‑COUNT A rise is an increase in your wages or your salary. [BRIT ] □ [+ of ] He will get a pay rise of nearly £4,000. in AM, use raise 11 N‑SING The rise of a movement or activity is an increase in its popularity or influence. □ [+ of ] …the rise of women's football.
12 VERB If the wind rises , it becomes stronger. □ [V ] The wind was still rising, approaching a force nine gale.
13 VERB If a sound rises or if someone's voice rises , it becomes louder or higher. □ [V ] 'Bernard?' Her voice rose hysterically. □ [V + to ] His voice rose almost to a scream.
14 VERB When the people in a country rise , they try to defeat the government or army that is controlling them. □ [V + against ] The National Convention has promised armed support to any people who wish to rise against armed oppression. [Also V ] ● PHRASAL VERB Rise up means the same as rise . □ [V P ] He warned that if the government moved against him the people would rise up. □ [V P + against ] A woman called on the population to rise up against the government. ● ris|ing (risings ) N‑COUNT □ …popular risings against tyrannical rulers.
15 VERB If someone rises to a higher position or status, they become more important, successful, or powerful. □ [V prep] She is a strong woman who has risen to the top of a deeply sexist organisation. ● PHRASAL VERB Rise up means the same as rise . □ [V P prep] I started with Hoover 26 years ago in sales and rose up through the ranks.
16 N‑SING [with poss] The rise of someone is the process by which they become more important, successful, or powerful. □ Haig's rise was fuelled by an all-consuming sense of patriotic duty.
17 PHRASE If something gives rise to an event or situation, it causes that event or situation to happen. □ Low levels of choline in the body can give rise to high blood-pressure.
18 to rise to the bait → see bait
19 to rise to the challenge → see challenge
20 to rise to the occasion → see occasion
▸ rise above PHRASAL VERB If you rise above a difficulty or problem, you manage not to let it affect you. □ [V P n] It tells the story of an aspiring young man's attempt to rise above the squalor of the street.
▸ rise up → see rise 1 , rise 2 , rise 5
ris|en /r I z ə n/ Risen is the past participle of rise .
ris|er /ra I zə r / (risers )
1 N‑COUNT An early riser is someone who likes to get up early in the morning. A late riser is someone who likes to get up late. □ He was an early riser and he would be at the breakfast table at seven.
2 N‑COUNT A riser is the flat vertical part of a step or a stair. [TECHNICAL ]
ris|ible /r I z I b ə l/ ADJ If you describe something as risible , you mean that it is ridiculous and does not deserve to be taken seriously. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
ri s|ing da mp N‑UNCOUNT If a building has rising damp , moisture that has entered the bricks has moved upwards from the floor, causing damage to the walls. [BRIT ]
ri s|ing sta r (rising stars ) N‑COUNT A rising star in a particular sport, art, or area of business is someone who is starting to do very well and who people think will soon be very successful. [JOURNALISM ] □ Anna is a rising star in the world of modelling.
risk ◆◆◇ /r I sk/ (risks , risking , risked )
1 N‑VAR [N that] If there is a risk of something unpleasant, there is a possibility that it will happen. □ [+ of ] There is a small risk of brain damage from the procedure. □ In all the confusion, there's a serious risk that the main issues will be forgotten.
2 N‑COUNT If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results. □ You're taking a big risk showing this to Kravis.
3 N‑COUNT If you say that something or someone is a risk , you mean they are likely to cause harm. □ It's being overfat that constitutes a health risk. □ The restaurant has been refurbished–it was found to be a fire risk.
4 N‑COUNT If you are considered a good risk , a bank or shop thinks that it is safe to lend you money or let you have goods without paying for them at the time. □ Before providing the cash, they will have to decide whether you are a good or bad risk.
5 VERB If you risk something unpleasant, you do something which might result in that thing happening or affecting you. □ [V n/v-ing] Those who fail to register risk severe penalties.
6 VERB If you risk doing something, you do it, even though you know that it might have undesirable consequences. □ [V v-ing/n] The captain was not willing to risk taking his ship through the straits in such bad weather.
7 VERB If you risk your life or something else important, you behave in a way that might result in it being lost or harmed. □ [V n] She risked her own life to help a disabled woman.
8 PHRASE To be at risk means to be in a situation where something unpleasant might happen. □ Up to 25,000 jobs are still at risk. [Also + of ]
9 PHRASE If you do something at the risk of something unpleasant happening, you do it even though you know that the unpleasant thing might happen as a result. □ At the risk of being repetitive, I will say again that statistics are only a guide.
10 PHRASE If you tell someone that they are doing something at their own risk , you are warning them that, if they are harmed, it will be their own responsibility. □ Those who wish to come here will do so at their own risk.
11 PHRASE If you run the risk of doing or experiencing something undesirable, you do something knowing that the undesirable thing might happen as a result. □ The officers had run the risk of being dismissed.
12 to risk your neck → see neck SYNONYMS risk NOUN
1
danger: If there is a danger of famine, we should help.
chance: Do you think they have a chance of beating Australia?
threat: Some couples see single women as a threat to their relationships.
2
gamble: Yesterday, he named his cabinet and took a big gamble in the process.
chance: From then on, they were taking no chances.
venture: …his latest writing venture.
ri sk ma n|age|ment N‑UNCOUNT Risk management is the skill or job of deciding what the risks are in a particular situation and taking action to prevent or reduce them.
ri sk-taking N‑UNCOUNT Risk-taking means taking actions which might have unpleasant or undesirable results. □ …a more entrepreneurial climate, with positive encouragement of risk-taking and innovation.
risky /r I ski/ (riskier , riskiest ) ADJ If an activity or action is risky , it is dangerous or likely to fail. □ Investing in airlines is a very risky business.
ri|sot|to /r I zɒ toʊ/ (risottos ) N‑VAR Risotto is an Italian dish consisting of rice cooked with ingredients such as tomatoes, meat, or fish.
ris|qué /r I ske I , [AM ] r I ske I / ADJ If you describe something as risqué , you mean that it is slightly rude because it refers to sex. □ The script is incredibly risqué - some marvellously crude lines.
ris|sole /r I soʊl, [AM ] r I soʊ l/ (rissoles ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rissoles are small balls of chopped meat or vegetables which are fried. [BRIT ]
Rita|lin /r I t ə l I n/ N‑UNCOUNT Ritalin is a drug that is used especially in the treatment of attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [TRADEMARK ]
rite /ra I t/ (rites )
1 N‑COUNT A rite is a traditional ceremony that is carried out by a particular group or within a particular society. □ Most traditional societies have transition rites at puberty.
2 → see also last rites
ritu|al /r I tʃuəl/ (rituals )
1 N‑VAR A ritual is a religious service or other ceremony which involves a series of actions performed in a fixed order. □ This is the most ancient, and holiest of the Shinto rituals.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Ritual activities happen as part of a ritual or tradition. □ …fastings and ritual dancing. ● ritu|al|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The statue was ritually bathed and purified.
3 N‑VAR A ritual is a way of behaving or a series of actions which people regularly carry out in a particular situation, because it is their custom to do so. □ The whole Italian culture revolves around the ritual of eating.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] You can describe something as a ritual action when it is done in exactly the same way whenever a particular situation occurs. □ I realized that here the conventions required me to make the ritual noises.
ritu|al|is|tic /r I tʃuəl I st I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Ritualistic actions or behaviour follow a similar pattern every time they are used. □ Each evening she bursts into her apartment with a ritualistic shout of 'Honey I'm home!'
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Ritualistic acts are the fixed patterns of behaviour that form part of a religious service or ceremony. □ …the meditative and ritualistic practices of Buddhism.
ritu|al|ized /r I tʃuəla I zd/ in BRIT, also use ritualised ADJ [usu ADJ n] Ritualized acts are carried out in a fixed, structured way rather than being natural. □ …highly ritualised courtship displays.
ritzy /r I tsi/ (ritzier , ritziest ) ADJ If you describe something as ritzy , you mean that it is fashionable or expensive. [INFORMAL ] □ Palm Springs has ritzy restaurants and glitzy nightlife.
ri|val ◆◆◇ /ra I v ə l/ (rivals , rivalling , rivalled ) in AM, use rivaling , rivaled 1 N‑COUNT Your rival is a person, business, or organization who you are competing or fighting against in the same area or for the same things. □ The world champion finished more than two seconds ahead of his nearest rival.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone or something has no rivals or is without rival , you mean that it is the best of its type. □ As a time-honoured team contest, the Test match has no rival.
3 VERB If you say that one thing rivals another, you mean that they are both of the same standard or quality. □ [V n] London cannot rival the lifestyle and weather of Barcelona or Madrid. COLLOCATIONS rival NOUN 1
noun + rival : leadership; love
adjective + rival : arch, bitter, fierce, great; chief, close, main, nearest; local, old, political, traditional
verb + rival : beat, crush, defeat, undercut; face
ri|val|ry /ra I v ə lri/ (rivalries ) N‑VAR Rivalry is competition or fighting between people, businesses, or organizations who are in the same area or want the same things. □ [+ between ] …the rivalry between the Inkatha and the ANC.
riv|en /r I v ə n/ ADJ If a country or organization is riven by conflict, it is damaged or destroyed by violent disagreements. □ [+ by/with ] The four provinces are riven by deep family and tribal conflicts.
riv|er ◆◆◇ /r I və r / (rivers ) N‑COUNT [oft in names] A river is a large amount of fresh water flowing continuously in a long line across the land. □ …a chemical works on the banks of the river. □ …boating on the River Danube.
ri v|er bank (river banks ) also riverbank N‑COUNT A river bank is the land along the edge of a river.
ri v|er ba|sin (river basins ) N‑COUNT A river basin is the area of land from which all the water flows into a particular river.
ri v|er bed (river beds ) also riverbed N‑COUNT A river bed is the ground which a river flows over.
river|boat /r I və r boʊt/ (riverboats ) N‑COUNT [oft by N ] A riverboat is a large boat that carries passengers along a river.
river|front /r I və r frʌnt/ N‑SING [N n] The riverfront is an area of land next to a river with buildings such as houses, shops, or restaurants on it.
river|side /r I və r sa I d/ N‑SING [N n] The riverside is the area of land by the banks of a river. □ They walked back along the riverside. □ …a riverside café.
riv|et /r I v I t/ (rivets , riveting , riveted )
1 VERB If you are riveted by something, it fascinates you and holds your interest completely. □ [be V -ed] As a child I remember being riveted by my grandfather's appearance. □ [be V -ed + to ] He was riveted to the Matt Damon movie. □ [V n] The scar on her face had immediately riveted their attention.
2 N‑COUNT A rivet is a short metal pin with a flat head which is used to fasten flat pieces of metal together.
riv|et|ing /r I v I t I ŋ/ ADJ If you describe something as riveting , you mean that it is extremely interesting and exciting, and that it holds your attention completely. □ I find snooker riveting though I don't play myself.
rivu|let /r I vjʊl I t/ (rivulets ) N‑COUNT A rivulet is a small stream. [FORMAL ]
RM /ɑː r e m/ RM is written after someone's name to show that they are an officer of the Royal Marines, one of the units which make up the United Kingdom's armed forces. □ …Captain Alastair Rogers, RM.
RN /ɑː r e n/
1 RN is a written abbreviation for Royal Navy , the navy of the United Kingdom. It is written after someone's name to show that they are an officer of the Royal Navy. [BRIT ] □ …RN Museum, Portsmouth. □ …Commander Richard Aylard RN.
2 RN is an abbreviation for registered nurse . [AM ] □ …a pediatric nurse, Kathleen McAdam RN.
RNA /ɑː r en e I / N‑UNCOUNT RNA is an acid in the chromosomes of the cells of living things which plays an important part in passing information about protein structure between different cells. RNA is an abbreviation for 'ribonucleic acid'. [TECHNICAL ]
RNAS /ɑː r en ei e s/ RNAS is a written abbreviation for Royal Naval Air Services , one of the units which make up the United Kingdom's armed forces.
roach /roʊ tʃ/ (roaches ) N‑COUNT A roach is the same as a cockroach . [mainly AM ]
road ◆◆◆ /roʊ d/ (roads )
1 N‑COUNT [oft in names, oft by N ] A road is a long piece of hard ground which is built between two places so that people can drive or ride easily from one place to the other. □ There was very little traffic on the roads. □ We just go straight up the Bristol Road. □ Buses carry 30 per cent of those travelling by road. □ …road accidents.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The road to a particular result is the means of achieving it or the process of achieving it. □ [+ to ] We are bound to see some ups and downs along the road to recovery.
3 PHRASE If you hit the road , you set out on a journey. [INFORMAL ] □ I was relieved to get back in the car and hit the road again.
4 PHRASE If you are on the road , you are going on a long journey or a series of journeys by road. □ He hoped to get a new truck and go back on the road.
5 PHRASE If you say that someone is on the road to something, you mean that they are likely to achieve it. □ The government took another step on the road to political reform.
6 the end of the road → see end
road|block /roʊ dblɒk/ (roadblocks ) also road block N‑COUNT When the police or the army put a roadblock across a road, they stop all the traffic going through, for example because they are looking for a criminal. □ The city police set up roadblocks to check passing vehicles.
road|hog /roʊ dhɒg/ (roadhogs ) also road hog N‑COUNT If you describe someone as a roadhog , you mean that they drive too fast or in a way which is dangerous to other people. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
road|holding /roʊ dhoʊld I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT A vehicle's roadholding is how easy it is to control safely in difficult driving conditions or when going round bends.
road|house /roʊ dhaʊs/ (roadhouses ) N‑COUNT A roadhouse is a bar or restaurant on a road outside a city.
road|ie /roʊ di/ (roadies ) N‑COUNT A roadie is a person who transports and sets up equipment for a pop band.
road|kill /roʊ dk I l/ also road kill N‑UNCOUNT Roadkill is the remains of an animal or animals that have been killed on the road by cars or other vehicles. [mainly AM ] □ I don't feel good about seeing roadkill.
roa d man|ag|er (road managers ) N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] The road manager of someone such as a singer or sports player is the person who organizes their travel and other arrangements during a tour.
roa d map (road maps )
1 N‑COUNT A road map is a map which shows the roads in a particular area in detail.
2 N‑COUNT A road map of something is a detailed account of it, often intended to help people use or understand it. □ [+ of ] The idea was to create a comprehensive road map of the internet.
3 N‑COUNT When politicians or journalists speak about a road map to or for peace or democracy, they mean a set of general principles that can be used as a basis for achieving peace or democracy. □ [+ to/for ] He also raised doubts about the American road map to a peace settlement.
roa d pric|ing N‑UNCOUNT Road pricing is a system of making drivers pay money for driving on certain roads by electronically recording the movement of vehicles on those roads. [BRIT ]
roa d rage N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Road rage is anger or violent behaviour caused by someone else's bad driving or the stress of being in heavy traffic. □ …a road rage attack on a male motorist.
road|show /roʊ dʃoʊ/ (roadshows ) also road show
1 N‑COUNT A roadshow is a travelling show organized by a radio station, magazine, or company. □ The BBC Radio 2 Roadshow will broadcast live from the exhibition.
2 N‑COUNT A roadshow is a show presented by travelling actors. [AM ]
3 N‑COUNT A roadshow is a group of people who travel around a country, for example as part of an advertising or political campaign. [mainly AM ] □ The Democratic Presidential ticket plans another road show, this time through the industrial Midwest.
road|side /roʊ dsa I d/ (roadsides ) N‑COUNT [usu sing, N n] The roadside is the area at the edge of a road. □ Bob was forced to leave the car at the roadside and run for help.
road|ster /roʊ dstə r / (roadsters ) N‑COUNT A roadster is a car with no roof and only two seats. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
roa d tax N‑UNCOUNT In Britain, road tax is a tax paid every year by the owners of every motor vehicle which is being used on the roads.
road|way /roʊ dwe I / (roadways ) N‑COUNT The roadway is the part of a road that is used by traffic. □ Marks in the roadway seem to indicate that he skidded taking a sharp turn.
road|works /roʊ dwɜː r ks/ N‑PLURAL Roadworks are repairs or other work being done on a road.
roam /roʊ m/ (roams , roaming , roamed ) VERB If you roam an area or roam around it, you wander or travel around it without having a particular purpose. □ [V n] Barefoot children roamed the streets. □ [V prep/adv] They're roaming around the country shooting at anything that moves. □ [V ] Farmers were encouraged to keep their livestock in pens rather than letting them roam freely.
roam|ing /roʊ m I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Roaming refers to the service provided by a mobile phone company which makes it possible for you to use your mobile phone when you travel abroad.
roan /roʊ n/ (roans ) N‑COUNT A roan is a horse that is brown or black with some white hairs.
roar /rɔː r / (roars , roaring , roared )
1 VERB If something, usually a vehicle, roars somewhere, it goes there very fast, making a loud noise. [WRITTEN ] □ [V adv/prep] The plane roared down the runway for takeoff.
