📖 R — The English dictionary · page 53

rude — Everyday, meaning 1: Rude means not polite; saying or doing things that are unkind or show no respect.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Rude can mean about the body or the toilet in a way that is not polite: rude words, a rude joke.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «A rude awakening» means a sudden unpleasant surprise.↗ Example: It's rude to interrupt.↗ · Don't be rude to your grandma.↗ · He said something rude and had to say sorry.↗ · It's rude to stare at people.↗ · Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude.↗ · Pushing in the line is rude.↗ · That joke is too rude for school.↗ · Winter came as a rude awakening.↗

rudely — Everyday, meaning 1: Rudely means in a way that is not polite and shows no respect for others.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Rudely can mean suddenly and unpleasantly, as in «rudely awakened».↗ Example: He rudely interrupted the teacher.↗ · She answered rudely and then said sorry.↗ · The man pushed rudely past us in the queue.↗ · I was rudely woken by the dog barking.↗ · Don't stare rudely at people.↗ · The waiter spoke rudely to the customers.↗

rudeness — Everyday, meaning 1: Rudeness is behaviour or talk that is not polite and does not show respect, such as interrupting, name-calling or ignoring someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Rudeness is the quality of being rude.↗ Example: I'm sorry for my rudeness earlier.↗ · The teacher would not put up with rudeness in class.↗ · Pushing in the queue is a kind of rudeness.↗ · Answer rudeness with calm words, not more rudeness.↗ · Her rudeness to the waiter embarrassed her parents.↗ · Ignoring someone who says hello can seem like rudeness.↗ · Will you please pardon my rudeness?↗

rudimentary — Everyday, meaning 1: Very simple and basic, not developed much.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Knowing only the first, simplest parts of something: «rudimentary French».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (biology) Small and not fully developed, such as a part of a body that no longer has much use.↗ Example: The cavemen used rudimentary stone tools.↗ · I only have a rudimentary knowledge of French.↗ · They built a rudimentary shelter from branches.↗ · Penguins' wings are not rudimentary; they use them to swim.↗ · The first computers were rudimentary compared with phones today.↗ · Some snakes have rudimentary back legs, tiny bumps inside the body.↗

rue — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal, literary) To rue something means to feel sorry about it and wish it had not happened, as in «you'll rue the day».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Rue is a strong-smelling herb with yellow flowers and bluish leaves, used in the past as a medicine.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (French) «Rue» is the French word for street, as in «rue de la Paix»; to an English ear it sounds a bit like «roo» with a tight, rounded mouth, and it is not an English word for street.↗ Example: You'll rue the day you laughed at me!↗ · He rued his decision not to bring a coat.↗ · The team rued their missed chances.↗ · Rue grew in the old herb garden.↗ · The bakery is on the Rue de Rivoli in Paris.↗ · In French, «la rue» means «the street».↗ · ‘Alas! alas! if thy mother knew it, Sadly, sadly, would she rue it.’↗

ruff — Everyday, meaning 1: A ruff is a stiff, frilled collar worn round the neck long ago.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A ruff is a ring of feathers or fur round the neck of a bird or animal.↗ Example: She was dressed in a ruff and farthingale.↗ · The gentlemen wore little ruffs.↗ · The bird lifted its feathery ruff.↗

ruffian — Everyday, meaning 1: A rough, violent or lawless person, especially a man or a boy who causes trouble.↗ Example: A gang of ruffians stopped the coach on the road.↗ · The weasels and stoats were a band of ruffians.↗ · «You young ruffians, get off my lawn!» shouted the old man.↗ · The magistrate called Toad a hardened ruffian.↗ · Ruffians attacked travellers in the Middle Ages.↗ · The pirates were cruel ruffians.↗ · The ruffians were appropriately named Rawbones and Woudkill.↗

