Rib
rɪb
Definitions
4 meaningsOne of the curved bones that form the cage around the chest of humans and other animals.
rɪb
A curved bone in the chest.
The doctor examined the patient's ribs to check for any fractures.
💡 Simply: Imagine your chest has a bunch of curved bones that keep your insides safe, like a strong gate. Those are your ribs!
👶 For kids: A rib is a bone in your body that helps protect your lungs and heart.
More Examples
The rib cage is made up of twelve pairs of ribs.
How It's Used
"The human ribcage protects the vital organs."
"He fractured a rib during the accident."
A structural part of a building, boat, or other object, resembling a rib in form or function.
rɪb
A structural support.
The ribs of the boat were made of strong oak.
💡 Simply: Imagine a frame inside something to give it strength, like the bones in your body. A 'rib' can also be this supporting structure.
👶 For kids: A rib is a part that helps hold something up, like the frame of an umbrella.
More Examples
The architect designed the roof with reinforced ribs to support the load.
How It's Used
"The ribs of the arch supported the weight of the roof."
"The boat's hull was strengthened with ribs."
To tease or make fun of someone playfully.
rɪb
To tease or make fun of someone gently.
He ribbed his friend about his terrible singing.
💡 Simply: When you 'rib' someone, you're just teasing them lightly to be funny, like when friends joke around.
👶 For kids: To rib someone is to tease them gently and have fun.
More Examples
The siblings often ribbed each other about their childhood antics.
How It's Used
"Friends often rib each other playfully."
"She ribbed him about his new haircut."
A strip of meat cut from the rib section of an animal, typically used for eating.
rɪb
A strip of meat from the rib section of an animal.
For dinner, we had ribs with barbecue sauce.
💡 Simply: A rib can be a delicious part of an animal, cooked and eaten, especially from a pig or cow.
👶 For kids: A yummy piece of meat that comes from the rib part of an animal.
More Examples
The restaurant's specialty was slow-cooked ribs.
How It's Used
"I am grilling some delicious ribs on the barbeque"
"They serve a plate of ribs that is to die for."
Idioms & expressions
have a rib
To share a gentle joke or tease.
"We were having a rib about his silly dancing."
From Old English ribb, cognate with Dutch rib and German Rippe. Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hribją.
The word 'rib' has been used in English for centuries, originally referring to the bones of the chest.
Memory tip
Think of the 'rib cage' protecting the body.
Word Origin
"bone"