English dictionary — definitions & meanings

rumination

noun

The habit of going over the same distressing thought again and again without ever reaching a resolution.

ruminator

noun

One who ruminates; one who meditates or reflects.

rummage

verb

To search through something messily, moving things aside carelessly.

rummaging

noun

The act of searching messily through something.

rummery

noun

A bar that mainly sells rum.

rummy

noun

A card game where players form sets or sequences of matching cards.

rumor

noun

A piece of information or claim circulating by word of mouth, without a confirmed source.

rumored

adj

Said to be true by unconfirmed reports.

rumour

noun

British spelling of rumor: an unconfirmed piece of information spread by word of mouth.

rump

noun

The hindquarters or buttocks of an animal or person.

Rumpelstiltskin

noun

A classic fairy tale in which a small, mischievous imp spins straw into gold for a miller's daughter, then demands her firstborn child unless she can guess his name.

rumple

verb

To crease or crumple something, especially cloth or hair.

rumpus

noun

A loud, chaotic disturbance or quarrel.

rumpy

noun

A Manx cat with virtually no tail, particularly prized among Manx breeders.

rumsen

noun

One of eight divisions of the Ohlone Native American people of northern California native to Monterey Bay Area.

Rumsfeld

name

A surname of German origin, notably that of Donald Rumsfeld, a former U.S. Secretary of Defense.

rumspringa

noun

A period of adolescence for some members of the Amish that begins around the age of 14–16 and ends when a youth chooses baptism within the Amish church or instead leaves the community.

run

verb

To move quickly on foot, faster than walking.

runabout

noun

A small, light vehicle meant for short trips — historically a small car or horse-drawn carriage.

runaround

noun

Evasive or misleading treatment meant to delay or avoid giving someone a straight answer.

runaway

noun

Someone (or something) that has fled or escaped, especially a person who has left home.

rundown

noun

A brief summary or overview of a situation.

rune

noun

A letter from an ancient Germanic alphabet, or more loosely, any mysterious or magical symbol.

rung

noun

A horizontal bar forming a step on a ladder, or the crossbar between chair legs.

runish

adj

Of or relating to runes, runic inscription, or runic language; runic.

Runkle

noun

A wrinkle or crease.

runlet

noun

A wine measure, equivalent to 18 gallons.

runnel

noun

A small stream, a rivulet.

runner

noun

A person who runs, especially as a sport or form of exercise.

runners

noun

Casual, informal British/Irish/Australian term for athletic shoes.

runniness

noun

The state or characteristic of being runny or free-flowing.

running

noun

The activity of moving fast on foot, whether as exercise, sport, or everyday movement.

runny

adj

Thinner than expected and prone to flowing or dripping.

runoff

noun

Rain or irrigation water that flows off the surface of the land instead of soaking in.

runs

noun

Informal term for diarrhea.

runt

noun

The smallest or weakest animal in a litter.

runtime

noun

The period during which a program is actually running, as opposed to the time when it is being written or prepared.

runway

noun

A paved strip used by aircraft for takeoff and landing.

rupa

noun

Form, shape, or outward appearance — a term used in Indian philosophy and religious texts.

rupee

noun

The main unit of currency used in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.

Rupert

name

A male given name of Germanic origin.

rupture

noun

A sudden break, tear, or burst, especially in tissue or a container.

ruptured

adj

Burst, torn, or broken open, especially describing an injured body part.

rural

adj

Relating to the countryside, farmland, or village life, as opposed to cities.

ruralist

noun

One who exhibits characteristics or qualities of rural life, or ruralism.

Rus

name

The medieval East Slavic state, centered around Kiev, founded by Scandinavian traders and warriors starting in the 9th century.

ruse

noun

A clever trick or scheme meant to deceive someone.

rush

verb

To hurry or do something very quickly, sometimes carelessly.

rushed

adj

Done too quickly, often at the cost of quality; or feeling very busy and pressed for time.

rushes

noun

Raw, unedited film footage as originally shot, before editing.

rushing

noun

The act of moving quickly or hurrying.