ruffle — Everyday, meaning 1: (verb) To make something uneven or messy, like hair, feathers or a smooth surface.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) To annoy or upset someone a little.↗ e.g. "ruffle someone's feathers".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) A strip of gathered cloth used as decoration on a dress or shirt; a frill.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (noun) A soft drum roll.↗ Example: Grandad ruffled my hair and smiled.↗ · A breeze ruffled the surface of the lake.↗ · The bird ruffled its feathers in the cold.↗ · Her rude comment ruffled a few feathers.↗ · The princess wore a dress with lots of ruffles.↗ · He stayed calm and unruffled during the test.↗ · 'Can you ruffle your fur when you are angry, or purr when you are pleased?' said she.↗

rug — Everyday, meaning 1: A rug is a thick piece of cloth that covers part of a floor.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A rug (UK) can also be a thick blanket, for a knee or a picnic: a travel rug.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «Pull the rug out from under someone» means suddenly take away their help.↗ Example: A rug is 6 feet long and 4 feet wide.↗ · What is the area of the rug?↗ · The room is 10 by 12 feet; how much floor is not covered by the rug?↗ · Each rug costs $40.↗ · The children sat on the reading rug.↗ · The dog sleeps on the rug by the fire.↗ · We took a picnic rug to the park.↗ · Snug as a bug in a rug!↗ · The rug slipped, so we put a grip mat under it.↗ · There were carpets, and rugs, and window curtains hanging to the ground.↗ · And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him: 'Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not.'↗ And he turned in unto her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.↗ (Prophets JDG.4.18, JPS 1917)↗

rugby — Everyday, meaning 1: Rugby is a team game played with an oval ball, which players can kick, carry and pass backwards; they score by putting the ball down over the other team's line.↗ Example: We play rugby at school in winter.↗ · A rugby ball is oval, not round.↗ · In rugby you can only pass the ball backwards.↗ · The All Blacks are New Zealand's rugby team.↗ · She scored a try in the rugby match.↗ · Younger children play tag rugby without tackling.↗ · Rugby players wear mouthguards.↗ · Ireland beat England at rugby.↗

rugged — Everyday, meaning 1: Rugged means rough and uneven, with rocks or bumps: rugged ground.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Rugged also means strong and weathered in appearance: a rugged face.↗ Example: They continued across the rugged heath.↗ · The stream had sharp and rugged rocks.↗ · He had a rugged face lit by a smile.↗ · Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the rugged shall be made level, and the rough places a plain; (Prophets ISA.40.4, JPS 1917)↗ · And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the rugged valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all brambles.↗ (Prophets ISA.7.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not, in paths that they knew not will I lead them; I will make darkness light before them, and rugged places plain.↗ (Prophets ISA.42.16, JPS 1917)↗

ruin — Everyday, meaning 1: To ruin something means to damage or spoil it so badly that it is no good any more: rain ruined the picnic.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A ruin is what is left of an old building that has fallen down, or the ruins of a town.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Ruin can mean losing all your money: the business faced ruin.↗ Example: The rain ruined our picnic.↗ · Don't tell me the ending — you'll ruin the book!↗ · We explored the ruins of an old castle.↗ · The city was left in ruins after the earthquake.↗ · Spilling juice ruined my drawing.↗ · Romans built the fort, and now only ruins remain.↗ · Too much salt can ruin the soup.↗ · My little brother ruined the surprise by telling Mum.↗ · "It's enough to ruin one's nerves.↗ · And the LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses; and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by reason of the swarms of flies.↗ (Torah EXO.8.24, JPS 1917)↗ · O Israel, thy prophets have been like foxes in ruins.↗ (Prophets EZK.13.4, JPS 1917)↗ · In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten unto ruin.↗ (Prophets ISA.24.12, JPS 1917)↗ · Surely Thou settest them in slippery places; Thou hurlest them down to utter ruin.↗ (Writings PSA.73.18, JPS 1917)↗

