Rib

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Rib \Rib\, n. [AS. rib, ribb; akin to D. rib, G. rippe, OHG.
     rippa, rippi, Dan. ribbe, Icel. rif, Russ. rebro.]
     1. (Anat.) One of the curved bones attached to the vertebral
        column and supporting the lateral walls of the thorax.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     Note: In man there are twelve ribs on each side, of which the
           upper seven are directly connected with the sternum by
           cartilages, and are called sternal, or true, ribs. The
           remaining five pairs are called asternal, or false,
           ribs, and of these each of the three upper pairs is
           attached to the cartilage of the rib above, while the
           two lower pairs are free at the ventral ends, and are
           called floating ribs. See {Thorax}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. That which resembles a rib in form or use. Specifically:
        (a) (Shipbuilding) One of the timbers, or bars of iron or
            steel, that branch outward and upward from the keel,
            to support the skin or planking, and give shape and
            strength to the vessel.
        (b) (Mach. & Structures) A ridge, fin, or wing, as on a
            plate, cylinder, beam, etc., to strengthen or stiffen
            it.
        (c) One of the rods on which the cover of an umbrella is
            extended.
        (d) A prominent line or ridge, as in cloth.
        (e) A longitudinal strip of metal uniting the barrels of a
            double-barreled gun.
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     3. (Bot.) The chief nerve, or one of the chief nerves, of a
        leaf.
        (b) Any longitudinal ridge in a plant.
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     4. (Arch.)
        (a) In Gothic vaulting, one of the primary members of the
            vault. These are strong arches, meeting and crossing
            one another, dividing the whole space into triangles,
            which are then filled by vaulted construction of
            lighter material. Hence, an imitation of one of these
            in wood, plaster, or the like.
        (b) A projecting mold, or group of moldings, forming with
            others a pattern, as on a ceiling, ornamental door, or
            the like.
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     5. (Mining)
        (a) Solid coal on the side of a gallery; solid ore in a
            vein.
        (b) An elongated pillar of ore or coal left as a support.
            --Raymond.
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     6. A wife; -- in allusion to Eve, as made out of Adam's rib.
        [Familiar & Sportive]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              How many have we known whose heads have been broken
              with their own rib.                   --Bp. Hall.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Chuck rib}, a cut of beef immediately in front of the middle
        rib. See {Chuck}.
  
     {Fore ribs}, a cut of beef immediately in front of the
        sirloin.
  
     {Middle rib}, a cut of beef between the chuck rib and the
        fore ribs.
  
     {Rib grass}. (Bot.) Same as {Ribwort}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Rib \Rib\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ribbed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Ribbing}.]
     1. To furnish with ribs; to form with rising lines and
        channels; as, to rib cloth.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To inclose, as with ribs, and protect; to shut in.
        [1913 Webster]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              It [lead] were too gross
              To rib her cerecloth in the obscure grave. --Shak.
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     {To rib land}, to leave strips of undisturbed ground between
        the furrows in plowing.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  rib
       n 1: support resembling the rib of an animal
       2: any of the 12 pairs of curved arches of bone extending from
          the spine to or toward the sternum in humans (and similar
          bones in most vertebrates) [syn: {costa}]
       3: cut of meat including one or more ribs
       4: a teasing remark
       5: a riblike supporting or strengthening part of an animal or
          plant
       6: a projecting molding on the underside of a vault or ceiling;
          may be ornamental or structural
       v 1: form vertical ribs by knitting; "A ribbed sweater"
       2: subject to laughter or ridicule; "The satirists ridiculed
          the plans for a new opera house"; "The students poked fun
          at the inexperienced teacher"; "His former students
          roasted the professor at his 60th birthday" [syn: {ridicule},
           {roast}, {guy}, {blackguard}, {laugh at}, {jest at}, {make
          fun}, {poke fun}]
       [also: {ribbing}, {ribbed}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  128 Moby Thesaurus words for "rib":
     Chateaubriand, banter, better half, bilge, blade roast, blain,
     bleb, blister, blob, boss, bow, breast, brisket, bubble, bulb,
     bulge, bulla, bump, bunch, burl, button, cahot, chaff, chine,
     chuck, chuck roast, clod, clump, cold cuts, common-law wife,
     concubine, condyle, convex, dowel, ear, feme, feme covert,
     filet mignon, flange, flank, flap, fool, fun, gall, gnarl,
     goodwife, goody, handle, haze, helpmate, helpmeet, hill, hump,
     hunch, jape, jest, jive, jog, joggle, joke, jolly, josh, kid, knob,
     knot, knuckle, knur, knurl, lady, lip, loin, loop, lump,
     married woman, matron, mole, mountain, needle, nevus, nub, nubbin,
     nubble, old lady, old woman, papilloma, peg, plate, plate piece,
     pot roast, put on, rack, rag, rally, razz, rib roast, ribs, ride,
     ridge, ring, roast, rolled roast, round, rump, rump roast, saddle,
     shank, short ribs, shoulder, shoulder clod, sirloin, spine, squaw,
     stud, style, tab, tease, tenderloin, tubercle, tubercule, twit,
     verruca, vesicle, wale, wart, wedded wife, welt, wife, woman