Rushworth

name

An English surname and place name meaning "rush enclosure" or "rush farm."

rusk

noun

A hard, dry, twice-baked biscuit, often given as a teething food for babies.

Ruskin

name

An English surname, notably that of John Ruskin, the influential Victorian art critic.

Ruslan

name

A masculine given name popular in Russia and Central Asia, of Turkic origin meaning "lion."

Russ

adj

Relating to Russia or Russians (an older or informal form of "Russian").

Russel

noun

A durable, twilled woolen fabric.

russet

noun

A reddish-brown color.

Russia

name

A vast country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, with Moscow as its capital.

Russian

adj

Relating to Russia, its people, culture, or language.

Russo

name

An Italian surname meaning "red," often referring to hair color.

rust

noun

The reddish-brown coating that forms on iron or steel when it reacts with moisture and oxygen over time.

rusted

adj

Corroded by rust; having developed a coating of oxidized metal.

rustic

adj

Having a simple, rural charm; countrified in style.

rustiness

noun

The state of being rusty.

rusting

noun

The gradual process of a metal surface corroding into rust.

rustle

noun

A soft, dry crackling sound, like leaves or paper moving.

rustling

noun

The crime of stealing livestock.

rustproof

adj

Resistant to rust, oxidation and corrosion.

rusty

adj

Covered in rust or corroded.

rut

noun

A deep groove or track worn into the ground by repeated wheels or footsteps.

rutabaga

noun

A root vegetable, also called a swede, with yellowish flesh and a mild, slightly sweet flavor.

ruth

noun

A deep feeling of pity or compassion for someone else's suffering (now old-fashioned).

ruthenian

noun

A native or inhabitant of Ruthenia; a Ukrainian, a Belarusian, usually in a historical context.

rutherford

noun

An old unit of radioactivity, symbol rd, equal to one million radioactive decays per second.

ruthful

adj

Full of sorrow; sorrowful; woeful; rueful.

Ruthie

name

A short, friendly form of the female name Ruth.

ruthless

adj

Showing no pity or mercy; willing to act harshly to get what one wants.

ruthlessly

adv

In a merciless, uncompromising way, without any regard for others.

ruthlessness

noun

The quality of being merciless or showing no compassion.

rutile

noun

The most frequent of the three polymorphs of titanium dioxide, crystalizing in the tetragonal system, TiO₂.

Rutland

name

England's smallest historic county, in the East Midlands.

Rutledge

name

A surname of uncertain origin, also used as several place names in the United States named after people who carried it.

rutter

noun

A horseman or cavalryman, especially a German one, associated with the wars of the 16th and 17th centuries.

ruttle

noun

A rattling sound in the throat arising from difficulty in breathing.

RV

verb

To travel or vacation using a recreational vehicle.

Rwanda

noun

A landlocked country in East Africa, known for its mountainous landscape and rapid post-1994 recovery and development.

Rx

noun

A doctor's prescription, or the symbol printed on a prescription form and on pharmacy signage to mark it as one.

RY

noun

A repeating test string of alternating R and Y characters, historically used to check that teleprinter and radioteletype equipment was working correctly.

Ryan

noun

A given name, originally an Irish surname meaning roughly "descendant of Rian," now common for both boys and girls in English-speaking countries.

Rydell

name

A surname of Scandinavian origin, also known as the fictional high school in the film "Grease."

Ryder

noun

A surname derived from an occupation — someone who rides, such as a horseman or messenger.

Rye

noun

A hardy cereal grass grown for its grain, widely used to make bread, whiskey, and animal feed.

Ryker

name

A masculine given name and surname, likely a variant of the Dutch surname Riker.

Ryland

name

An English surname and given name meaning "rye land," referring to land where rye was grown.

ryo

noun

A five-note musical scale used in Japanese Buddhist chanting, built from a specific pattern of whole steps and short intervals.

ryu

noun

A Japanese term for a school or style of a particular discipline, most often used for martial arts.