2 VERB If something roars , it makes a very loud noise. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] The engine roared, and the vehicle leapt forward. □ [V -ing] …the roaring waters of Niagara Falls. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Roar is also a noun. □ [+ of ] …the roar of traffic.
3 VERB If someone roars with laughter, they laugh in a very noisy way. □ [V + with ] Max threw back his head and roared with laughter. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Roar is also a noun. □ [+ of ] There were roars of laughter as he stood up.
4 VERB If someone roars , they shout something in a very loud voice. [WRITTEN ] □ [V with quote] 'I'll kill you for that,' he roared. □ [V ] During the playing of the national anthem the crowd roared and whistled. □ [V n] The audience roared its approval. [Also V for n] ● N‑COUNT Roar is also a noun. □ [+ of ] There was a roar of approval.
5 VERB When a lion roars , it makes the loud sound that lions typically make. □ [V ] The lion roared once, and sprang. ● N‑COUNT Roar is also a noun. □ [+ of ] …the roar of lions in the distance.
roar|ing /rɔː r I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A roaring fire has large flames and is sending out a lot of heat.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If something is a roaring success, it is very successful indeed. □ The government's first effort to privatize a company has been a roaring success.
3 → see also roar
4 PHRASE If someone does a roaring trade in a type of goods, they sell a lot of them. □ Salesmen of unofficial souvenirs have also been doing a roaring trade.
roast /roʊ st/ (roasts , roasting , roasted )
1 VERB When you roast meat or other food, you cook it by dry heat in an oven or over a fire. □ [V n] I personally would rather roast a chicken whole.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Roast meat has been cooked by roasting. □ …roast chicken.
3 N‑COUNT A roast is a piece of meat that is cooked by roasting. □ Come into the kitchen. I've got to put the roast in.
roast|ing /roʊ st I ŋ/ N‑SING If someone gives you a roasting , they criticize you severely about something in a way that shows that they are very annoyed with you. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ The team was given a roasting by the manager.
rob /rɒ b/ (robs , robbing , robbed )
1 VERB If someone is robbed , they have money or property stolen from them. □ [be V -ed + of ] Mrs Yacoub was robbed of her £3,000 designer watch at her West London home. □ [V n] Police said Stefanovski had robbed a man just hours earlier. [Also V ]
2 VERB If someone is robbed of something that they deserve, have, or need, it is taken away from them. □ [be V -ed + of ] She was robbed of a carefree childhood. □ [V n + of ] I can't forgive Lewis for robbing me of a gold medal.
rob|ber /rɒ bə r / (robbers ) N‑COUNT A robber is someone who steals money or property from a bank, a shop, or a vehicle, often by using force or threats. □ Armed robbers broke into a jeweller's through a hole in the wall.
ro b|ber ba r|on (robber barons ) N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a robber baron , you mean that they have made a very large amount of money and have been prepared to act illegally or in an immoral way in order to do so.
rob|bery /rɒ bəri/ (robberies ) N‑VAR Robbery is the crime of stealing money or property from a bank, shop, or vehicle, often by using force or threats. □ The gang members committed dozens of armed robberies.
robe /roʊ b/ (robes )
1 N‑COUNT A robe is a loose piece of clothing which covers all of your body and reaches the ground. You can describe someone as wearing a robe or as wearing robes . [FORMAL ] □ The Pope knelt in his white robes before the simple altar.
2 N‑COUNT A robe is a piece of clothing, usually made of towelling, which people wear in the house, especially when they have just got up or had a bath. □ Ryle put on a robe and went down to the kitchen.
-robed /-roʊbd/ COMB [ADJ n] -robed combines with the names of colours to indicate that someone is wearing robes of a particular colour. □ …a brown-robed monk.
rob|in /rɒ b I n/ (robins )
1 N‑COUNT A robin is a small brown bird found in Europe. The male has an orangey-red neck and breast.
2 N‑COUNT A robin is a brown bird found in North America. The male has a reddish-brown breast. North American robins are larger than European ones, and are a completely different species of bird.
3 → see also round-robin
ro|bot /roʊ bɒt, [AM ] -bət/ (robots ) N‑COUNT A robot is a machine which is programmed to move and perform certain tasks automatically. □ …very lightweight robots that we could send to the moon for planetary exploration.
ro|bot|ic /roʊbɒ t I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Robotic equipment can perform certain tasks automatically. □ The astronaut tried to latch the 15-foot robotic arm onto the satellite.
ro|bot|ics /roʊbɒ t I ks/ N‑UNCOUNT Robotics is the science of designing and building robots. [TECHNICAL ]
ro|bust /roʊbʌ st, roʊ bʌst/
1 ADJ Someone or something that is robust is very strong or healthy. □ More women than men go to the doctor. Perhaps men are more robust or worry less? ● ro|bust|ly ADV □ He became robustly healthy. ● ro|bust|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the robustness of diesel engines.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Robust views or opinions are strongly held and forcefully expressed. □ A British Foreign Office minister has made a robust defence of the agreement. ● ro|bust|ly ADV □ In the decisions we have to make about Europe, we have to defend our position very robustly indeed. ● ro|bust|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …a prominent industrialist renowned for the robustness of his right-wing views.
rock ◆◆◇ /rɒ k/ (rocks , rocking , rocked )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Rock is the hard substance which the Earth is made of. □ The hills above the valley are bare rock.
2 N‑COUNT A rock is a large piece of rock that sticks up out of the ground or the sea, or that has broken away from a mountain or a cliff. □ She sat cross-legged on the rock.
3 N‑COUNT A rock is a piece of rock that is small enough for you to pick up. □ She bent down, picked up a rock and threw it into the trees.
4 VERB When something rocks or when you rock it, it moves slowly and regularly backwards and forwards or from side to side. □ [V prep/adv] His body rocked from side to side with the train. □ [V n] She sat on the porch and rocked the baby. [Also V ]
5 VERB If an explosion or an earthquake rocks a building or an area, it causes the building or area to shake. You can also say that the building or area rocks . [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] Three people were injured yesterday when an explosion rocked one of Britain's best known film studios. □ [V ] As the buildings rocked under heavy shell-fire, he took refuge in the cellars.
6 VERB If an event or a piece of news rocks a group or society, it shocks them or makes them feel less secure. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] His death rocked the fashion business.
7 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Rock is loud music with a strong beat that is usually played and sung by a small group of people using instruments such as electric guitars and drums. □ …a rock concert. □ …famous rock stars.
8 N‑UNCOUNT Rock is a sweet that is made in long, hard sticks and is often sold in towns by the sea in Britain. □ …a stick of rock.
9 PHRASE If you have an alcoholic drink such as whisky on the rocks , you have it with ice cubes in it. □ …a Scotch on the rocks.
10 PHRASE If something such as a marriage or a business is on the rocks , it is experiencing very severe difficulties and looks likely to end very soon. □ She confided to her mother six months ago that her marriage was on the rocks.
11 to rock the boat → see boat SYNONYMS rock VERB 4
sway: The people swayed back and forth with arms linked.
pitch: The movement took him by surprise, and he pitched forward.
swing: The sail of the little boat swung crazily from one side to the other.
rocka|bil|ly /rɒ kəb I li/ N‑UNCOUNT Rockabilly is a kind of fast rock music which developed in the southern United States in the 1950s.
ro ck and ro ll also rock'n'roll N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Rock and roll is a kind of popular music developed in the 1950s which has a strong beat and is played on electrical instruments. □ …Elvis Presley–the King of Rock and Roll.
ro ck bo t|tom also rock-bottom
1 N‑UNCOUNT If something has reached rock bottom , it is at such a low level that it cannot go any lower. □ Morale in the armed forces was at rock bottom.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If someone has reached rock bottom , they are in such a bad state or are so completely depressed that their situation could not get any worse. □ She was at rock bottom. Her long-term love affair was breaking up and so was she.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rock-bottom price or level is a very low one, mainly in advertisements. [APPROVAL ] □ What they do offer is a good product at a rock-bottom price.
ro ck climb|er (rock climbers ) N‑COUNT A rock climber is a person whose hobby or sport is climbing cliffs or large rocks.
ro ck climb|ing also rock-climbing N‑UNCOUNT Rock climbing is the activity of climbing cliffs or large rocks, as a hobby or sport.
rock|er /rɒ kə r / (rockers )
1 N‑COUNT A rocker is a chair that is built on two curved pieces of wood so that you can rock yourself backwards and forwards while you are sitting in it. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, usually use rocking chair 2 N‑COUNT A rocker is someone who performs rock music. □ The American rockers will play ten nights, starting in Glasgow.
rock|ery /rɒ kəri/ (rockeries ) N‑COUNT A rockery is a raised part of a garden which is built of rocks and soil, with small plants growing between the rocks.
rock|et ◆◇◇ /rɒ k I t/ (rockets , rocketing , rocketed )
1 N‑COUNT A rocket is a space vehicle that is shaped like a long tube.
2 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A rocket is a missile containing explosive that is powered by gas. □ There has been a renewed rocket attack on the capital.
3 N‑COUNT A rocket is a firework that quickly goes high into the air and then explodes.
4 VERB If things such as prices or social problems rocket , they increase very quickly and suddenly. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V ] Fresh food is so scarce that prices have rocketed. □ [V -ing] The nation has experienced four years of rocketing crime.
5 VERB If something such as a vehicle rockets somewhere, it moves there very quickly. □ [V prep/adv] A train rocketed by, shaking the walls of the row houses.
ro ck|et launch|er (rocket launchers ) N‑COUNT A rocket launcher is a device that can be carried by soldiers and used for firing rockets.
ro ck|et sci |ence N‑UNCOUNT If you say that something is not rocket science , you mean that you do not have to be clever in order to do it. □ Interviewing politicians may not be rocket science, but it does matter.
ro ck|et sci |en|tist (rocket scientists ) N‑COUNT If you say that it does not take a rocket scientist to do something, you mean that you do not have to be clever to do it. □ It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make a rock record.
ro ck gar|den (rock gardens ) N‑COUNT A rock garden is a garden which consists of rocks with small plants growing among them.
ro ck-ha rd also rock hard ADJ Something that is rock-hard is very hard indeed. □ During the dry season the land is rock hard.
ro ck|ing chair (rocking chairs ) N‑COUNT A rocking chair is a chair that is built on two curved pieces of wood so that you can rock yourself backwards and forwards when you are sitting in it.
ro ck|ing horse (rocking horses ) N‑COUNT A rocking horse is a toy horse which a child can sit on and which can be made to rock backwards and forwards.
ro ck-like ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is rock-like is very strong or firm, and is unlikely to change. □ …his rock-like integrity.
rock'n'roll /rɒ k ə nroʊ l/ → see rock and roll
ro ck pool (rock pools ) N‑COUNT A rock pool is a small pool between rocks on the edge of the sea.
ro ck salt N‑UNCOUNT Rock salt is salt that is formed in the ground. It is obtained by mining.
ro ck-so lid also rock solid
1 ADJ Something that is rock-solid is extremely hard. □ Freeze it only until firm but not rock solid.
2 ADJ If you describe someone or something as rock-solid , you approve of them because they are extremely reliable or unlikely to change. [APPROVAL ] □ Mayhew is a man of rock-solid integrity.
ro ck stea dy also rock-steady ADJ Something that is rock steady is very firm and does not shake or move about. □ He could hold a camera rock steady.
rocky /rɒ ki/ (rockier , rockiest )
1 ADJ A rocky place is covered with rocks or consists of large areas of rock and has nothing growing on it. □ The paths are often very rocky so strong boots are advisable. □ …a rocky headland.
2 ADJ A rocky situation or relationship is unstable and full of difficulties. □ They had gone through some rocky times together when Ann was first married.
ro|co|co /rəkoʊ koʊ, [AM ] roʊ kəkoʊ / N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Rococo is a decorative style that was popular in Europe in the eighteenth century. Rococo buildings, furniture, and works of art often include complicated curly decoration.
rod /rɒ d/ (rods )
1 N‑COUNT A rod is a long, thin metal or wooden bar. □ …a 15-foot thick roof that was reinforced with steel rods.
2 → see also fishing rod , lightning rod
rode /roʊ d/ Rode is the past tense of ride .
ro|dent /roʊ d ə nt/ (rodents ) N‑COUNT Rodents are small mammals which have sharp front teeth. Rats, mice, and squirrels are rodents.
ro|deo /roʊ dioʊ, roʊde I oʊ/ (rodeos ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] In the United States, a rodeo is a public entertainment event in which cowboys show different skills, including riding wild horses and catching cattle with ropes.
roe /roʊ / (roes ) N‑VAR Roe is the eggs or sperm of a fish, which is eaten as food. □ …cod's roe.
roe deer (roe deer ) N‑COUNT A roe deer is a small deer which lives in woods in Europe and Asia.
rogue /roʊ g/ (rogues )
1 N‑COUNT A rogue is a man who behaves in a dishonest or criminal way. □ Mr Ward wasn't a rogue at all.
2 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] If a man behaves in a way that you do not approve of but you still like him, you can refer to him as a rogue . [FEELINGS ] □ …Falstaff, the loveable rogue.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] A rogue element is someone or something that behaves differently from others of its kind, often causing damage. □ Computer systems were affected by a series of rogue viruses.
ro gues' ga l|lery
1 N‑SING A rogues' gallery is a collection of photographs of criminals that is kept by the police and used when they want to identify someone. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ of ] …a Rogues' Gallery of juvenile crime gangs.
2 N‑SING You can refer to a group of people or things that you consider undesirable as a rogues' gallery . [JOURNALISM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ of ] A rogues' gallery of lazy MPs was exposed by the newspaper.
ro gue state (rogue states ) N‑COUNT When politicians or journalists talk about a rogue state , they mean a country that they regard as a threat to their own country's security, for example because it supports terrorism. [JOURNALISM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …possible missile attacks from rogue states.
ro gue trad|er (rogue traders ) N‑COUNT A rogue trader is an employee of a financial institution who carries out business without the knowledge or approval of his or her bosses. [BUSINESS , DISAPPROVAL ] □ …the unauthorised dealings by this rogue trader which brought down the bank.
ro|guish /roʊ g I ʃ/ ADJ If someone has a roguish expression or manner, they look as though they are about to behave badly. □ She was a mature lady with dyed ginger hair and a roguish grin.
Ro|hyp|nol /roʊh I pnɒl/ N‑UNCOUNT Rohypnol is a powerful drug that makes a person semi-conscious. [TRADEMARK ]
roil /rɔ I l/ (roils , roiling , roiled )
1 VERB If water roils , it is rough and disturbed. [mainly AM ] □ [V ] The water roiled to his left as he climbed carefully at the edge of the waterfall.
2 VERB Something that roils a state or situation makes it disturbed and confused. □ [V n] Times of national turmoil generally roil a country's financial markets.
role ◆◆◆ /roʊ l/ (roles )
1 N‑COUNT If you have a role in a situation or in society, you have a particular position and function in it. □ [+ in ] …the drug's role in preventing more serious effects of infection. □ Both sides have roles to play. [Also + of/as ]
2 N‑COUNT A role is one of the characters that an actor or singer can play in a film, play, or opera. □ She has just landed the lead role in The Young Vic's latest production.
ro le mod|el (role models ) N‑COUNT A role model is someone you admire and try to imitate. □ [+ for ] He thinks I'm a good role model for his teenage daughter.
ro le play (role plays , role playing , role played ) also role-play
1 N‑VAR Role play is the act of imitating the character and behaviour of someone who is different from yourself, for example as a training exercise. □ Group members have to communicate with each other through role-play.
