ripper
part of speech
noun (a ripper, rippers); adjective (ripper — Australia, NZ slang)
meaning for a pupil
1) A ripper is a person or tool that rips or tears things. tree →
2) (Australia, NZ, slang) «Ripper!» means great or excellent; «a ripper» is something really good. tree →
3) «Jack the Ripper» is the name given to an unknown murderer in London long ago; this is a grim, adult part of history. tree →
sense in the lessons
In Australian and New Zealand speech it is cheerful praise («You little ripper!»). In history it may come up with Victorian London. As a tool word, a «seam ripper» unpicks stitches in sewing. Phrases: «You little ripper!», «a ripper of a day», «seam ripper».
examples
- That was a ripper of a game, mate! tree →
- «You little ripper!» Grandpa shouted when we won. tree →
- Mum used a seam ripper to undo the wrong stitches. tree →
- It was a ripper day at the beach. tree →
- Bluey's dad might call a good cake a ripper. tree →
- The police never caught Jack the Ripper. tree →
note
The slang sense is informal and friendly, mainly Australian and New Zealand. Countable noun: rippers. The name «Jack the Ripper» is about real murders and is not a joke word.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «ripper» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.