Definition

1. Verb (past tense of ):
   • To produce a clear, resonant sound: "rang" is the simple past tense of the verb "ring," meaning to cause a bell, telephone, or similar object to make a clear, often metallic sound.
   • To call someone by telephone: In informal usage, "rang" means to have made a telephone call to someone.
   • To resound or echo: It can also describe a space or place that is filled with a loud, clear sound.

Usage Examples

• To produce a clear, resonant sound:

  • The church bell rang loudly at noon. (The bell produced a loud, clear sound.)
  • She rang the doorbell twice. (She pressed the doorbell to make a sound.)

• To call someone by telephone:

  • He rang me yesterday to discuss the project. (He called me on the telephone.)
  • They rang the office to confirm the appointment. (They telephoned the office.)

• To resound or echo:

  • The hall rang with applause after the performance. (The hall was filled with the sound of clapping.)
  • Her words rang in my ears for days. (Her words echoed repeatedly in my mind.)

Advanced Usage

• "rang true": to seem genuine or believable.

  • His explanation didn't ring true. (His explanation seemed false or insincere.)

• "rang a bell": to sound familiar or trigger a memory.

  • That name rang a bell, but I couldn't place it. (The name seemed familiar but not fully remembered.)

• "rang out": to sound loudly and clearly, often over a distance.

  • A gunshot rang out in the quiet night. (A loud sound of a gunshot was heard clearly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ring (verb, present tense): the base form.
  • I ring the bell every morning. (I cause the bell to sound.)
• Rung (verb, past participle): used with auxiliary verbs.
  • The bell has rung three times. (The bell has sounded three times.)
• Ringing (noun or adjective): the action or sound of a bell.
  • The ringing of the phone woke me up. (The sound of the telephone ringing.)

Synonyms

• Sounded: produced a noise.
  • The alarm sounded at dawn. (The alarm made a noise.)
• Called: telephoned someone.
  • She called her mother last night. (She telephoned her mother.)
• Echoed: resounded or reverberated.
  • The shout echoed through the valley. (The shout was repeated as an echo.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Ring up: to record a sale on a cash register or to telephone someone.

  • The cashier rang up the purchase. (The cashier recorded the sale.)
  • I'll ring you up later. (I'll telephone you later.)

• Ring off: to end a telephone call.

  • He rang off without saying goodbye. (He ended the call abruptly.)

Related Idioms

• Ring the changes: to vary or diversify something.
  • The chef likes to ring the changes by using different spices. (The chef varies the recipes.)
• Ring down the curtain: to bring something to an end.
  • The scandal rang down the curtain on his political career. (The scandal ended his career.)