2 VERB If people role play , they do a role play. □ [V n] Rehearse and role-play the interview with a friend beforehand. [Also V ] ● role play|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ We did a lot of role playing.
ro le re|ver|sal (role reversals ) N‑VAR Role reversal is a situation in which two people have chosen or been forced to exchange their duties and responsibilities, so that each is now doing what the other used to do. □ Instead of being a helper, I needed help, and I struggled with this role reversal.
roll ◆◆◇ /roʊ l/ (rolls , rolling , rolled )
1 VERB When something rolls or when you roll it, it moves along a surface, turning over many times. □ [V prep/adv] The ball rolled into the net. □ [V n prep] I rolled a ball across the carpet.
2 VERB If you roll somewhere, you move on a surface while lying down, turning your body over and over, so that you are sometimes on your back, sometimes on your side, and sometimes on your front. □ [V prep/adv] When I was a little kid I rolled down a hill and broke my leg.
3 VERB When vehicles roll along, they move along slowly. □ [V prep/adv] The lorry quietly rolled forward.
4 VERB If a machine rolls , it is operating. □ [V ] He slipped and fell on an airplane gangway as the cameras rolled.
5 VERB If drops of liquid roll down a surface, they move quickly down it. □ [V + down ] She looked at Ginny and tears rolled down her cheeks.
6 VERB If you roll something flexible into a cylinder or a ball, you form it into a cylinder or a ball by wrapping it several times around itself or by shaping it between your hands. □ [V n + into ] He took off his sweater, rolled it into a pillow and lay down on the grass. □ [V n] He rolled a cigarette. ● PHRASAL VERB Roll up means the same as roll . □ [V P n] Stein rolled up the paper bag with the money inside. [Also V n P ]
7 N‑COUNT A roll of paper, plastic, cloth, or wire is a long piece of it that has been wrapped many times around itself or around a tube. □ [+ of ] The photographers had already shot a dozen rolls of film.
8 → see also toilet roll
9 VERB If you roll up something such as a car window or a blind, you cause it to move upwards by turning a handle. If you roll it down , you cause it to move downwards by turning a handle. □ [V n with adv] In mid-afternoon, shopkeepers began to roll down their shutters.
10 VERB If you roll your eyes or if your eyes roll , they move round and upwards. People sometimes roll their eyes when they are frightened, bored, or annoyed. [WRITTEN ] □ [V n] People may roll their eyes and talk about overprotective, interfering grandmothers. □ [V ] His eyes rolled and he sobbed.
11 N‑COUNT A roll is a small piece of bread that is round or long and is made to be eaten by one person. Rolls can be eaten plain, with butter, or with a filling. □ He spread butter on a roll.
12 N‑COUNT A roll of drums is a long, low, fairly loud sound made by drums. □ [+ of ] As the town clock struck two, they heard the roll of drums.
13 → see also drum roll
14 N‑COUNT A roll is an official list of people's names. □ …the electoral roll.
15 → see also rolling , rock and roll , sausage roll
16 PHRASE If someone is on a roll , they are having great success which seems likely to continue. [INFORMAL ] □ I made a name for myself and I was on a roll, I couldn't see anything going wrong.
17 PHRASE If you say roll on something, you mean that you would like it to come soon, because you are looking forward to it. [BRIT , INFORMAL , FEELINGS ] □ Roll on the day someone develops an effective vaccine against malaria.
18 PHRASE If something is several things rolled into one , it combines the main features or qualities of those things. □ This is our kitchen, sitting and dining room all rolled into one.
19 to start the ball rolling → see ball
20 heads will roll → see head
▸ roll back
1 PHRASAL VERB To roll back a change or the power of something means to gradually reduce it or end it. □ [V P n] The government taking advantage of the national mood to roll back environmental protection measures. [Also V n P ]
2 → see also rollback
3 PHRASAL VERB To roll back prices, taxes, or benefits means to reduce them. [mainly AM ] □ [V P n] One provision of the law was to roll back taxes to the 1975 level.
▸ roll in or roll into
1 PHRASAL VERB [usu cont] If something such as money is rolling in , it is appearing or being received in large quantities. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] Don't forget, I have always kept the money rolling in. [Also V P n]
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone rolls into a place or rolls in , they arrive in a casual way and often late. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V P ] 'I've made you late.'—'No that's all right. I can roll in when I feel like it.' □ [V P n] The brothers usually roll into their studio around midday.
▸ roll up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you roll up your sleeves or trouser legs, you fold the ends back several times, making them shorter. □ [V P n] The jacket was too big for him so he rolled up the cuffs. □ [V n P ] Walking in the surf, she had to roll her pants up to her knees.
2 → see also rolled-up
3 PHRASAL VERB If people roll up somewhere, they arrive there, especially in large numbers, to see something interesting. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] Roll up, roll up, come and join The Greatest Show on Earth. □ [V P prep/adv] The first reporters rolled up to the laboratory within minutes.
4 → see also roll 6 , rolled-up
roll|back /roʊ lbæk/ (rollbacks ) N‑COUNT A rollback is a reduction in price or some other change that makes something like it was before. [mainly AM ] □ Silber says the tax rollback would decimate basic services for the needy.
ro ll call (roll calls ) also roll-call
1 N‑VAR If you take a roll call , you check which of the members of a group are present by reading their names out. □ We had to stand in the snow every morning for roll call.
2 N‑SING A roll call of a particular type of people or things is a list of them. [JOURNALISM ] □ [+ of ] Her list of pupils read like a roll-call of the great and good.
ro lled-u p
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Rolled-up objects have been folded or wrapped into a cylindrical shape. □ …a rolled-up newspaper.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Rolled-up sleeves or trouser legs have been made shorter by being folded over at the lower edge. □ …an open-necked shirt, with rolled-up sleeves.
roll|er /roʊ lə r / (rollers )
1 N‑COUNT A roller is a cylinder that turns round in a machine or device.
2 N‑COUNT Rollers are hollow tubes that women roll their hair round in order to make it curly.
Roll|er|blade /roʊ lə r ble I d/ (Rollerblades ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rollerblades are a type of roller skates with a single line of wheels along the bottom. [TRADEMARK ] ● roll|er|blader (rollerbladers ) N‑COUNT □ …a dedicated rollerblader. ● roll|er|blad|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ Rollerblading is great for all ages.
ro ller-coaster (roller-coasters ), rollercoaster
1 N‑COUNT A roller-coaster is a small railway at a fair that goes up and down steep slopes fast and that people ride on for pleasure or excitement. □ It's great to go on the rollercoaster five times and not be sick.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that someone or something is on a roller coaster , you mean that they go through many sudden or extreme changes in a short time. [JOURNALISM ] □ I've been on an emotional roller-coaster since I've been here.
ro ller-skate (roller-skates , roller-skating , roller-skated )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Roller-skates are shoes with four small wheels on the bottom. □ A boy of about ten came up on roller-skates.
2 VERB If you roller-skate , you move over a flat surface wearing roller-skates. □ [V ] On the day of the accident, my son Gary was roller-skating outside our house. ● roller-skating N‑UNCOUNT □ The craze for roller skating spread throughout the U.S.
rol|lick|ing /rɒ l I k I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A rollicking occasion is cheerful and usually noisy. A rollicking book or film is entertaining and enjoyable, and not very serious. □ His diaries are a rollicking read. ● ADV [ADV adj] Rollicking is also an adverb. □ I'm having a rollicking good time.
2 N‑SING If you give someone a rollicking , you tell them off in a very angry way. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ 'The boss gave us a rollicking,' said McGoldrick.
roll|ing /roʊ l I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Rolling hills are small hills with gentle slopes that extend a long way into the distance. □ …the rolling countryside of south western France.
2 PHRASE If you say that someone is rolling in it or is rolling in money , you mean that they are very rich. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ]
ro ll|ing mill (rolling mills ) N‑COUNT A rolling mill is a machine or factory in which metal is rolled into sheets or bars.
ro ll|ing pin (rolling pins ) N‑COUNT A rolling pin is a cylinder that you roll backwards and forwards over uncooked pastry in order to make the pastry flat.
ro ll|ing stock N‑UNCOUNT Rolling stock is all the engines and carriages that are used on a railway. □ Many stations needed repairs or rebuilding and there was a shortage of rolling stock.
ro ll-neck (roll-necks )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A roll-neck sweater or a roll-necked sweater is a sweater with a high neck than can be rolled over. [mainly BRIT ]
2 N‑COUNT A roll-neck is a roll-neck sweater. [mainly BRIT ]
ro ll of ho n|our N‑SING A roll of honour is a list of the names of people who are admired or respected for something they have done, such as doing very well in a sport or exam. [BRIT ] in AM, use honor roll
ro ll-on (roll-ons ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A roll-on is a deodorant or cosmetic that you apply to your body using a container with a ball which turns round in the neck of the container. □ I use unperfumed roll-on deodorant.
ro ll-on roll-o ff ADJ [ADJ n] A roll-on roll-off ship is designed so that cars and lorries can drive on at one end before the ship sails, and then drive off at the other end after the journey. [BRIT ] □ …roll-on roll-off ferries.
roll|over /roʊ loʊvə r / (rollovers )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] In a lottery draw, a rollover is a prize that includes the prize money from the previous draw, because nobody won it.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] In finance, a rollover is when a loan or other financial arrangement is extended.
ro ll-top de sk (roll-top desks ) also rolltop desk N‑COUNT A roll-top desk is a desk which has a wooden cover which can be pulled down over the writing surface when the desk is not being used.
roll-up /roʊ lʌp/ (roll-ups ) N‑COUNT A roll-up is a cigarette that someone makes for themself, using tobacco and cigarette papers.
roly-poly /roʊ li poʊ li/ ADJ [ADJ n] Roly-poly people are pleasantly fat and round. [INFORMAL ] □ …a short, roly-poly man with laughing eyes.
ROM /rɒ m/
1 N‑UNCOUNT ROM is the permanent part of a computer's memory. The information stored there can be read but not changed. ROM is an abbreviation for 'read-only memory'. [COMPUTING ]
2 → see also CD-ROM
Ro|man /roʊ mən/ (Romans )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Roman means related to or connected with ancient Rome and its empire. □ …the fall of the Roman Empire. ● N‑COUNT A Roman was a citizen of ancient Rome or its empire. □ When they conquered Britain, the Romans brought this custom with them.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Roman means related to or connected with modern Rome. □ …a Roman hotel room. ● N‑COUNT A Roman is someone who lives in or comes from Rome. □ …soccer-mad Romans.
Ro |man a l|pha|bet N‑SING The Roman alphabet is the alphabet that was used by the Romans in ancient times and that is used for writing most western European languages, including English.
Ro |man Ca tho|lic (Roman Catholics )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] The Roman Catholic Church is the same as the Catholic Church. □ …a Roman Catholic priest.
2 N‑COUNT A Roman Catholic is the same as a Catholic . □ Like her, Maria was a Roman Catholic.
Ro |man Ca|tho li|cism N‑UNCOUNT Roman Catholicism is the same as Catholicism .
ro|mance /rəmæ ns, roʊ mæns/ (romances )
1 N‑COUNT A romance is a relationship between two people who are in love with each other but who are not married to each other. □ After a whirlwind romance the couple announced their engagement in July.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Romance refers to the actions and feelings of people who are in love, especially behaviour which is very caring or affectionate. □ He still finds time for romance by cooking candlelit dinners for his girlfriend.
3 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the pleasure and excitement of doing something new or exciting as romance . □ We want to recreate the romance and excitement that used to be part of rail journeys.
4 N‑COUNT A romance is a novel or film about a love affair. □ Her taste in fiction was for chunky historical romances.
5 N‑UNCOUNT Romance is used to refer to novels about love affairs. □ Since taking up writing romance in 1967 she has brought out over fifty books.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] Romance languages are languages such as French, Spanish, and Italian, which come from Latin. [TECHNICAL ]
Ro|man|esque /roʊ məne sk/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Romanesque architecture is in the style that was common in western Europe around the eleventh century. It is characterized by rounded arches and thick pillars.
Ro|ma|nian /ruːme I niən/ (Romanians ) also Rumanian
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Romanian means belonging or relating to Romania, or to its people, language, or culture.
2 N‑COUNT A Romanian is a person who comes from Romania.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Romanian is the language spoken in Romania.
Ro|man nu |mer|al (Roman numerals ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Roman numerals are the letters used by the ancient Romans to represent numbers, for example I, IV, VIII, and XL, which represent 1, 4, 8, and 40. Roman numerals are still sometimes used today.
ro|man|tic ◆◇◇ /roʊmæ nt I k/ (romantics )
1 ADJ Someone who is romantic or does romantic things says and does things that make their wife, husband, girlfriend, or boyfriend feel special and loved. □ When we're together, all he talks about is business. I wish he were more romantic.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Romantic means connected with sexual love. □ He was not interested in a romantic relationship with Ingrid. ● ro|man|ti|cal|ly ADV □ We are not romantically involved.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] A romantic play, film, or story describes or represents a love affair. □ It is a lovely romantic comedy, well worth seeing. □ …romantic novels.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that someone has a romantic view or idea of something, you are critical of them because their view of it is unrealistic and they think that thing is better or more exciting than it really is. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ He has a romantic view of rural society. ● N‑COUNT A romantic is a person who has romantic views. □ You're a hopeless romantic.
5 ADJ Something that is romantic is beautiful in a way that strongly affects your feelings. □ Seacliff House is one of the most romantic ruins in Scotland. ● ro|man|ti|cal|ly ADV □ …the romantically named weeping love grass.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] Romantic means connected with the artistic movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which was concerned with the expression of the individual's feelings and emotions. □ …the poems and prose of the English romantic poets.
ro|man|ti|cism /roʊmæ nt I s I zəm/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Romanticism is attitudes, ideals and feelings which are romantic rather than realistic. □ Her determined romanticism was worrying me.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Romanticism is the artistic movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which was concerned with the expression of the individual's feelings and emotions.
ro|man|ti|cize /roʊmæ nt I sa I z/ (romanticizes , romanticizing , romanticized ) in BRIT, also use romanticise VERB If you romanticize someone or something, you think or talk about them in a way which is not at all realistic and which makes them seem better than they really are. □ [V n] He romanticized the past as he became disillusioned with his present. ● ro|man|ti|cized ADJ □ The film takes a highly romanticized view of life on the streets.
Roma|ny /roʊ məni/ (Romanies )
1 N‑COUNT A Romany is a member of a race of people who travel from place to place, usually living in caravans, rather than living in one place.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Romany means related or connected to the Romany people. □ …the Romany community.
Romeo /roʊ mioʊ/ (Romeos ) N‑COUNT You can describe a man as a Romeo if you want to indicate that he is very much in love with a woman, or that he frequently has sexual relationships with different women. [JOURNALISM , HUMOROUS , INFORMAL ] □ …one of Hollywood's most notorious Romeos.
romp /rɒ mp/ (romps , romping , romped )
1 VERB Journalists use romp in expressions like romp home , romp in , or romp to victory , to say that a person or horse has won a race or competition very easily. □ [V adv/prep] Mr Foster romped home with 141 votes.
2 VERB When children or animals romp , they play noisily and happily. □ [V ] Dogs and little children romped happily in the garden.
roof ◆◇◇ /ruː f/ (roofs ) The plural can be pronounced /ruː fs/ or /ruː vz/. 1 N‑COUNT The roof of a building is the covering on top of it that protects the people and things inside from the weather. □ …a small stone cottage with a red slate roof.
2 N‑COUNT The roof of a car or other vehicle is the top part of it, which protects passengers or goods from the weather. □ The car rolled onto its roof, trapping him.
3 N‑COUNT The roof of your mouth is the highest part of the inside of your mouth. □ [+ of ] She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.
4 PHRASE If the level of something such as the price of a product or the rate of inflation goes through the roof , it suddenly increases very rapidly indeed. [INFORMAL ] □ Prices for Korean art have gone through the roof.
5 PHRASE If you hit the roof or go through the roof , you become very angry indeed, and usually show your anger by shouting at someone. [INFORMAL ] □ Sergeant Long will hit the roof when I tell him you've gone off.
6 PHRASE If a group of people inside a building raise the roof , they make a very loud noise, for example by singing or shouting. □ He raised the roof when he sang his own version of the national anthem.
