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Definition of 'rung'

Word Frequency

rung

(rʌŋ )

Word forms: plural rungs

1.

Rung is the past participle of ring1.

2. countable noun

The rungs on a ladder are the wooden or metal bars that form the steps.

I swung myself onto the ladder and felt for the next rung.

3. countable noun

If you reach a particular rung in your career, in an organization, or in a process, you reach that level in it.

I first worked with him in 1971 when we were both on the lowest rung of our careers. [+ of]

There has never been a better time to get on the first rung of the property ladder.

COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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Word Frequency

rung in British English 1

(rʌŋ )

noun

1.

one of the bars or rods that form the steps of a ladder

2.

a crosspiece between the legs of a chair, etc

3. nautical

a spoke on a ship's wheel or a handle projecting from the periphery

4. dialect

a cudgel or staff

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Derived forms

rungless (ˈrungless)

adjective

Word origin

Old English hrung; related to Old High German runga, Gothic hrugga

Word Frequency

rung in British English 2

(rʌŋ )

verb

the past participle of ring2

▶ USAGE See note at ring2

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Word Frequency

rung in American English 1

(rʌŋ )

noun

1.

any sturdy stick, bar, or rod, esp. a rounded one, used as a crossbar, support, etc.

; specif.,

a.

any of the crosspieces constituting the steps of a ladder

b.

a supporting crosspiece, as between the legs of a chair

2.

a stage or degree in a scale, as of social acceptance

3. Scottish

a cudgel

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Word origin

ME rong < OE hrung, staff, rod, pole, akin to Ger runge; for prob. IE base see ring2

Word Frequency

rung in American English 2

(rʌŋ )

verb intransitive, verb transitive

pt. of; Dialectal

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

Examples of 'rung' in a sentence
rung

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

Yet those on the bottom rungs of the publishing ladder are happy to aim lower.How many rungs are there on your ladder?The rungs of that ladder could tell him exactly where he was on his journey to manhood.The man at the top knows what life is like on lower rungs of the company ladder.But he soon learnt how to climb the rungs. Avoid standing on the top three rungs or steps.Anything to avoid landing on the bottom rungs of the differentiation ladder. Products that are purchased infrequently and involve an unpleasant experience usually have very few rungs on their ladders.And how fragile is the hold on the lower rungs of opportunity for so many people in this huge city.He gestured Abasio to lead the way up the metal rungs protruding from the stone.

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Definition of rung from the Collins English Dictionary

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Aug 13, 2021

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If you say that you are in seventh heaven , you mean that you are in a state of complete happiness.

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Scrabble score
for 'rung':
5

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cellar

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stake or steak?

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steak

stake

The only thing on the menu was and kidney pie.

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bridle

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