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rib

Meaning in simple English, pronunciation and examples

Pronunciation: US /rɪb/

Forms: ribs

rib means: One of the curved bones around your chest that protect your heart and lungs.

noun

CHEST BONEB2

One of the curved bones around your chest that protect your heart and lungs.

  • He broke a rib in the fall.
  • Her ribs hurt when she coughed.
  • The doctor checked his rib cage for injuries.

Common phrases: broken rib, rib cage, crack a rib, human rib

SUPPORTING STRIPC1

A thin, usually curved piece that supports something and helps give it its shape.

  • One rib of the umbrella is bent.
  • Wooden ribs support the boat's outer shell.
  • The builder replaced a damaged rib in the roof.

Similar words: support, strut

Common phrases: umbrella rib, wooden rib, supporting rib

verb

TEASE PLAYFULLYC1

To make gentle jokes about someone in a friendly way.

  • My friends love to rib me.
  • We ribbed Dan about his terrible singing.
  • She was gently ribbed for forgetting her own birthday.

How to use it: rib someone about something (They ribbed him about his new haircut.); rib someone for something (Her friends ribbed her for arriving in slippers.)

Similar words: tease, kid

Common phrases: rib someone, rib someone about something, rib someone for something

Questions about rib

What does rib mean?

One of the curved bones around your chest that protect your heart and lungs.

What is rib in other languages?

Türkçe: kaburga · Español: costilla · Français: côte · Deutsch: Rippe · Italiano: costola · 日本語: 肋骨

How do you pronounce rib?

It is pronounced /rɪb/.

How do you use rib in a sentence?

He broke a rib in the fall. Her ribs hurt when she coughed.

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