7 PHRASE If a number of things or people are under one roof or under the same roof , they are in the same building. □ The firms intend to open together under one roof.
roofed /ruː ft, ruː vd/ ADJ A roofed building or area is covered by a roof. □ …a roofed corridor. □ …a peasant hut roofed with branches.
-roofed /-ruː ft, -ruː vd/ COMB [usu ADJ n] -roofed combines with adjectives and nouns to form adjectives that describe what kind of roof a building has. □ …a huge flat-roofed concrete and glass building.
roof|er /ruː fə r / (roofers ) N‑COUNT A roofer is a person whose job is to put roofs on buildings and to repair damaged roofs.
roo f gar|den (roof gardens ) N‑COUNT A roof garden is a garden on the flat roof of a building.
roof|ing /ruː f I ŋ/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Roofing is material used for making or covering roofs. □ A gust of wind pried loose a section of sheet-metal roofing.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Roofing is the work of putting new roofs on houses. □ …a roofing company.
roof|less /ruː fləs/ ADJ A roofless building has no roof, usually because the building has been damaged or has not been used for a long time.
roo f rack (roof racks ) also roof-rack N‑COUNT A roof rack is a metal frame that is fixed on top of a car and used for carrying large objects. [BRIT ] in AM, use luggage rack
roof|top /ruː ftɒp/ (rooftops ) also roof-top
1 N‑COUNT A rooftop is the outside part of the roof of a building. □ Below us you could glimpse the rooftops of a few small villages.
2 PHRASE If you shout something from the rooftops , you say it or announce it in a very public way. □ When we have something definite to say, we shall be shouting it from the rooftops.
rook /rʊ k/ (rooks )
1 N‑COUNT A rook is a large black bird. Rooks are members of the crow family.
2 N‑COUNT In chess, a rook is one of the chess pieces which stand in the corners of the board at the beginning of a game. Rooks can move forwards, backwards, or sideways, but not diagonally.
rookie /rʊ ki/ (rookies )
1 N‑COUNT A rookie is someone who has just started doing a job and does not have much experience, especially someone who has just joined the army or police force. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ I don't want to have another rookie to train.
2 N‑COUNT A rookie is a person who has been competing in a professional sport for less than a year. [AM ]
room ◆◆◆ /ruː m, rʊ m/ (rooms , rooming , roomed )
1 N‑COUNT A room is one of the separate sections or parts of the inside of a building. Rooms have their own walls, ceilings, floors, and doors, and are usually used for particular activities. You can refer to all the people who are in a room as the room . □ A minute later he excused himself and left the room. □ The whole room roared with laughter.
2 N‑COUNT If you talk about your room , you are referring to the room that you alone use, especially your bedroom at home or your office at work. □ If you're running upstairs, go to my room and bring down my sweater, please.
3 N‑COUNT A room is a bedroom in a hotel. □ Toni booked a room in an hotel not far from Arzfeld.
4 VERB If you room with someone, you share a rented room, apartment, or house with them, for example when you are a student. [AM ] □ [V + with ] I had roomed with him in New Haven when we were both at Yale Law School. [Also V together ]
5 N‑UNCOUNT If there is room somewhere, there is enough empty space there for people or things to be fitted in, or for people to move freely or do what they want to. □ There is usually room to accommodate up to 80 visitors.
6 → see also leg room , standing room
7 N‑UNCOUNT If there is room for a particular kind of behaviour or action, people are able to behave in that way or to take that action. □ [+ for ] The intensity of the work left little room for personal grief or anxiety.
8 PHRASE If you have room for manoeuvre , you have the opportunity to change your plans if it becomes necessary or desirable. □ With an election looming, he has little room for manoeuvre.
9 → see also changing room , chat room , common room , consulting room , dining room , drawing room , dressing room , elbow room , emergency room , ladies' room , leg room , living room , locker room , men's room , morning room , powder room , reading room , reception room , rest room , spare room , standing room
10 to give something houseroom → see houseroom
-roomed /-ruːmd/ COMB [usu ADJ n] -roomed combines with numbers to form adjectives which tell you how many rooms a house or flat contains. □ They found a little two-roomed flat to rent.
room|ful /ruː mfʊl/ (roomfuls ) N‑COUNT A roomful of things or people is a room that is full of them. You can also refer to the amount or number of things or people that a room can contain as a roomful . □ [+ of ] It was like a teacher disciplining a roomful of second-year pupils.
roo m|ing house (rooming houses ) N‑COUNT A rooming house is a building that is divided into small flats or single rooms which people rent to live in. [AM ]
room|mate /ruː mme I t, rʊ m-/ (roommates ) also room-mate
1 N‑COUNT Your roommate is the person you share a rented room, apartment, or house with, for example when you are at university. [AM ]
2 N‑COUNT Your roommate is the person you share a rented room with, for example when you are at university. [BRIT ]
roo m ser|vice N‑UNCOUNT Room service is a service in a hotel by which meals or drinks are provided for guests in their rooms. □ The hotel did not normally provide room service.
roomy /ruː mi/ (roomier , roomiest )
1 ADJ If you describe a place as roomy , you mean that you like it because it is large inside and you can move around freely and comfortably. [APPROVAL ] □ The car is roomy and a good choice for anyone who needs to carry equipment.
2 ADJ If you describe a piece of clothing as roomy , you mean that you like it because it is large and fits loosely. [APPROVAL ] □ …roomy jackets.
roost /ruː st/ (roosts , roosting , roosted )
1 N‑COUNT A roost is a place where birds or bats rest or sleep.
2 VERB When birds or bats roost somewhere, they rest or sleep there. □ [V prep/adv] The peacocks roost in nearby shrubs.
3 PHRASE If bad or wrong things that someone has done in the past have come home to roost , or if their chickens have come home to roost , they are now experiencing the unpleasant effects of these actions. □ Appeasement has come home to roost.
4 PHRASE If you say that someone rules the roost in a particular place, you mean that they have control and authority over the people there. [INFORMAL ] □ Today the country's nationalists rule the roost and hand out the jobs.
roost|er /ruː stə r / (roosters ) N‑COUNT A rooster is an adult male chicken. [AM ] in BRIT, use cock
root ◆◇◇ /ruː t/ (roots , rooting , rooted )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The roots of a plant are the parts of it that grow under the ground. □ …the twisted roots of an apple tree.
2 VERB If you root a plant or cutting or if it roots , roots form on the bottom of its stem and it starts to grow. □ [V ] Most plants will root in about six to eight weeks. □ [V n] Root the cuttings in a heated propagator.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Root vegetables or root crops are grown for their roots which are large and can be eaten. □ …root crops such as carrots and potatoes.
4 N‑COUNT The root of a hair or tooth is the part of it that is underneath the skin. □ [+ of ] …decay around the roots of teeth.
5 N‑PLURAL [usu poss N ] You can refer to the place or culture that a person or their family comes from as their roots . □ I am proud of my Brazilian roots.
6 N‑COUNT You can refer to the cause of a problem or of an unpleasant situation as the root of it or the roots of it. □ [+ of ] We got to the root of the problem.
7 N‑COUNT The root of a word is the part that contains its meaning and to which other parts can be added. [TECHNICAL ] □ The word 'secretary' comes from the same Latin root as the word 'secret'.
8 VERB If you root through or in something, you search for something by moving other things around. □ [V prep] She rooted through the bag, found what she wanted, and headed toward the door.
9 → see also rooted , cube root , grass roots , square root
10 PHRASE If something has been completely changed or destroyed, you can say that it has been changed or destroyed root and branch . [WRITTEN ] □ Abolitionists wanted to destroy slavery root and branch. □ Some prison practices are in need of root and branch reform.
11 PHRASE If someone puts down roots , they make a place their home, for example by taking part in activities there or by making a lot of friends there. □ When they got to Montana, they put down roots and built a life.
12 PHRASE If an idea, belief, or custom takes root , it becomes established among a group of people. □ Time would be needed for democracy to take root.
▸ root around in BRIT, also use root about PHRASAL VERB If you root around or root about in something, you look for something there, moving things around as you search. □ [V P prep] 'It's in here somewhere,' he said, rooting about in his desk. [Also V P ]
▸ root for PHRASAL VERB If you are rooting for someone, you are giving them your support while they are doing something difficult or trying to defeat another person. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P n] Good luck, we'll be rooting for you.
▸ root out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you root out a person, you find them and force them from the place they are in, usually in order to punish them. □ [V P n] The generals have to root out traitors. □ [V n P ] It shouldn't take too long to root him out.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you root out a problem or an unpleasant situation, you find out who or what is the cause of it and put an end to it. □ [V P n] There would be a major drive to root out corruption. [Also V n P ] SYNONYMS root NOUN 7
source: This gave me a clue as to the source of the problem.
cause: The causes are a complex blend of local and national tensions.
germ: The germ of an idea took root in Rosemary's mind.
roo t beer (root beers ) N‑VAR Root beer is a fizzy non-alcoholic drink flavoured with the roots of various plants and herbs. It is popular in the United States. ● N‑COUNT A glass, can, or bottle of root beer can be referred to as a root beer . □ Kevin buys a root beer.
root|ed /ruː t I d/
1 ADJ If you say that one thing is rooted in another, you mean that it is strongly influenced by it or has developed from it. □ [+ in ] The crisis is rooted in deep rivalries between the two groups.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n, usu adv ADJ ] If someone has deeply rooted opinions or feelings, they believe or feel something extremely strongly and are unlikely to change. □ Racism is a deeply rooted prejudice which has existed for thousands of years.
3 → see also deep-rooted
4 PHRASE If you are rooted to the spot , you are unable to move because you are very frightened or shocked. □ We just stopped there, rooted to the spot.
roo t gi n|ger N‑UNCOUNT Root ginger is the stem of the ginger plant. It is often used in Chinese and Indian cooking.
root|less /ruː tləs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If someone has no permanent home or job and is not settled in any community, you can describe them as rootless . □ These rootless young people have nowhere else to go.
rope /roʊ p/ (ropes , roping , roped )
1 N‑VAR A rope is a thick cord or wire that is made by twisting together several thinner cords or wires. Ropes are used for jobs such as pulling cars, tying up boats, or tying things together. □ He tied the rope around his waist. □ …a piece of rope.
2 VERB If you rope one thing to another, you tie the two things together with a rope. □ [V n + to ] I roped myself to the chimney. [Also V n together ]
3 PHRASE If you give someone enough rope to hang themselves , you give them the freedom to do a job in their own way because you hope that their attempts will fail and that they will look foolish. □ The King has merely given the politicians enough rope to hang themselves.
4 PHRASE If you are learning the ropes , you are learning how a particular task or job is done. [INFORMAL ]
5 PHRASE If you know the ropes , you know how a particular job or task should be done. [INFORMAL ] □ The moment she got to know the ropes, there was no stopping her.
6 PHRASE If you describe a payment as money for old rope , you are emphasizing that it is earned very easily, for very little effort. [BRIT , INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ]
7 PHRASE If you show someone the ropes , you show them how to do a particular job or task. [INFORMAL ]
▸ rope in PHRASAL VERB [usu passive] If you say that you were roped in to do a particular task, you mean that someone persuaded you to help them do that task. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed P + for ] Visitors were roped in for potato picking and harvesting. □ [get V -ed P to-inf] I got roped in to help with the timekeeping.
▸ rope off PHRASAL VERB If you rope off an area, you tie ropes between posts all around its edges so that people cannot enter it without permission. □ [V P n] You should rope off a big field and sell tickets. [Also V n P ]
ro pe lad|der (rope ladders ) also rope-ladder N‑COUNT A rope ladder is a ladder made of two long ropes connected by short pieces of rope, wood, or metal.
ropey /roʊ pi/ (ropier , ropiest ) ADJ If you say that something is ropey , you mean that its quality is poor or unsatisfactory. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Your spelling's a bit ropey.
ro|sary /roʊ zəri/ (rosaries ) N‑COUNT A rosary is a string of beads that members of certain religions, especially Catholics, use for counting prayers. A series of prayers counted in this way is also called a rosary .
rose ◆◇◇ /roʊ z/ (roses )
1 Rose is the past tense of rise .
2 N‑COUNT A rose is a flower, often with a pleasant smell, which grows on a bush with stems that have sharp points called thorns on them. □ …a bunch of yellow roses.
3 N‑COUNT A rose is bush that roses grow on. □ Prune rambling roses when the flowers have faded.
4 COLOUR Something that is rose is reddish-pink in colour. [LITERARY ] □ …the rose and violet hues of a twilight sky.
5 PHRASE If you say that a situation is not a bed of roses , you mean that it is not as pleasant as it seems, and that there are some unpleasant aspects to it. □ We all knew that life was unlikely to be a bed of roses back in England.
rosé /roʊ ze I , [AM ] roʊze I / (rosés ) N‑VAR Rosé is wine which is pink in colour. □ The vast majority of wines produced in this area are reds or rosés.
rose|bud /roʊ zbʌd/ (rosebuds ) N‑COUNT A rosebud is a young rose whose petals have not yet opened out fully.
ro se-coloured in AM, use rose-colored PHRASE If you look at a person or situation through rose-coloured glasses or rose-tinted glasses , you see only their good points and therefore your view of them is unrealistic. In British English, you can also say that someone is looking through rose-coloured spectacles . □ Its influence can make you view life through rose-coloured glasses.
rose|hip /roʊ zh I p/ (rosehips ) N‑COUNT A rosehip is a bright red or orange fruit that grows on some kinds of rose bushes.
rose|mary /roʊ zməri, [AM ] -meri/ N‑UNCOUNT Rosemary is a herb used in cooking. It comes from an evergreen plant with small narrow leaves. The plant is also called rosemary .
ro se-tinted → see rose-coloured
ro|sette /roʊze t/ (rosettes ) N‑COUNT A rosette is a large circular decoration made from coloured ribbons which is given as a prize in a competition, or, especially in Britain, is worn to show support for a political party or sports team.
rose|water /roʊ zwɔtə r / N‑UNCOUNT Rosewater is a liquid which is made from roses and which has a pleasant smell. It is used as a perfume and in cooking.
ro se win|dow (rose windows ) N‑COUNT A rose window is a large round stained glass window in a church.
rose|wood /roʊ zwʊd/ N‑UNCOUNT Rosewood is a hard dark-coloured wood that is used for making furniture. Rosewood comes from a species of tropical tree. □ …a heavy rosewood desk.
ros|ter /rɒ stə r / (rosters )
1 N‑COUNT A roster is a list which gives details of the order in which different people have to do a particular job. □ The next day he put himself first on the new roster for domestic chores.
2 N‑COUNT A roster is a list, especially of the people who work for a particular organization or are available to do a particular job. It can also be a list of the sports players who are available for a particular team, especially in American English. □ [+ of ] The Met endeavoured to provide a consistently fine roster of singers.
ros|trum /rɒ strəm/ (rostrums or rostra /rɒ strə/) N‑COUNT A rostrum is a raised platform on which someone stands when they are speaking to an audience, receiving a prize, or conducting an orchestra. □ As he stood on the winner's rostrum, he sang the words of the national anthem.
rosy /roʊ zi/ (rosier , rosiest )
1 ADJ If you say that someone has a rosy face, you mean that they have pink cheeks and look very healthy. □ Bethan's round, rosy face seemed hardly to have aged at all.
2 ADJ If you say that a situation looks rosy or that the picture looks rosy , you mean that the situation seems likely to be good or successful. □ The job prospects for engineering graduates are less rosy now than they used to be.
rot /rɒ t/ (rots , rotting , rotted )
1 VERB When food, wood, or another substance rots , or when something rots it, it becomes softer and is gradually destroyed. □ [V ] If we don't unload it soon, the grain will start rotting in the silos. □ [V n] Sugary canned drinks rot your teeth.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If there is rot in something, especially something that is made of wood, parts of it have decayed and fallen apart. □ Investigations had revealed extensive rot in the beams under the ground floor.
3 N‑SING You can use the rot to refer to the way something gradually gets worse. For example, if you are talking about the time when the rot set in , you are talking about the time when a situation began to get steadily worse and worse. □ In many schools, the rot is beginning to set in. Standards are falling all the time.
