ring English · revision 3055

+ English has two words spelled ''ring'': a circle, from Old English hring, and “to sound like a bell”, from Old English hringan.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /rɪŋ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|circle}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725, Beowulf|origins=gem-pro *hringaz}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|ring]], [[inh|ang|hring|t=circlet of metal; ring; part of a mail coat]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*hringaz|t=something curved, circle]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) the source also of Old Frisian and Old Saxon hring, Dutch ring, German Ring and Old Norse hringr.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) Possible cognates outside Germanic are Old Church Slavonic krǫgŭ “circle” and Umbrian krenkatrum “belt”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*krengh-]],^(Barnhart 1988) which Etymonline gives as a nasalized form of [[ine-pro|*sker-|t=to turn, bend]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[rank]].^(NODE 1998)^(Cresswell 2021) The verb, “to put a ring on”, is from the noun.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A circular band: about 725, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988) A finger ring of precious metal is in the OED from about 950.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Old English also used it of a circular group and of the horizon.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) In Anglo-Saxon times a gold ring was a sign of wealth and status;^(Cresswell 2021) as a token of marriage or betrothal it is by about 1200.^(Etymonline) The space for a prize fight, from the circle of bystanders round the fighters, is from the early 14th century,^(Etymonline) and ''the ring'', “boxing”, by 1770.^(Etymonline) ''Ringleader'' (1503) is from ''lead the ring'', “to lead the dance”.^(Barnhart 1988) A number of things in a circle is by the 1580s,^(Etymonline) a ''fairy ring'' from the 1620s, and the growth rings of trees from the 1670s.^(Etymonline) A group of people combining for a purpose, first commercial or political, is from 1829.^(Etymonline) The verb meant “to put a ring on” before 1387^(Barnhart 1988) and “to encircle” before 1500.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – a ring.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – a token of marriage.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 14th century – a ring for fighting.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1387 – verb, to put a ring on.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1500 – verb, to encircle.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1503 – ''ringleader''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1770 – ''the ring'', boxing.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1829 – a group of conspirators.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small circular band, usually of precious [[metal]], worn on the finger.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A circular object, shape or arrangement with an empty centre.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # An enclosed area for a contest or show, as in [[boxing]] or a [[circus]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A group of people acting together, especially secretly or illegally.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(chemistry)'' A closed chain of atoms.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To surround; to encircle.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To put a ring on or in, as on a bird's leg.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ringlet]]

+ * [[ringleader]]

+ * [[ringside]]

+ * [[ringworm]]

+ * [[earring]]

+ * [[ring finger]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|sound}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725, Beowulf|origins=gem-pro *hringijaną}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|ringen]], [[inh|ang|hringan|t=to cause a bell to sound]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*hringijaną|alt=*khrengan]],^(Etymonline) the source also of Old Norse hringja, Swedish ringa and Dutch ringen, and related to Old Norse hrang “noise, din”.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) It is probably imitative.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) Outside Germanic, Lithuanian krañkti “to croak” and Tocharian B kraṅko “cock” have been compared.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Originally a weak verb, it took the strong forms rang, rung in early Middle English, after verbs such as [[sing]].^(Etymonline) The noun is from the verb.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ About 725, in ''Beowulf''.^(Barnhart 1988) Middle English ringen is from about 1131.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive sense, “to give a resonant sound when struck”, is by about 1200;^(Etymonline) of places, “to resound”, about 1300,^(Etymonline) and of the ears, “to hum”, by the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Of coins, sounding true when struck, it is by about 1600, and ''to ring hollow'' from the 1610s.^(Etymonline) The noun meant a set of church bells from 1549, and an act of ringing from 1727.^(Barnhart 1988) ''Ring down'' or ''up'' a theatre curtain, from the bell that signalled it, is by 1772.^(Etymonline) “To telephone”, with ''up'', is by 1880, and of a telephone sounding by 1924;^(Etymonline) ''ring up'' a sale on a cash register is by 1937.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – to make a bell sound.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – to sound when struck.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1549 – noun, a peal of bells.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1600 – to ring true.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1772 – ''ring down the curtain''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1880 – to telephone.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1937 – ''ring up'' a sale.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make a clear resonant sound, as a [[bell]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To cause a bell to sound; to signal by a bell.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be filled with sound; to [[resound]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Of the ears, to hear a humming sound.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(chiefly British)'' To telephone.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To give a particular impression: ''it rings true''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The sound of a bell, or a similar sound.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A telephone call: ''give me a ring''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A suggestion of a quality: ''a ring of truth''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ringer]]

+ * [[ringtone]]

+ * [[ring up]]

+ * [[dead ringer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[rank]]

+ * [[harangue]]

+ * [[range]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The circle verb has past ''ringed'', the sound verb ''rang'' and ''rung''.^(Roach et al. 2011) In Scots ''ring'' also meant “to reign”.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}