ruinous — Everyday, meaning 1: Ruinous means fallen to pieces, in ruins: a ruinous castle.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Ruinous also means causing great loss or damage, very costly.↗ Example: It was a ruinous old castle, haunted by spirits.↗ · The balcony was in a very ruinous state.↗ · The repairs would be ruinous.↗ · Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.↗ (Prophets ISA.17.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Surely none shall put forth his hand to a ruinous heap, neither because of these things shall help come in one's calamity, (Writings JOB.30.24, JPS 1917)↗ · Long ago I made it, in ancient times I fashioned it; now have I brought it to pass, yea, it is done; that fortified cities should be laid waste into ruinous heaps.↗ (Prophets ISA.37.26, JPS 1917)↗

rule — Everyday, meaning 1: A rule tells what must or should be done: school rules, the rules of a game.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In maths, a rule tells how to get the next number, or how to change an input to an output.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To rule is to be in charge of a country: the queen ruled for years.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To rule a line is to draw it with a ruler.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: «As a rule» means usually.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: To rule out is to decide that something is not possible.↗ Example: The rule is «add 4»: 3, 7, 11, …↗ · What is the rule of the pattern?↗ · By the rules, each player gets 5 cards.↗ · Use the rule to find the 10th number.↗ · Rule a line under the title.↗ · Our class rule is to listen when someone is speaking.↗ · The queen ruled the country for a long time.↗ · As a rule, we eat dinner at six.↗ · The doctor ruled out a broken arm.↗ · As a rule they are either fools or swindlers!↗ · Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.↗ (Torah LEV.25.43, JPS 1917)↗ · As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him; he shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.↗ (Torah LEV.25.53, JPS 1917)↗ · And God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; and the stars.↗ (Torah GEN.1.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.↗ (Prophets JDG.14.4, JPS 1917)↗ · The sun to rule by day, for His mercy endureth for ever; (Writings PSA.136.8, JPS 1917)↗ · By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.↗ (Writings PRO.8.16, JPS 1917)↗

ruler — Everyday, meaning 1: A ruler is a straight strip with marks, used to measure length and draw straight lines.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A ruler is also a person who rules a country, like a king, queen or emperor.↗ Example: A ruler is 30 cm long.↗ · How many rulers fit along a 2 m table?↗ · Each ruler costs $1.50.↗ · She measured the line with a ruler: 8 inches.↗ · Use a ruler to draw a straight line.↗ · Start measuring from the zero mark on the ruler.↗ · The ruler of the kingdom was a wise old queen.↗ · My ruler has centimeters on one side and inches on the other.↗ · Rulers of ancient Egypt were called pharaohs.↗ · She was a wonderful woman, and an able ruler.↗ · Thou shalt not revile God, nor curse a ruler of thy people.↗ (Torah EXO.22.28, JPS 1917)↗ · And if thou knowest any able men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.'↗ (Torah GEN.47.6, JPS 1917)↗ · And the rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; (Torah EXO.35.27, JPS 1917)↗ · Which having no chief, overseer, or ruler, (Writings PRO.6.7, JPS 1917)↗ · If a ruler hearkeneth to falsehood, all his servants are wicked.↗ (Writings PRO.29.12, JPS 1917)↗ · All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.↗ (Writings 1CH.27.31, JPS 1917)↗

rum — Everyday, meaning 1: (old use, British) Strange or odd: «a rum little man».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A strong drink made from sugar cane.↗ Example: The pedlar was a rum old fellow with a hat full of feathers.↗ · It is a rum thing that the door was open.↗ · Captain Hook drank rum from a bottle.↗

rumble — Everyday, meaning 1: To rumble is to make a long, low, deep sound, like thunder or a big truck.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A rumble is such a low rolling sound.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK informal) To rumble someone is to find out their secret or trick.↗ Example: Thunder rumbled in the distance.↗ · My tummy is rumbling; it's lunch time.↗ · The train rumbled over the bridge.↗ · We heard a rumble before the volcano erupted.↗ · The ground rumbled during the earthquake.↗ · Mum rumbled our plan to stay up late.↗ · The trucks rumbled past the house.↗ · “We landed and we heard the rumble of water going gloomily through the darkness of the forest.↗