4 VERB If you say that someone is being left to rot in a particular place, especially in a prison, you mean that they are being left there and their physical and mental condition is being allowed to get worse and worse. □ [V prep] Most governments simply leave the long-term jobless to rot on the dole. [Also V ]
5 → see also dry rot
rota /roʊ tə/ (rotas ) N‑COUNT A rota is a list which gives details of the order in which different people have to do a particular job. [mainly BRIT ] □ We have a rota which makes it clear who tidies the room on which day.
ro|ta|ry /roʊ təri/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Rotary means turning or able to turn round a fixed point. □ …turning linear into rotary motion.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Rotary is used in the names of some machines that have parts that turn round a fixed point. □ …a rotary engine.
ro|tate /roʊte I t, [AM ] roʊ te I t/ (rotates , rotating , rotated )
1 VERB When something rotates or when you rotate it, it turns with a circular movement. □ [V ] The Earth rotates round the sun. □ [V n] Take each foot in both your hands and rotate it to loosen and relax the ankle.
2 VERB If people or things rotate , or if someone rotates them, they take it in turns to do a particular job or serve a particular purpose. □ [V ] The members of the club can rotate and one person can do all the preparation for the evening. □ [V n] They will swap posts in a year's time to rotate the leadership. ● ro|tat|ing ADJ [ADJ n] □ He had used his year in the G8's rotating presidency to put tax transparency at the heart of this year's summit.
ro|ta|tion /roʊte I ʃ ə n/ (rotations )
1 N‑VAR Rotation is circular movement. A rotation is the movement of something through one complete circle. □ [+ of ] …the daily rotation of the Earth upon its axis.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] The rotation of a group of things or people is the fact of them taking turns to do a particular job or serve a particular purpose. If people do something in rotation , they take turns to do it. □ Once a month we met for the whole day, and in rotation each one led the group.
rote /roʊ t/ N‑UNCOUNT [N n, by N ] Rote learning or learning by rote is learning things by repeating them without thinking about them or trying to understand them. □ He is very sceptical about the value of rote learning.
ro|tor /roʊ tə r / (rotors ) N‑COUNT The rotors or rotor blades of a helicopter are the four long, flat, thin pieces of metal on top of it which go round and lift it off the ground.
rot|ten /rɒ t ə n/
1 ADJ If food, wood, or another substance is rotten , it has decayed and can no longer be used. □ The smell outside this building is overwhelming–like rotten eggs.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as rotten , you think it is very unpleasant or of very poor quality. [INFORMAL ] □ I personally think it's a rotten idea.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as rotten , you are insulting them or criticizing them because you think that they are very unpleasant or unkind. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ You rotten swine! How dare you?
4 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you feel rotten , you feel bad, either because you are ill or because you are sorry about something. [INFORMAL ] □ I had glandular fever and spent that year feeling rotten.
ro t|ten a p|ple (rotten apples ) N‑COUNT You can use rotten apple to talk about a person who is dishonest and therefore causes a lot of problems for the group or organization they belong to. □ Police corruption is not just a few rotten apples.
rot|ter /rɒ tə r / (rotters ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a rotter , you are criticizing them because you think that they have behaved in a very unkind or mean way. [BRIT , INFORMAL , OLD-FASHIONED , DISAPPROVAL ]
Rott|wei|ler /rɒ tva I lə r / (Rottweilers ) in BRIT, also use rottweiler N‑COUNT A Rottweiler is a large black and brown breed of dog which is often used as a guard dog.
ro|tund /roʊtʌ nd/ ADJ If someone is rotund , they are round and fat. [FORMAL ] □ A rotund, smiling, red-faced gentleman appeared.
ro|tun|da /roʊtʌ ndə/ (rotundas ) N‑COUNT A rotunda is a round building or room, especially one with a round bowl-shaped roof.
rou|ble /ruː b ə l/ (roubles ) N‑COUNT The rouble is the unit of money that is used in Russia and some of the other republics that form the Commonwealth of Independent States.
rouge /ruː ʒ/ (rouges , rouging , rouged )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Rouge is a red powder or cream which women and actors can put on their cheeks in order to give them more colour. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
2 VERB If a woman or an actor rouges their cheeks or lips, they put red powder or cream on them to give them more colour. □ [V n] Florentine women rouged their earlobes. □ [V -ed] She had curly black hair and rouged cheeks.
rough ◆◇◇ /rʌ f/ (rougher , roughest , roughs , roughing , roughed )
1 ADJ If a surface is rough , it is uneven and not smooth. □ His hands were rough and calloused, from years of karate practice. ● rough|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] She rested her cheek against the roughness of his jacket.
2 ADJ You say that people or their actions are rough when they use too much force and not enough care or gentleness. □ Rugby's a rough game at the best of times. ● rough|ly ADV □ A hand roughly pushed him aside. ● rough|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ He regretted his roughness.
3 ADJ A rough area, city, school, or other place is unpleasant and dangerous because there is a lot of violence or crime there. □ It was quite a rough part of our town.
4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you say that someone has had a rough time, you mean that they have had some difficult or unpleasant experiences. □ All women have a rough time in our society.
5 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you feel rough , you feel ill. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ The virus won't go away and the lad is still feeling a bit rough.
6 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rough calculation or guess is approximately correct, but not exact. □ We were only able to make a rough estimate of how much fuel would be required. ● rough|ly ADV □ Gambling and tourism pay roughly half the entire state budget.
7 ADJ If you give someone a rough idea, description, or drawing of something, you indicate only the most important features, without much detail. □ I've got a rough idea of what he looks like. ● rough|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ He knew roughly what was about to be said. □ Roughly speaking, a scientific humanist is somebody who believes in science and in humanity but not in God.
8 ADJ You can say that something is rough when it is not neat and well made. □ …a rough wooden table. ● rough|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Roughly chop the tomatoes and add them to the casserole.
9 ADJ If the sea or the weather at sea is rough , the weather is windy or stormy and there are very big waves. □ A fishing vessel and a cargo ship collided in rough seas.
10 ADV [ADV after v] When people sleep or live rough , they sleep out of doors, usually because they have no home. [BRIT ] □ It makes me so sad when I see young people begging or sleeping rough on the streets.
11 VERB If you have to rough it, you have to live without the possessions and comforts that you normally have. □ [V it ] You won't be roughing it; each room comes equipped with a telephone and a 3-channel radio.
12 rough justice → see justice SYNONYMS rough ADJ
1
uneven: He staggered on the uneven surface of the car park.
rugged: …rugged mountainous terrain.
jagged: …jagged black cliffs.
bumpy: …bumpy cobbled streets.
coarse: …a jacket made of very coarse cloth.
2
brutal: He took an anguished breath. He had to be brutal and say it.
harsh: …the cold, harsh cruelty of her husband.
6
vague: …vague information.
crude: Birthplace data are only the crudest indicator of actual migration paths.
approximate: The approximate cost varies from around £150 to £250.
ballpark: I can't give you anything more than just a ballpark figure.
rough|age /rʌ f I dʒ/ N‑UNCOUNT Roughage consists of the tough parts of vegetables and grains that help you to digest your food and help your bowels to work properly.
rou gh and rea dy also rough-and-ready
1 ADJ A rough and ready solution or method is one that is rather simple and not very exact because it has been thought of or done in a hurry. □ Here is a rough and ready measurement.
2 ADJ A rough and ready person is not very polite or gentle. □ …rough-and-ready soldiers.
rou gh and tu m|ble also rough-and-tumble
1 N‑UNCOUNT You can use rough and tumble to refer to a situation in which the people involved try hard to get what they want, and do not worry about upsetting or harming others, and you think this is acceptable and normal. □ …the rough-and-tumble of political combat.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Rough and tumble is physical playing that involves noisy and slightly violent behaviour. □ He enjoys rough and tumble play.
rough|en /rʌ fən/ (roughens , roughening , roughened ) VERB [usu passive] If something has been roughened , its surface has become less smooth. □ [be V -ed] …complexions that have been roughened by long periods in the hot sun.
rou gh-hewn ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rough-hewn wood or stone has been cut into a shape but has not yet been smoothed or finished off. □ It is a rough-hewn carving of a cat's head.
rough|neck /rʌ fnek/ (roughnecks )
1 N‑COUNT A roughneck is a man who operates an oil well. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT If you describe a man as a roughneck , you disapprove of him because you think he is not gentle or polite, and can be violent. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
rough|shod /rʌ fʃɒd/ PHRASE If you say that someone is riding roughshod over a person or their views, you disapprove of them because they are using their power or authority to do what they want, completely ignoring that person's wishes. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The security forces rode roughshod over the human rights of the people.
rou|lette /ruːle t/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Roulette is a gambling game in which a ball is dropped onto a wheel with numbered holes in it while the wheel is spinning round. The players bet on which hole the ball will be in when the wheel stops spinning.
2 → see also Russian roulette
round
➊ PREPOSITION AND ADVERB USES
➋ NOUN USES
➌ ADJECTIVE USES
➍ VERB USES
➊ round ◆◆◇ /raʊ nd/ Round is an adverb and preposition that has the same meanings as 'around'. Round is often used with verbs of movement, such as 'walk' and 'drive', and also in phrasal verbs such as 'get round' and 'hand round'. Round is commoner in British English than American English, and it is slightly more informal. → Please look at categories 20 and 21 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 PREP To be positioned round a place or object means to surround it or be on all sides of it. To move round a place means to go along its edge, back to the point where you started. □ They were sitting round the kitchen table. □ All round us was desert. ● ADV [ADV after v] Round is also an adverb. □ Visibility was good all round. □ The goldfish swam round and round in their tiny bowls.
2 PREP If you move round a corner or obstacle, you move to the other side of it. If you look round a corner or obstacle, you look to see what is on the other side. □ Suddenly a car came round a corner on the opposite side. □ One of his men tapped and looked round the door.
3 PREP You use round to say that something happens in or relates to different parts of a place, or is near a place. □ He happens to own half the land round here. □ I think he has earned the respect of leaders all round the world. ● ADV [ADV after v, n ADV ] Round is also an adverb. □ Shirley found someone to show them round. □ So you're going to have a look round?
4 ADV [ADV after v] If a wheel or object spins round , it turns on its axis. □ Holes can be worn remarkably quickly by a wheel going round at 60mph.
5 ADV [ADV after v] If you turn round , you turn so that you are facing or going in the opposite direction. □ She paused, but did not turn round. □ The wind veered round to the east.
6 ADV [ADV after v] If you move things round , you move them so they are in different places. □ I've already moved things round a bit to make it easier for him.
7 ADV [ADV after v] If you hand or pass something round , it is passed from person to person in a group. □ John handed round the plate of sandwiches. ● PREP Round is also a preposition. □ They started handing the microphone out round the girls at the front.
8 ADV [ADV after v] If you go round to someone's house, you visit them. □ I think we should go round and tell Kevin to turn his music down. □ He came round with a bottle of champagne. ● PREP Round is also a preposition in non-standard English. □ I went round my friend's house.
9 ADV [ADV after v] You use round in informal expressions such as sit round or hang round when you are saying that someone is spending time in a place and is not doing anything very important. [BRIT ] □ As we sat round chatting, I began to think I'd made a mistake. ● PREP Round is also a preposition. □ She would spend the day hanging round street corners.
10 PREP If something is built or based round a particular idea, that idea is the basis for it. □ That was for a design built round an existing American engine.
11 PREP If you get round a problem or difficulty, you find a way of dealing with it. □ Don't just immediately give up but think about ways round a problem.
12 ADV [ADV after v] If you win someone round , or if they come round , they change their mind about something and start agreeing with you. □ He did his best to talk me round, but I wouldn't speak to him.
13 ADV [n ADV , ADV after v] You use round in expressions such as this time round or to come round when you are describing something that has happened before or things that happen regularly. □ At least two directors were expected to vote to increase rates this time round .
14 PREP You can use round to give the measurement of the outside of something that is shaped like a circle or a cylinder. □ I'm about two inches larger round the waist. ● ADV Round is also an adverb. □ It's six feet high and five feet round.
15 ADV You use round in front of times or amounts to indicate that they are approximate. [VAGUENESS ] □ I go to bed round 11:00 at night.
16 PHRASE In spoken English, round about means approximately. [mainly BRIT , VAGUENESS ] □ Round about one and a half million people died.
17 PHRASE You say all round to emphasize that something affects all parts of a situation or all members of a group. [mainly BRIT , EMPHASIS ] □ It ought to make life much easier all round.
18 PHRASE If you say that something is going round and round in your head, you mean that you can't stop thinking about it. □ It all keeps going round and round in my head till I don't know where I am.
19 PHRASE If something happens all year round , it happens throughout the year. □ Many of these plants are evergreen, so you can enjoy them all year round.
20 round the corner → see corner
21 the other way round → see way
➋ round ◆◆◇ /raʊ nd/ (rounds )
1 N‑COUNT A round of events is a series of related events, especially one which comes after or before a similar series of events. □ [+ of ] This is the latest round of job cuts aimed at making the company more competitive.
2 N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] In sport, a round is a series of games in a competition. The winners of these games go on to play in the next round, and so on, until only one player or team is left. □ [+ of ] …in the third round of the Pilkington Cup. □ After round three, two Americans share the lead.
3 N‑COUNT [usu adj N ] In a boxing or wrestling match, a round is one of the periods during which the boxers or wrestlers fight. □ He was declared the victor in the 11th round.
4 N‑COUNT A round of golf is one game, usually including 18 holes. □ [+ of ] …two rounds of golf.
5 N‑COUNT If you do your rounds or your round , you make a series of visits to different places or people, for example as part of your job. [mainly BRIT ] □ The consultants still did their morning rounds.
6 N‑COUNT If you buy a round of drinks, you buy a drink for each member of the group of people that you are with. □ [+ of ] They sat on the clubhouse terrace, downing a round of drinks.
7 N‑COUNT A round of ammunition is the bullet or bullets released when a gun is fired. □ [+ of ] …firing 1650 rounds of ammunition during a period of ten minutes.
8 N‑COUNT If there is a round of applause , everyone claps their hands to welcome someone or to show that they have enjoyed something. □ [+ of ] Sue got a sympathetic round of applause.
9 N‑COUNT In music, a round is a simple song sung by several people in which each person sings a different part of the song at the same time.
10 PHRASE If a story, idea, or joke is going the rounds or doing the rounds , a lot of people have heard it and are telling it to other people. □ This story was going the rounds 20 years ago.
11 PHRASE If you make the rounds or do the rounds , you visit a series of different places. □ After school, I had picked up Nick and Ted and made the rounds of the dry cleaner and the grocery store.
➌ round /raʊ nd/ (rounder , roundest )
1 ADJ Something that is round is shaped like a circle or ball. □ She had small feet and hands and a flat, round face. □ …the round church known as The New Temple.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A round number is a multiple of 10, 100, 1000, and so on. Round numbers are used instead of precise ones to give the general idea of a quantity or proportion. □ A million pounds seemed a suitably round number.
➍ round /raʊ nd/ (rounds , rounding , rounded )
1 VERB If you round a place or obstacle, you move in a curve past the edge or corner of it. □ [V n] The house disappeared from sight as we rounded a corner.
2 VERB If you round an amount up or down , or if you round it off , you change it to the nearest whole number or nearest multiple of 10, 100, 1000, and so on. □ [V n with adv] We needed to learn how to round up and round down numbers. □ [be V -ed + to ] The fraction was then multiplied by 100 and rounded to the nearest half or whole number. □ [V n adv + to ] I'll round it off to about £30.
3 → see also rounded
▸ round off PHRASAL VERB If you round off an activity with something, you end the activity by doing something that provides a clear or satisfactory conclusion to it. □ [V P n] The Italian way is to round off a meal with an ice-cream. □ [V n P ] This rounded the afternoon off perfectly. □ [V P + by ] He rounds off by proposing a toast to the attendants.
▸ round on PHRASAL VERB If someone rounds on you, they criticize you fiercely and attack you with aggressive words. □ [V P n] When she rounded on him furiously, he apologised.
▸ round up
1 PHRASAL VERB If the police or army round up a number of people, they arrest or capture them. □ [V P n] The police rounded up a number of suspects. □ [V n P ] She says the patrolmen rounded them up at the village school and beat them with rifle butts.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you round up animals or things, you gather them together. □ [V P n] He had sought work as a cowboy, rounding up cattle.
