“ribs” is a form of
rib
/ɹɪb/ noun, verb
- noun (anatomy) Any of a series of long curved bones occurring in 12 pairs in humans and other animals and extending from the spine to or toward the sternum.
- noun (by extension) A part or piece, similar to a rib, and serving to shape or support something. “a broken rib on the umbrella”
- noun A cut of meat enclosing one or more rib bones.
- noun (nautical) Any of several curved members attached to a ship's keel and extending upward and outward to form the framework of the hull.
- noun (aeronautics) Any of several transverse pieces that provide an aircraft wing with shape and strength.
- noun (architecture) A long, narrow, usually arched member projecting from the surface of a structure, especially such a member separating the webs of a vault
- noun (firearms) A strip of metal running along the top of the barrel that serves as a sighting plane.
- noun (knitting) A raised ridge in knitted material or in cloth.
- verb To shape, support, or provide something with a rib or ribs.
- verb To tease or make fun of someone in a good-natured way. “He always gets ribbed for his outrageous shirts.”
- verb To enclose, as if with ribs, and protect; to shut in.
- verb (transitive) To leave strips of undisturbed ground between the furrows in ploughing (land).
- noun (botany) Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale).
- noun (botany) Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita).
- noun (botany) Watercress (Nasturtium officinale).
- noun (Internet) routing information base
Synonyms
rigid inflatable boat rigid-hulled inflatable boat rhibbie ribbie RHIB costa ridicule roast guy blackguard laugh at jest at make fun poke fun
Etymology
From Middle English rib, ribbe, from Old English ribb (“rib”), from Proto-West Germanic *ribi, from Proto-Germanic *ribją (“rib, reef”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rebʰ- (“arch, ceiling, cover”).
Cognate with Dutch rib (“rib”), Norwegian ribbe (“sparerib”), Norwegian ribben (“rib”), Low German ribbe (“rib”), German Rippe (“rib”), Old Norse rif (“rib, reef”), Serbo-Croatian rèbro (“rib”).
(wife or woman): In reference to the creation of Eve from Adam's rib in the Bible.
From Middle English ribbe, from Old English ribbe (“hound's-tongue”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun One of the curved bones attached to the vertebral column and supporting the lateral walls of the thorax.
- noun That which resembles a rib in form or use. Specifically: (a) (Shipbuilding) One of the timbers, or bars of iron or steel, that branch outward and upward from the keel, to support the skin or planking, and give shape and strength to the vessel. (b) (Mach. & Structures)
- verb To furnish with ribs; to form with rising lines and channels; as, to rib cloth.
- verb To inclose, as with ribs, and protect; to shut in. It [lead] were too gross To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave.
Etymology [AS. rib, ribb; akin to D. rib, G. rippe, OHG. rippa, rippi, Dan. ribbe, Icel. rif, Russ. rebro.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “rib”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details