3 → see also round ➍ 2 , roundup
round|about /raʊ ndəbaʊt/ (roundabouts )
1 N‑COUNT A roundabout is a circular structure in the road at a place where several roads meet. You drive round it until you come to the road that you want. [BRIT ] in AM, use traffic circle 2 N‑COUNT A roundabout at a fair is a large, circular mechanical device with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars, on which children sit and go round and round. [BRIT ] in AM, use merry-go-round , carousel 3 N‑COUNT A roundabout in a park or school play area is a circular platform that children sit or stand on. People push the platform to make it spin round. [BRIT ] in AM, use merry-go-round 4 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you go somewhere by a roundabout route, you do not go there by the shortest and quickest route. □ The party took a roundabout route overland.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you do or say something in a roundabout way, you do not do or say it in a simple, clear, and direct way. □ We made a bit of a fuss in a roundabout way.
6 round about → see round ➊
7 swings and roundabouts → see swing
round|ed /raʊ nd I d/
1 ADJ Something that is rounded is curved in shape, without any points or sharp edges. □ …a low rounded hill.
2 ADJ You describe something or someone as rounded or well-rounded when you are expressing approval of them because they have a personality which is fully developed in all aspects. [APPROVAL ] □ …his carefully organised narrative, full of rounded, believable and interesting characters.
roun|del /raʊ nd ə l/ (roundels ) N‑COUNT A roundel is a circular design, for example one painted on a military aircraft.
round|ers /raʊ ndə r z/ N‑UNCOUNT Rounders is a game played by two teams of children, in which a player scores points by hitting a ball thrown by a member of the other team and then running round all four sides of a square.
round|ly /raʊ ndli/ ADV If you are roundly condemned or criticized, you are condemned or criticized forcefully or by many people. If you are roundly defeated, you are defeated completely. □ Political leaders have roundly condemned the shooting.
rou nd-robin (round-robins ) also round robin N‑COUNT [usu N n] A round-robin is a sports competition in which each player or team plays against every other player or team. □ During the round-robin stage, teams often play twice in one day.
rou nd-shou ldered ADJ If someone is round-shouldered , they bend forward when they sit or stand, and their shoulders are curved rather than straight. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Cissie was round-shouldered and dumpy.
rou nd ta|ble (round tables ) also round-table , roundtable N‑COUNT [usu N n] A round table discussion is a meeting where experts gather together in order to discuss a particular topic. □ …a round-table conference of the leading heart specialists of America.
rou nd-the-clock → see clock
rou nd tri p (round trips )
1 N‑COUNT If you make a round trip , you travel to a place and then back again. □ The train operates the 2,400-mile round trip once a week.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A round-trip ticket is a ticket for a train, bus, or plane that allows you to travel to a particular place and then back again. [AM ] □ The airline has announced cheaper round-trip tickets between Los Angeles and cities it serves in Mexico. in BRIT, use return
round|up /raʊ ndʌp/ (roundups ) also round-up
1 N‑COUNT [adj N ] In journalism, especially television or radio, a roundup of news is a summary of the main events that have happened. □ [+ of ] First, we have this roundup of the day's news.
2 N‑COUNT When there is a roundup of people, they are arrested or captured by the police or army and brought to one place. □ [+ of ] There are reports that roundups of westerners are still taking place.
3 N‑COUNT A roundup is an occasion when cattle, horses, or other animals are collected together so that they can be counted or sold. [AM ] □ What is it that keeps a cowboy looking strong, young and ready for another roundup?
round|worm /raʊ ndwɜː r m/ (roundworms ) N‑VAR A roundworm is a very small worm that lives in the intestines of people, pigs, and other animals.
rouse /raʊ z/ (rouses , rousing , roused )
1 VERB If someone rouses you when you are sleeping or if you rouse , you wake up. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] Hilton roused him at eight-thirty by rapping on the door. □ [V ] When I put my hand on his, he stirs but doesn't quite rouse.
2 VERB If you rouse yourself , you stop being inactive and start doing something. □ [V pron-refl to-inf] She seemed to be unable to rouse herself to do anything. □ [V pron-refl + from ] He roused himself from his lazy contemplation of the scene beneath him.
3 VERB If something or someone rouses you, they make you very emotional or excited. □ [V n] He did more to rouse the crowd there than anybody else. □ [be V -ed + to ] Ben says his father was good-natured, a man not quickly roused to anger or harsh opinions. ● rous|ing ADJ [usu ADJ n] □ …a rousing speech to the convention in support of the president.
4 VERB If something rouses a feeling in you, it causes you to have that feeling. □ [V n] It roused a feeling of rebellion in him.
roust /raʊ st/ (rousts , rousting , rousted ) VERB If you roust someone, you disturb, upset, or hit them, or make them move from their place. [AM ] □ [V n] Relax, kid, we're not about to roust you. We just want some information. □ [V n + out ] Bruce had gone to bed, but they rousted him out. [Also V n + from ]
roust|about /raʊ stəbaʊt/ (roustabouts ) N‑COUNT A roustabout is a unskilled worker, especially one who works in a port or at an oil well. [AM ]
rout /raʊ t/ (routs , routing , routed ) VERB If an army, sports team, or other group routs its opponents, it defeats them completely and easily. □ [V n] …the Battle of Hastings at which the Norman army routed the English opposition. ● N‑COUNT Rout is also a noun. □ Zidane completed the rout with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area.
route ◆◆◇ /ruː t/ (routes , routing , routed ) Pronounced /ruː t/ or /raʊ t/ in American English. 1 N‑COUNT A route is a way from one place to another. □ …the most direct route to the town centre. □ All escape routes were blocked by armed police.
2 N‑COUNT A bus, air, or shipping route is the way between two places along which buses, planes, or ships travel regularly. □ …the main shipping routes to Japan.
3 N‑COUNT In the United States, Route is used in front of a number in the names of main roads between major cities. □ …the Broadway-Webster exit on Route 580.
4 N‑COUNT Your route is the series of visits you make to different people or places, as part of your job. [mainly AM ] □ He began cracking open big blue tins of butter cookies and feeding the dogs on his route. in BRIT, usually use round , rounds 5 N‑COUNT You can refer to a way of achieving something as a route . □ Researchers are trying to get at the same information through an indirect route.
6 VERB [usu passive] If vehicles, goods, or passengers are routed in a particular direction, they are made to travel in that direction. □ [be V -ed prep/adv] Double-stack trains are taking a lot of freight that used to be routed via trucks. □ [be V -ed prep/adv] Approaching cars will be routed into two lanes.
7 PHRASE En route to a place means on the way to that place. En route is sometimes spelled on route in non-standard English. □ [+ to ] They have arrived in London en route to the United States. □ One of the bags was lost en route. [Also + from/for ]
8 PHRASE Journalists sometimes use en route when they are mentioning an event that happened as part of a longer process or before another event. □ [+ to ] The German set three tournament records en route to grabbing golf's richest prize.
9 PHRASE If you go the route , you do something fully or continue with a task until you have completely finished. [AM ] □ Health enthusiasts like myself want to go the route of prevention rather than cure.
rou te map (route maps )
1 N‑COUNT A route map is a map that shows the main roads in a particular area or the main routes used by buses, trains, and other forms of transport in a particular area.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe one thing as a route map for another thing, you mean that it provides a model showing the best way to achieve or describe it. □ [+ of ] …a route map of human evolutionary history.
rout|er /ruː tə r / (routers ) N‑COUNT On a computer or network of computers, a router is a piece of equipment which allows access to other computers or networks, for example the internet. [COMPUTING ]
rou|tine ◆◇◇ /ruːtiː n/ (routines )
1 N‑VAR [oft N n, adj N ] A routine is the usual series of things that you do at a particular time. A routine is also the practice of regularly doing things in a fixed order. □ The players had to change their daily routine and lifestyle. □ He checked up on you as a matter of routine.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use routine to describe activities that are done as a normal part of a job or process. □ …a series of routine medical tests.
3 ADJ A routine situation, action, or event is one which seems completely ordinary, rather than interesting, exciting, or different. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ So many days are routine and uninteresting, especially in winter.
4 N‑VAR You use routine to refer to a way of life that is uninteresting and ordinary, or hardly ever changes. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …the mundane routine of her life.
5 N‑COUNT A routine is a computer program, or part of a program, that performs a specific function. [COMPUTING ] □ … an installation routine.
6 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A routine is a short sequence of jokes, remarks, actions, or movements that forms part of a longer performance. □ …an athletic dance routine.
rou|tine|ly /ruːtiː nli/
1 ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] If something is routinely done, it is done as a normal part of a job or process. □ Vitamin K is routinely given in the first week of life to prevent bleeding.
2 ADV [ADV with v] If something happens routinely , it happens repeatedly and is not surprising, unnatural, or new. □ Any outside criticism is routinely dismissed as interference.
rove /roʊ v/ (roves , roving , roved )
1 VERB If someone roves about an area or roves an area, they wander around it. [LITERARY ] □ [V prep/adv] …roving about the town in the dead of night and seeing something peculiar. □ [V n] She became a photographer, roving the world with her camera in her hand.
2 → see also roving
rov|ing /roʊ v I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] You use roving to describe a person who travels around, rather than staying in a fixed place. □ …a roving reporter.
row
➊ ARRANGEMENT OR SEQUENCE
➋ MAKING A BOAT MOVE
➌ DISAGREEMENT OR NOISE
➊ row ◆◇◇ /roʊ / (rows )
1 N‑COUNT A row of things or people is a number of them arranged in a line. □ [+ of ] …a row of pretty little cottages. □ Several men are pushing school desks and chairs into neat rows.
2 N‑COUNT [n N ] Row is sometimes used in the names of streets. □ …the house at 236 Larch Row.
3 → see also death row , skid row
4 PHRASE If something happens several times in a row , it happens that number of times without a break. If something happens several days in a row , it happens on each of those days. □ They have won five championships in a row.
➋ row /roʊ / (rows , rowing , rowed )
1 VERB When you row , you sit in a boat and make it move through the water by using oars. If you row someone somewhere, you take them there in a boat, using oars. □ [V prep] He rowed as quickly as he could to the shore. □ [V n] We could all row a boat and swim almost before we could walk. □ [V n adv/prep] The boatman refused to row him back. ● N‑COUNT Row is also a noun. □ I took Daniel for a row.
2 → see also rowing
▸ row back PHRASAL VERB If you row back on something you have said or written, you express a different or contrary opinion about it. □ [V P + from ] The administration has been steadily rowing back from its early opposition to his attendance in London. □ [V P + on ] The government was forced to row back on an austerity plan that would have involved wage cuts.
➌ row ◆◇◇ /raʊ / (rows , rowing , rowed )
1 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A row is a serious disagreement between people or organizations. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ This is likely to provoke a further row about the bank's role in the affair.
2 VERB If two people row or if one person rows with another, they have a noisy argument. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V ] They rowed all the time. □ [V + with ] He had earlier rowed with his girlfriend.
3 N‑SING If you say that someone is making a row , you mean that they are making a loud, unpleasant noise. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ 'Whatever is that row?' she demanded. 'Pop festival,' he answered.
ro|wan /roʊ ən, raʊ ən/ (rowans ) N‑VAR A rowan or a rowan tree is a tree with a silvery trunk that has red berries in autumn. ● N‑UNCOUNT Rowan is the wood of this tree.
row|boat /roʊ boʊt/ (rowboats ) N‑COUNT A rowboat is a small boat that you move through the water by using oars. [AM ] in BRIT, use rowing boat
row|dy /raʊ di/ (rowdier , rowdiest ) ADJ When people are rowdy , they are noisy, rough, and likely to cause trouble. □ He has complained to the police about rowdy neighbours. ● row|di|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …adolescent behaviour like vandalism and rowdiness.
row|er /roʊ ə r / (rowers ) N‑COUNT A rower is a person who rows a boat, especially as a sport. □ …the first rower ever to win golds at four consecutive rowing championships.
row house /roʊ haʊs/ (row houses ) also rowhouse N‑COUNT A row house is one of a row of similar houses that are joined together by both of their side walls. [AM ] in BRIT, use terraced house
row|ing /roʊ I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Rowing is a sport in which people or teams race against each other in boats with oars. □ …competitions in rowing, swimming and water skiing.
ro w|ing boat (rowing boats ) also rowing-boat N‑COUNT A rowing boat is a small boat that you move through the water by using oars. [BRIT ] in AM, use rowboat
ro w|ing ma|chine (rowing machines ) N‑COUNT A rowing machine is an exercise machine with moving parts which you move as if you were rowing a rowing boat.
row|lock /rɒ lək, roʊ lɒk/ (rowlocks ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] The rowlocks on a rowing boat are the U-shaped pieces of metal that keep the oars in position while you move them backwards and forwards. [BRIT ] in AM, use oarlock
roy|al ◆◆◇ /rɔ I əl/ (royals )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Royal is used to indicate that something is connected with a king, queen, or emperor, or their family. A royal person is a king, queen, or emperor, or a member of their family. □ …an invitation to a royal garden party.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Royal is used in the names of institutions or organizations that are officially appointed or supported by a member of a royal family. □ …the Royal Academy of Music.
3 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Members of the royal family are sometimes referred to as royals . [INFORMAL ] □ The royals have always been patrons of charities pulling in large donations.
ro y|al blue COLOUR Something that is royal blue is deep blue in colour.
ro y|al fa mi|ly (royal families ) N‑COUNT The royal family of a country is the king, queen, or emperor, and all the members of their family.
Ro y|al Hi gh|ness (Royal Highnesses ) N‑COUNT Expressions such as Your Royal Highness and Their Royal Highnesses are used to address or refer to members of royal families who are not kings or queens. [POLITENESS ]
roy|al|ist /rɔ I əl I st/ (royalists ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A royalist is someone who supports their country's royal family or who believes that their country should have a king or queen. □ He was hated by the royalists.
ro y|al je l|ly N‑UNCOUNT Royal jelly is a substance that bees make in order to feed young bees and queen bees.
roy|al|ly /rɔ I əli/ ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] If you say that something is done royally , you are emphasizing that it is done in an impressive or grand way, or that it is very great in degree. [EMPHASIS ] □ They were royally received in every aspect.
roy|al|ty /rɔ I əlti/ (royalties )
1 N‑UNCOUNT The members of royal families are sometimes referred to as royalty . □ Royalty and government leaders from all around the world are gathering together.
2 N‑PLURAL Royalties are payments made to authors and musicians when their work is sold or performed. They usually receive a fixed percentage of the profits from these sales or performances. □ [+ on ] I lived on the royalties on my book.
3 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Payments made to someone whose invention, idea, or property is used by a commercial company can be referred to as royalties . □ The royalties enabled the inventor to re-establish himself in business.
RP /ɑː r piː / RP is a way of pronouncing British English that is often considered to be the standard accent. Pronunciations in this dictionary are given in RP. RP is an abbreviation for 'Received Pronunciation'.
rpm /ɑː r piː e m/ also r.p.m. rpm is used to indicate the speed of something by saying how many times per minute it will go round in a circle. rpm is an abbreviation for 'revolutions per minute'. □ Both engines were running at 2500 rpm.
RSI /ɑː r es a I / N‑UNCOUNT People who suffer from RSI have pain in their hands and arms as a result of repeating similar movements over a long period of time, usually as part of their job. RSI is an abbreviation for 'repetitive strain injury'. □ The women developed painful RSI because of poor working conditions.
RSS /ɑː r es e s/ N‑UNCOUNT RSS is a way of allowing internet users to receive the most recent news from particular websites as soon as it is published. □ RSS allows the delivery of news headlines directly to subscribers' PCs, cellphones or iPods, almost the instant they are published. □ …an RSS (news) feed.
RSVP /ɑː r es viː piː / also R.S.V.P. RSVP is an abbreviation for 'répondez s'il vous plaît', which means 'please reply'. It is written on the bottom of a card inviting you to a party or special occasion. [FORMAL ]
Rt Hon. /ra I t ɒ n/ ADJ Rt Hon. is used in Britain as part of the formal title of some members of the Privy Council and some judges. Rt Hon. is an abbreviation for 'Right Honourable'. □ …the Rt Hon. the Lord Provost.
rub /rʌ b/ (rubs , rubbing , rubbed )
1 VERB If you rub a part of your body, you move your hand or fingers backwards and forwards over it while pressing firmly. □ [V n] He rubbed his arms and stiff legs. □ [V prep/adv] 'I fell in a ditch', he said, rubbing at a scrape on his hand.
2 VERB If you rub against a surface or rub a part of your body against a surface, you move it backwards and forwards while pressing it against the surface. □ [V prep] A cat was rubbing against my leg. □ [V n prep] He kept rubbing his leg against mine.
3 VERB If you rub an object or a surface, you move a cloth backward and forward over it in order to clean or dry it. □ [V n] She took off her glasses and rubbed them hard. □ [V ] He rubbed and rubbed but couldn't seem to get clean.
4 VERB If you rub a substance into a surface or rub something such as dirt from a surface, you spread it over the surface or remove it from the surface using your hand or something such as a cloth. □ [V n prep] He rubbed oil into my back.
5 VERB If you rub two things together or if they rub together , they move backwards and forwards, pressing against each other. □ [V n together ] He rubbed his hands together a few times. □ [V together ] …the 650-mile rift that separates the Pacific and North American geological plates as they rub together.
6 VERB If something you are wearing or holding rubs , it makes you sore because it keeps moving backwards and forwards against your skin. □ [V ] Smear cream on to your baby's skin at the edges of the plaster to prevent it from rubbing. [Also V n]
7 N‑SING Rub is used in expressions such as there's the rub and the rub is when you are mentioning a difficulty that makes something hard or impossible to achieve. [FORMAL ] □ 'What do you want to write about?'. And there was the rub, because I didn't yet know.
8 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A massage can be referred to as a rub . □ She sometimes asks if I want a back rub.
9 → see also rubbing
10 PHRASE If you rub shoulders with famous people, you meet them and talk to them. You can also say that you rub elbows with someone, especially in American English. □ He regularly rubbed shoulders with the stars.
11 PHRASE If you rub someone up the wrong way in British English, or rub someone the wrong way in American English, you offend or annoy them without intending to. [INFORMAL ] □ What are you going to get out of him if you rub him up the wrong way?
12 to rub someone's nose in it → see nose
13 to rub salt into the wound → see salt
▸ rub down PHRASAL VERB If you rub down a rough surface, you make it smooth by rubbing it with something such as sandpaper. [Also V n P ]
▸ rub in
1 PHRASAL VERB If you rub a substance in , you press it into something by continuously moving it over its surface. □ [V P n] When hair is dry, rub in a little oil to make it smooth and glossy. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If someone keeps reminding you of something you would rather forget you can say that they are rubbing it in . □ [V n P ] Officials couldn't resist rubbing it in. □ [V P n] The home side rubbed in their superiority with a further goal.
▸ rub off PHRASAL VERB If someone's qualities or habits rub off on you, you develop some of their qualities or habits after spending time with them. □ [V P + on ] He was a tremendously enthusiastic teacher and that rubbed off on all the children. □ [V P ] I was hoping some of his genius might rub off.
▸ rub out PHRASAL VERB If you rub out something that you have written on paper or a board, you remove it using a rubber or eraser. □ [V P n] She began rubbing out the pencilled marks in the margin. [Also V n P ]
rub|ber /rʌ bə r / (rubbers )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Rubber is a strong, waterproof, elastic substance made from the juice of a tropical tree or produced chemically. It is used for making tyres, boots, and other products. □ …the smell of burning rubber.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rubber things are made of rubber. □ …rubber gloves.
3 N‑COUNT A rubber is a small piece of rubber or other material that is used to remove mistakes that you have made while writing or drawing. [BRIT ] in AM, use eraser 4 N‑COUNT A rubber is a condom. [AM , INFORMAL ]
ru b|ber ba nd (rubber bands ) N‑COUNT A rubber band is a thin circle of very elastic rubber. You put it around things such as papers in order to keep them together.
ru b|ber boo t (rubber boots ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rubber boots are long boots made of rubber that you wear to keep your feet dry. [AM ] in BRIT, use wellington
ru b|ber bu l|let (rubber bullets ) N‑COUNT A rubber bullet is a bullet made of a metal ball coated with rubber. It is intended to injure people rather than kill them, and is used by police or soldiers to control crowds during a riot. □ Rubber bullets were used to break up the demonstration.
rubber|neck /rʌ bə r nek/ (rubbernecks , rubbernecking , rubbernecked ) also rubber-neck VERB If someone is rubbernecking , they are staring at someone or something, especially in a rude or silly way. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V ] The accident was caused by people slowing down to rubber-neck. ● rubber|necker (rubberneckers ) N‑COUNT □ Pitt planted tall trees outside his home to block rubberneckers.
ru b|ber plant (rubber plants ) N‑COUNT A rubber plant is a type of plant with shiny leaves. It grows naturally in Asia but is also grown as a house plant in other parts of the world.
ru b|ber sta mp (rubber stamps , rubber stamping , rubber stamped ) also rubber-stamp
1 N‑COUNT A rubber stamp is a small device with a name, date, or symbol on it. You press it on to an ink pad and then on to a document in order to show that the document has been officially dealt with. □ In Post Offices, virtually every document that's passed across the counter is stamped with a rubber stamp.
2 VERB When someone in authority rubber-stamps a decision, plan, or law, they agree to it without thinking about it much. □ [V n] Parliament's job is to rubber-stamp his decisions.
rub|bery /rʌ bəri/
1 ADJ Something that is rubbery looks or feels soft or elastic like rubber. □ The mask is left on for about 15 minutes while it sets to a rubbery texture.
2 ADJ Food such as meat that is rubbery is difficult to chew.
rub|bing /rʌ b I ŋ/ (rubbings )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A rubbing is a picture that you make by putting a piece of paper over a carved surface and then rubbing wax or chalk over it. □ …a brass rubbing.
2 → see also rub
ru b|bing a l|co|hol N‑UNCOUNT Rubbing alcohol is a liquid which is used to clean wounds or surgical instruments. [AM ] in BRIT, use surgical spirit
rub|bish /rʌ b I ʃ/ (rubbishes , rubbishing , rubbished )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Rubbish consists of unwanted things or waste material such as used paper, empty tins and bottles, and waste food. [mainly BRIT ] □ …unwanted household rubbish. in AM, usually use garbage , trash 2 N‑UNCOUNT If you think that something is of very poor quality, you can say that it is rubbish . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He described her book as absolute rubbish.
3 N‑UNCOUNT If you think that an idea or a statement is foolish or wrong, you can say that it is rubbish . [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ He's talking rubbish. □ These reports are total and utter rubbish.
4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you think that someone is not very good at something, you can say that they are rubbish at it. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [+ at ] He was rubbish at his job. □ I tried playing golf, but I was rubbish.
5 VERB If you rubbish a person, their ideas, or their work, you say they are of little value. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] Five whole pages of script were devoted to rubbishing her political opponents. in AM, use trash
rub|bishy /rʌ b I ʃi/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as rubbishy , you think it is of very poor quality. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …some old rubbishy cop movie.
rub|ble /rʌ b ə l/
1 N‑UNCOUNT When a building is destroyed, the pieces of brick, stone, or other materials that remain are referred to as rubble . □ Thousands of bodies are still buried under the rubble.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Rubble is used to refer to the small pieces of bricks and stones that are used as a bottom layer on which to build roads, paths, or houses. □ Brick rubble is useful as the base for paths and patios.
rube /ruː b/ (rubes ) N‑COUNT If you refer to a man or boy as a rube , you consider him stupid and uneducated because he comes from the countryside. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ He's no rube. He's a very smart guy.
ru|bel|la /ruːbe lə/ N‑UNCOUNT Rubella is a disease. The symptoms are a cough, a sore throat, and red spots on your skin. [MEDICAL ]
Ru|bi|con /ruː b I kɒn/ PHRASE If you say that someone has crossed the Rubicon , you mean that they have reached a point where they cannot change a decision or course of action. [JOURNALISM ] □ He's crossed the Rubicon with regard to the use of military force as an option.
ru|ble /ruː b ə l/ → see rouble
ru|bric /ruː br I k/ (rubrics )
1 N‑COUNT A rubric is a set of rules or instructions, for example the rules at the beginning of an examination paper. [FORMAL ] □ Either she had been poorly prepared by her teachers or the exam rubric was unclear.
2 N‑COUNT A rubric is a title or heading under which something operates or is studied. [FORMAL ] □ The aid comes under the rubric of technical co-operation between governments.
ruby /ruː bi/ (rubies ) N‑COUNT A ruby is a dark red jewel. □ …a ruby and diamond ring.
ruched /ruː ʃt/ ADJ Ruched curtains or garments are gathered so that they hang in soft folds.
ruck /rʌ k/ (rucks , rucking , rucked )
1 N‑COUNT A ruck is a situation where a group of people are fighting or struggling. [BRIT ] □ There'll be a huge ruck with the cops as they try to take photographs.
2 N‑COUNT In the sport of rugby, a ruck is a situation where a group of players struggle for possession of the ball.
ruck|sack /rʌ ksæk/ (rucksacks ) N‑COUNT A rucksack is a bag with straps that go over your shoulders, so that you can carry things on your back, for example when you are walking or climbing. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use knapsack , pack , backpack
ruck|us /rʌ kəs/ N‑SING If someone or something causes a ruckus , they cause a great deal of noise, argument, or confusion. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ This caused such a ruckus all over Japan that they had to change their mind.
ruc|tion /rʌ kʃ ə n/ (ructions ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If someone or something causes ructions , they cause strong protests, quarrels, or other trouble. [INFORMAL ] □ Both activities have caused some ructions.
rud|der /rʌ də r / (rudders )
1 N‑COUNT A rudder is a device for steering a boat. It consists of a vertical piece of wood or metal at the back of the boat.
2 N‑COUNT An aeroplane's rudder is a vertical piece of metal at the back which is used to make the plane turn to the right or to the left.
rud|der|less /rʌ də r ləs/ ADJ A country or a person that is rudderless does not have a clear aim or a strong leader to follow. □ The country was politically rudderless for almost three months.
rud|dy /rʌ di/ (ruddier , ruddiest ) ADJ If you describe someone's face as ruddy , you mean that their face is a reddish colour, usually because they are healthy or have been working hard, or because they are angry or embarrassed. □ He had a naturally ruddy complexion.
rude /ruː d/ (ruder , rudest )
1 ADJ When people are rude , they act in an impolite way towards other people or say impolite things about them. □ [+ to/about ] He's rude to her friends and obsessively jealous. ● rude|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ I could not understand why she felt compelled to behave so rudely to a friend. ● rude|ness N‑UNCOUNT [oft with poss] □ She was angry at Steve's rudeness, but I could forgive it.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Rude is used to describe words and behaviour that are likely to embarrass or offend people, because they relate to sex or to body functions. [mainly BRIT ] □ Fred keeps cracking rude jokes with the guests. in AM, usually use dirty 3 ADJ [ADJ n] If someone receives a rude shock, something unpleasant happens unexpectedly. □ It will come as a rude shock when their salary or income-tax refund cannot be cashed. ● rude|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ People were awakened rudely by a siren just outside their window.
4 rude awakening → see awakening
ru|di|men|ta|ry /ruː d I me ntri/
1 ADJ Rudimentary things are very basic or simple and are therefore unsatisfactory. [FORMAL ] □ …a kind of rudimentary kitchen.
2 ADJ Rudimentary knowledge includes only the simplest and most basic facts. [FORMAL ] □ He had only a rudimentary knowledge of French.
ru|di|ments /ruː d I mənts/ N‑PLURAL When you learn the rudiments of something, you learn the simplest or most essential things about it. □ [+ of ] She helped to build a house, learning the rudiments of brick-laying as she went along.
rue /ruː / (rues , ruing , rued )
1 VERB If you rue something that you have done, you are sorry that you did it, because it has had unpleasant results. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] Tavare was probably ruing his decision.
2 PHRASE If you rue the day that you did something, you are sorry that you did it, because it has had unpleasant results. [LITERARY ] □ You'll live to rue the day you said that to me, my girl.
rue|ful /ruː fʊl/ ADJ If someone is rueful , they feel or express regret or sorrow in a quiet and gentle way. [LITERARY ] □ He shook his head and gave me a rueful smile. ● rue|ful|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ He grinned at her ruefully.
ruff /rʌ f/ (ruffs )
1 N‑COUNT A ruff is a stiff strip of cloth or other material with many small folds in it, which some people wore round their neck in former times. □ …an Elizabethan ruff.
2 N‑COUNT A ruff is a thick band of feathers or fur round the neck of a bird or animal.
ruf|fian /rʌ fiən/ (ruffians ) N‑COUNT A ruffian is a man who behaves violently and is involved in crime. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ …gangs of ruffians who lurk about intent on troublemaking.
ruf|fle /rʌ f ə l/ (ruffles , ruffling , ruffled )
1 VERB If you ruffle someone's hair, you move your hand backwards and forwards through it as a way of showing your affection towards them. □ [V n] 'Don't let that get you down,' he said ruffling Ben's dark curls.
2 VERB When the wind ruffles something such as the surface of the sea, it causes it to move gently in a wave-like motion. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] The evening breeze ruffled the pond.
3 VERB If something ruffles someone, it causes them to panic and lose their confidence or to become angry or upset. □ [V n] I could tell that my refusal to allow him to ruffle me infuriated him.
4 VERB If a bird ruffles its feathers or if its feathers ruffle , they stand out on its body, for example when it is cleaning itself or when it is frightened. □ [V n] Tame birds, when approached, will stretch out their necks and ruffle their neck feathering. □ [V ] Its body plumage suddenly began to ruffle and swell.
5 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Ruffles are folds of cloth at the neck or the ends of the arms of a piece of clothing, or are sometimes sewn on things as a decoration. □ …a white blouse with ruffles at the neck and cuffs.
6 PHRASE To ruffle someone's feathers means to cause them to become very angry, nervous, or upset. □ His direct, often abrasive approach will doubtless ruffle a few feathers.
ruf|fled /rʌ f ə ld/
1 ADJ Something that is ruffled is no longer smooth or neat. □ Her short hair was oddly ruffled and then flattened around her head.
2 → see also ruffle
rug /rʌ g/ (rugs )
1 N‑COUNT A rug is a piece of thick material that you put on a floor. It is like a carpet but covers a smaller area. □ A Persian rug covered the hardwood floors.
2 N‑COUNT A rug is a small blanket which you use to cover your shoulders or your knees to keep them warm. [mainly BRIT ] □ The old lady was seated in her chair at the window, a rug over her knees.
3 PHRASE If someone pulls the rug from under a person or thing or pulls the rug from under someone's feet , they stop giving their help or support. □ If the banks opt to pull the rug from under the ill-fated project, it will go into liquidation.
4 to sweep something under the rug → see sweep
rug|by ◆◇◇ /rʌ gbi/ N‑UNCOUNT Rugby or rugby football is a game played by two teams using an oval ball. Players try to score points by carrying the ball to their opponents' end of the field, or by kicking it over a bar fixed between two posts.
ru g|by ta ck|le (rugby tackles , rugby tackling , rugby tackled )
1 N‑COUNT A rugby tackle is a way of making someone fall over by throwing your arms around their legs or hips.
2 VERB To rugby tackle someone means to make them fall over by throwing your arms around their legs or hips. □ [V n] He rugby tackled her and stole her bag. □ [be V -ed] He was rugby tackled by a police officer after breaking through police lines.
rug|ged /rʌ g I d/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rugged area of land is uneven and covered with rocks, with few trees or plants. [LITERARY ] □ …rugged mountainous terrain. ● rug|ged|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ …a ruggedly beautiful wilderness. ● rug|ged|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The island's ruggedness symbolises our history and the character of the people.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a man as rugged , you mean that he has strong, masculine features. [LITERARY , APPROVAL ] □ A look of pure disbelief crossed Shankly's rugged face. ● rug|ged|ly ADV [ADV adj, ADV -ed] □ He was six feet tall and ruggedly handsome.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone's character as rugged , you mean that they are strong and determined, and have the ability to cope with difficult situations. [APPROVAL ] □ Rugged individualism forged America's frontier society.
4 ADJ A rugged piece of equipment is strong and is designed to last a long time, even if it is treated roughly. □ The camera combines rugged reliability with unequalled optical performance and speed. ● rug|ged|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The body is 90% titanium for ruggedness.
rug|ger /rʌ gə r / N‑UNCOUNT Rugger is the same as rugby . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …a rugger match.
ruin ◆◇◇ /ruː I n/ (ruins , ruining , ruined )
1 VERB To ruin something means to severely harm, damage, or spoil it. □ [V n] Olivia was ruining her health through worry.
2 VERB To ruin someone means to cause them to no longer have any money. □ [V n] She accused him of ruining her financially with his taste for the high life.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Ruin is the state of no longer having any money. □ The farmers say recent inflation has driven them to the brink of ruin.
4 N‑UNCOUNT Ruin is the state of being severely damaged or spoiled, or the process of reaching this state. □ The vineyards were falling into ruin.
5 N‑PLURAL The ruins of something are the parts of it that remain after it has been severely damaged or weakened. □ [+ of ] The new republic he helped to build emerged from the ruins of a great empire.
6 N‑COUNT [usu pl] The ruins of a building are the parts of it that remain after the rest has fallen down or been destroyed. □ One dead child was found in the ruins almost two hours after the explosion.
7 → see also ruined
8 PHRASE If something is in ruins , it is completely spoiled. □ Its heavily-subsidized economy is in ruins.
9 PHRASE If a building or place is in ruins , most of it has been destroyed and only parts of it remain. □ The abbey was in ruins. SYNONYMS ruin VERB 1
harm: …a warning that the product may harm the environment.
damage: He maliciously damaged a car with a baseball bat.
destroy: The building was completely destroyed in the explosion.
spoil: Peaceful summer evenings can be spoilt by mosquitoes.
ru|ina|tion /ruː I ne I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT The ruination of someone or something is the act of ruining them or the process of being ruined. □ [+ of ] Money was the ruination of him.
ruined /ruː I nd/ ADJ [ADJ n] A ruined building or place has been very badly damaged or has gradually fallen down because no-one has taken care of it. □ …a ruined church.
ru|in|ous /ruː I nəs/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe the cost of something as ruinous , you mean that it costs far more money than you can afford or than is reasonable. □ Many Britons will still fear the potentially ruinous costs of their legal system. ● ru|in|ous|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ …a ruinously expensive court case.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A ruinous process or course of action is one that is likely to lead to ruin. □ The economy of the state is experiencing the ruinous effects of the conflict. ● ru|in|ous|ly ADV [usu ADV -ed] □ …cities ruinously choked by uncontrolled traffic.
rule ◆◆◆ /ruː l/ (rules , ruling , ruled )
1 N‑COUNT Rules are instructions that tell you what you are allowed to do and what you are not allowed to do. □ [+ of ] …a thirty-two-page pamphlet explaining the rules of basketball. □ Strictly speaking, this was against the rules.
2 N‑COUNT A rule is a statement telling people what they should do in order to achieve success or a benefit of some kind. □ An important rule is to drink plenty of water during any flight. [Also + for/of ]
3 N‑COUNT The rules of something such as a language or a science are statements that describe the way that things usually happen in a particular situation. □ [+ of ] …according to the rules of quantum theory.
4 N‑SING If something is the rule , it is the normal state of affairs. □ However, for many Americans today, weekend work has unfortunately become the rule rather than the exception.
5 VERB The person or group that rules a country controls its affairs. □ [V n] Mongan ruled Ulster until his death in AD 625. □ [V ] He ruled for eight months. □ [V + over ] …the long line of feudal lords who had ruled over this land. ● N‑UNCOUNT Rule is also a noun. □ …demands for an end to one-party rule.
6 VERB If something rules your life, it influences or restricts your actions in a way that is not good for you. □ [V n] Scientists have always been aware of how fear can rule our lives and make us ill.
7 VERB When someone in authority rules that something is true or should happen, they state that they have officially decided that it is true or should happen. [FORMAL ] □ [V that] The court ruled that laws passed by the assembly remained valid. □ [V + on ] The court has not yet ruled on the case. □ [V n adj/n] A provincial magistrates' court last week ruled it unconstitutional. □ [V + against ] The committee ruled against all-night opening mainly on safety grounds. [Also V + in favour of ]
8 VERB If you rule a straight line, you draw it using something that has a straight edge. □ [V -ed] …a ruled grid of horizontal and vertical lines. [Also V n]
9 → see also golden rule , ground rule , ruling , slide rule
10 PHRASE If you say that something happens as a rule , you mean that it usually happens. □ As a rule, however, such attacks have been aimed at causing damage rather than taking life.
11 PHRASE If someone in authority bends the rules or stretches the rules , they do something even though it is against the rules. □ There is a particular urgency in this case, and it would help if you could bend the rules.
12 PHRASE A rule of thumb is a rule or principle that you follow which is not based on exact calculations, but rather on experience. □ A good rule of thumb is that a broker must generate sales of ten times his salary.
13 PHRASE If workers work to rule , they protest by working according to the rules of their job without doing any extra work or taking any new decisions. [BRIT ] □ Nurses are continuing to work to rule.
▸ rule in PHRASAL VERB If you say that you are not ruling in a particular course of action, you mean that you have not definitely decided to take that action. □ [V n P ] We have made no decisions yet. We are ruling nothing out and we are ruling nothing in. □ [V P n] We must take care not to rule in or rule out any one solution.
▸ rule out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you rule out a course of action, an idea, or a solution, you decide that it is impossible or unsuitable. □ [V P n] The Prime Minister is believed to have ruled out cuts in child benefit or pensions. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If something rules out a situation, it prevents it from happening or from being possible. □ [V P n] A serious car accident ruled out a permanent future for him in farming.
▸ rule out of PHRASAL VERB If someone rules you out of a contest or activity, they say that you cannot be involved in it. If something rules you out of a contest or activity, it prevents you from being involved in it. □ [V n P P n] He has ruled himself out of the world championships next year.
ru le book (rule books )
1 N‑COUNT A rule book is a book containing the official rules for a particular game, job, or organization. □ …one of the most serious offences mentioned in the Party rule book.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is doing something by the rule book , you mean that they are doing it in the normal, accepted way. □ This was not the time to take risks; he knew he should play it by the rule book.
ru le of la w N‑SING The rule of law refers to a situation in which the people in a society obey its laws and enable it to function properly. [FORMAL ] □ I am confident that we can restore peace, stability and respect for the rule of law.
rul|er /ruː lə r / (rulers )
1 N‑COUNT [oft with poss] The ruler of a country is the person who rules the country. □ [+ of ] …the former military ruler of Lesotho.
2 N‑COUNT A ruler is a long flat piece of wood, metal, or plastic with straight edges marked in centimetres or inches. Rulers are used to measure things and to draw straight lines.
rul|ing ◆◇◇ /ruː l I ŋ/ (rulings )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] The ruling group of people in a country or organization is the group that controls its affairs. □ …the Mexican voters' growing dissatisfaction with the ruling party. □ …the sport's ruling body, the International Cricket Council.
2 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A ruling is an official decision made by a judge or court. □ Goodwin tried to have the court ruling overturned.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Someone's ruling passion or emotion is the feeling they have most strongly, which influences their actions. □ Their ruling passion is that of carnal love. COLLOCATIONS ruling NOUN 2
noun + ruling : court, landmark, trade, tribunal
adjective + ruling : favourable, preliminary
verb + ruling : issue, uphold; appeal, challenge, overturn
rum /rʌ m/ (rums ) N‑VAR Rum is an alcoholic drink made from sugar. □ …a bottle of rum.
Ru|ma|nian /ruːme I niən/ → see Romanian
rum|ba /rʌ mbə/ (rumbas ) N‑COUNT The rumba is a popular dance that comes from Cuba, or the music that the dance is performed to.
rum|ble /rʌ mb ə l/ (rumbles , rumbling , rumbled )
1 N‑COUNT A rumble is a low continuous noise. □ [+ of ] The silence of the night was punctuated by the distant rumble of traffic.
2 VERB If a vehicle rumbles somewhere, it moves slowly forward while making a low continuous noise. □ [V adv/prep] A bus rumbled along the road at the top of the path.
3 VERB If something rumbles , it makes a low, continuous noise. □ [V ] The sky, swollen like a black bladder, rumbled and crackled.
4 VERB If your stomach rumbles , it makes a vibrating noise, usually because you are hungry. □ [V ] Her stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten any breakfast.
5 VERB [usu passive] If someone is rumbled , the truth about them or something they were trying to hide is discovered. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] When his fraud was rumbled he had just £20.17 in the bank.
▸ rumble on PHRASAL VERB If you say that something such as an argument rumbles on , you mean that it continues for a long time after it should have been settled. [BRIT , JOURNALISM ] □ [V P ] And still the row rumbles on over who is to blame for the steadily surging crime statistics.
rum|bling /rʌ mbl I ŋ/ (rumblings )
1 N‑COUNT A rumbling is a low continuous noise. □ [+ of ] …the rumbling of an empty stomach.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Rumblings are signs that a bad situation is developing or that people are becoming annoyed or unhappy. □ [+ of ] There were rumblings of discontent within the ranks.
rum|bus|tious /rʌmbʌ stʃuəs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A rumbustious person is energetic in a cheerful, noisy way. [BRIT ] □ …the flamboyant and somewhat rumbustious prime minister. in AM, use rambunctious
ru|mi|nate /ruː m I ne I t/ (ruminates , ruminating , ruminated )
1 VERB If you ruminate on something, you think about it very carefully. [FORMAL ] □ [V + on/about/over ] He ruminated on the terrible wastage that typified American life. [Also V ]
2 VERB When animals ruminate , they bring food back from their stomach into their mouth and chew it again. [TECHNICAL ]
ru|mi|na|tion /ruː m I ne I ʃ ə n/ (ruminations ) N‑COUNT [oft with poss] Your ruminations are your careful thoughts about something. [FORMAL ] □ [+ on ] His ruminations on the subject are not always to be believed.
ru|mi|na|tive /ruː m I nət I v, [AM ] -ne I t-/ ADJ If you are ruminative , you are thinking very deeply and carefully about something. [FORMAL ] □ He was uncharacteristically depressed and ruminative. ● ru|mi|na|tive|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He smiles and swirls the ice ruminatively around his almost empty glass.
rum|mage /rʌ m I dʒ/ (rummages , rummaging , rummaged ) VERB If you rummage through something, you search for something you want by moving things around in a careless or hurried way. □ [V prep] They rummage through piles of second-hand clothes for something that fits. [Also V ] ● N‑SING Rummage is also a noun. □ A brief rummage will provide several pairs of gloves. ● PHRASAL VERB Rummage about and rummage around mean the same as rummage . □ [V P ] I opened the fridge and rummaged about. □ [V P n] He rummaged around the post room and found the document.
ru m|mage sale (rummage sales ) N‑COUNT A rummage sale is a sale of cheap used goods that is usually held to raise money for charity. [AM ] in BRIT, use jumble sale
rum|my /rʌ mi/ N‑UNCOUNT Rummy is a card game in which players try to collect cards of the same value or cards in a sequence in the same suit.
ru|mor /ruː mər/ → see rumour
ru|mour ◆◇◇ /ruː mə r / (rumours ) in AM, use rumor N‑VAR [oft N that] A rumour is a story or piece of information that may or may not be true, but that people are talking about. □ We have been denying rumours of a split since the first week we got together. [Also + of/about ]
ru|moured /ruː mə r d/ in AM, use rumored V-PASSIVE If something is rumoured to be the case, people are suggesting that it is the case, but they do not know for certain. □ [be V -ed to-inf] Her parents are rumoured to be on the verge of splitting up. □ [be V -ed that] It was rumoured that he had been interned in an asylum for a while. [Also there be V -ed to-inf, be V -ed]
ru |mour mi ll (rumour mills ) in AM, use rumor mill N‑COUNT You can refer to the people in a particular place or profession who spread rumours as the rumour mill . [mainly JOURNALISM ] □ The Washington rumour mill suggests that the President secured his narrow majority only by promising all sorts of concessions.
rumour-monger /ruː mə r mʌ ŋgə r / (rumour-mongers ) in AM, use rumormonger N‑COUNT If you call someone a rumour-monger , you disapprove of the fact that they spread rumours. [DISAPPROVAL ]
rump /rʌ mp/ (rumps )
1 N‑SING The rump of a group, organization, or country consists of the members who remain in it after the rest have left. [mainly BRIT ] □ [+ of ] The rump of the party does in fact still have considerable assets.
2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] An animal's rump is its rear end. □ The cows' rumps were marked with a number.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Rump or rump steak is meat cut from the rear end of a cow.
rum|ple /rʌ mp ə l/ (rumples , rumpling , rumpled ) VERB If you rumple someone's hair, you move your hand backwards and forwards through it as your way of showing affection to them. □ [V n] I leaned forward to rumple his hair, but he jerked out of the way.
rum|pled /rʌ mp ə ld/ ADJ Rumpled means creased or untidy. □ I hurried to the tent and grabbed a few clean, if rumpled, clothes.
rum|pus /rʌ mpəs/ (rumpuses ) N‑COUNT If someone or something causes a rumpus , they cause a lot of noise or argument. □ He had actually left the company a year before the rumpus started.
run ◆◆◆ /rʌ n/ (runs , running , ran ) The form run is used in the present tense and is also the past participle of the verb. 1 VERB When you run , you move more quickly than when you walk, for example because you are in a hurry to get somewhere, or for exercise. □ [V adv/prep] I excused myself and ran back to the phone. □ [V n/amount] He ran the last block to the White House with two cases of gear. □ [V ] Antonia ran to meet them. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Run is also a noun. □ After a six-mile run, Jackie returns home for a substantial breakfast.
2 VERB When someone runs in a race, they run in competition with other people. □ [V ] …when I was running in the New York Marathon. □ [V n] The British sprinter ran a controlled race to qualify in 51.32 sec.
3 VERB When a horse runs in a race or when its owner runs it, it competes in a race. □ [V ] The owner insisted on Cool Ground running in the Gold Cup. □ [V n] If we have a wet spell, Cecil could also run Armiger in the Derby.
4 VERB If you say that something long, such as a road, runs in a particular direction, you are describing its course or position. You can also say that something runs the length or width of something else. □ [V prep/adv] …the sun-dappled trail which ran through the beech woods.
5 VERB If you run a wire or tube somewhere, you fix it or pull it from, to, or across a particular place. □ [V n prep/adv] Our host ran a long extension cord out from the house and set up a screen and a projector.
6 VERB If you run your hand or an object through something, you move your hand or the object through it. □ [V n prep] He laughed and ran his fingers through his hair.
7 VERB If you run something through a machine, process, or series of tests, you make it go through the machine, process, or tests. □ [V n + through ] They have gathered the best statistics they can find and run them through their own computers.
8 VERB If someone runs for office in an election, they take part as a candidate. □ [V + for ] It was only last February that he announced he would run for president. □ [V + against ] In 1864, McClellan ran against Lincoln as the Democratic candidate for president. □ [V ] Women are running in nearly all the contested seats in Los Angeles.
9 N‑SING A run for office is an attempt to be elected to office. [mainly AM ] □ [+ for ] He was already preparing his run for the presidency. in BRIT, usually use bid 10 VERB If you run something such as a business or an activity, you are in charge of it or you organize it. □ [V n] His stepfather ran a prosperous paint business. □ [V n] Is this any way to run a country? □ [V -ed] …a well-run, profitable organisation.
11 VERB [usu cont] If you talk about how a system, an organization, or someone's life is running , you are saying how well it is operating or progressing. □ [V adv] Officials in charge of the camps say the system is now running extremely smoothly. □ [V ] …the staff who have kept the bank running.
12 VERB If you run an experiment, computer program, or other process, or start it running , you start it and let it continue. □ [V n] He ran a lot of tests and it turned out I had an infection called mycoplasma. □ [V ] You can check your program one command at a time while it's running.
13 VERB When you run a cassette or video tape or when it runs , it moves through the machine as the machine operates. □ [V n] He pushed the play button again and ran the tape. □ [V ] The tape had run to the end but recorded nothing.
14 VERB [usu cont] When a machine is running or when you are running it, it is switched on and is working. □ [V ] We told him to wait out front with the engine running. □ [V n] …with everybody running their appliances all at the same time.
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